Taxing tutorial schools only fair, says Sansern
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The government's decision to tax tutorial schools is aimed at boosting taxation fairness as research shows tutorial schools' profit rate is as high as 40 per cent.
“Our main focus is not about increasing tax revenue. It’s about fairness,” deputy government spokesman Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said yesterday.
Tutorial schools have long enjoyed tax exemption as they are supposed to play a role in boosting educational opportunities among the underprivileged.
Sansern said the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) had cited research findings in recommending that the government tax tutorial schools.
“It is clear that most tutorial schools are now profit-oriented,” he said.
He pointed out that famous cram schools were charging higher fees based on their popularity, and reserving their rights over |content of books/CDs they produce.
According to Sansern, the government expects to earn Bt1.2 billion in tax revenue from tutorial schools each year.
Thousands of cram schools
There are now 2,379 registered tutorial schools in the country, with a total of 535,695 students. Of these schools, 549 are located in Bangkok and the rest are upcountry.
Of all students seeking the cram schools’ services, 209,350 are in the capital and the rest are in provinces.
The latest government decision, however, has caused uproar among tutorial-school operators.
They have said that if they are taxed, they will increase their course fees.
Sansern said the government had assigned the Education Ministry to improve educational quality, something that could discourage students wishing to take extra courses at cram schools.
