Customs blames economy, revamp for revenue shortfall

Somchai Sujjapongse, director-general of the department, said revenue for the first six months ending March 2015 was Bt2.51 billion, 4 per cent lower than expected.
Some of the revenue reduction was a result of restructuring of import duties by the Finance Ministry. That move alone is expected to cut revenue by Bt4.575 billion this fiscal year.
The Customs Department expects to bring in Bt117.83 billion, or 3.73 per cent less than targeted, for the 2015 fiscal year. The target was set at Bt122.4 billion.
However, the department is attempting to boost its collection efficiency with more measures for inspection of products at high risk of tax avoidance, case management, and voluntary tax inspection of business operators.
A legal draft is being considered by the Finance Ministry that would combine all five customs laws into one, with additions and amendments. To cope with freer movement of products under the Asean Economic Community, the issues of cross-border transfers have been added.
During the first six months of this fiscal year, the department named 5,649 wrongdoers, up 5.84 per cent year on year. However, the value of such cases dropped 34.29 per cent to Bt1.65 billion.
The Customs Department will set up a committee to oversee projects under an anti-corruption declaration announced by the department’s executives on April 1. The committee, which will consist of relevant parties from the state and private sectors, will assess customs sites’ performance and receive petitions.
The declaration promises that no customs civil servants or employees will receive improper benefits, and ethics will be adhered to with transparency.
Debit and credit payments will also be used for duties on board, while an e-tax incentive system will be developed for bonded warehouses for manufacturing plants and others.