The Revenue Department is probing tax evasion from more than 10 zero-dollar tour companies, with the combined amount of tax evasion estimated at 10 billion baht.
Among the companies under investigation, OA Transport Co Ltd has been charged by the Revenue Department with tax evasion this month for dodging 7 billion baht worth of taxes in connection with zero-dollar tour scams, said director-general Prasong Poontaneat.
Other companies involved with zero-dollar tour operations will face prosecution as the probe is ongoing, he said.
The implicated companies have evaded taxes worth between 100 million and 10 million baht, said Mr Prasong.
If these companies fail to pay their tax bills, their assets will be seized for tax payment, he said. Initial estimates suggest assets owned by these companies are sufficient for tax payment, said Mr Prasong.
The probe is in line with the government crackdown on zero-dollar tour scams, which have damaged Thailand's tourism reputation, he said.
Zero-dollar tour schemes lure Chinese tourists into buying cheap tour packages in Thailand where they are forced to spend money on unusually expensive souvenirs and services.
The Revenue Department has been cooperating with the police and related agencies on the probe, said Mr Prasong. A legal clause prohibits the department from disclosing the information of taxpayers, which has led to a perception not much progress has been made on this issue, he said.
Upon revenue examination of OA Transport, the department found it booked revenue above 10 billion baht per year over the past five years, but the company reported its five-year revenue totalled 25 billion, said a source at the department.
The Revenue Department has been working with the Department of Tourism, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Tourist Police, and the Anti-Money Laundering Office to inspect businesses connected with zero-dollar tour scams. The department is focused on accounting records and tax payments of these businesses, said the source.
Based on the findings, most of the zero-dollar tour scams are operated by Chinese who have established companies in Thailand to service Chinese tourists in terms of hospitality and eateries through setting up Thai nominees, said the source.
It is difficult to trace tax payments of zero-dollar tour operators because some of them use deceased Thai nominees to cover their scams and use WeChat Pay, a digital wallet service, for transactions, said the source.