'First-car' a boost to fuel revenue
The Excise Department expects to collect an additional Bt20 billion to Bt80 billion in tax on fuel in fiscal year 2012 thanks to an increase in vehicle sales after the government's first-car owner scheme.
Department director-general Somchai Pulsawas said yesterday that the increase in tax collection was partly the result of the first-car scheme, in which the government offers financial support to people buying their first cars by offering them tax rebates of up to Bt100,000 per unit.
Somchai added that for the fiscal budget of 2011, the department targeted total tax collection of Bt412 billion based on a yearlong exemption of tax collection on diesel fuel.
“However, whether the tax on diesel will be resumed or not depends on the government’s policy,” he said.
Somchai said rebates for the first-car scheme now amounted to Bt20 billion on 290,000 cars for which benefits have been applied.
“We expect the tax rebates should nearly reach the target of Bt30 billion to Bt35 billion on 500,000 cars.”
