New criminal charges including money laundering will be laid against anyone evading tax of 10 million baht or more or filing a false tax claim of 1 million baht and above.
Tax officials were given the go-ahead by the cabinet to prepare legislation to include the charges in their investigations.
Akharaphol Thakaew, a Revenue Department legal affairs official, said the cabinet on Tuesday approved an amendment to the Revenue Code to meet the international practices of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
When the amendment is passed, criminal and anti-money laundering charges will be included along with other charges for accumulated tax evasion of 10 million baht and over. Anyone filing a false claim for a tax refund of at least 1 million baht or issuing a false tax invoice to reduce tax payments by 15 million baht or more will also face the new charges.
Mr Akharaphol said the false tax refund figure was set low because such claims withdrew money directly from government coffers.
He said the legal amendment will empower the department's director-general to freeze assets involved in a tax fraud investigation for 90 days.