Customs eager to extend pre-arrival processing

Customs eager to extend pre-arrival processing

The Customs Department intends to extend Pre-Arrival Processing service. (Bangkok Post file photo)
The Customs Department intends to extend Pre-Arrival Processing service. (Bangkok Post file photo)

The Customs Department intends to extend Pre-Arrival Processing (PAP) service, which transmits customs declarations and import documents to customs authorities electronically before the goods arrive in the destination country for cross-border land transport.

The PAP streamlines customs processes, facilitates trade and will help raise the country's ranking in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business survey, said Krisada Chinavicharana, director-general of the department.

The department launched PAP for shippers earlier this year.

He said the department is developing a system to allow recipients of parcels sent from overseas through the postal service to pay tax online, allowing recipients to get the parcels without visiting a customs office. The move aims to make it more convenient for individuals and business operators to receive packages.

The system is expected to be completely developed in six months.

In a separate development, the department has joined forces with the Government Savings Bank, Bank of Ayudhya and Big C Supercenter to offer online tax payment, aimed at cutting down importers' costs.

Under the system, importers can pay duty and tax bills through participating bank branches, the internet and mobile banking, ATM and non-bank operators.

Krungthai Bank, Kasikornbank, Bangkok Bank, Siam Commercial Bank and Counter Service Co already provide the customs tax payment service.

Those who are liable for tax payment can use the import entry attached via QR code, barcode or a reference number to pay at participating banks and non-bank firms.

The system also enables taxpayers to print out invoices by themselves through an e-tracking system. This can lower costs from payment by cheque worth 334.37 baht per import entry, or 286 million baht a year, said Mr Krisada.

According to customs data from the past six months, operators printed out 1.37 million invoices, representing 99.9% of the entire electronic tax payments.

After the invoice printing service was made available online, traditional invoices issued by customs plunged sharply to 300 per month from 300,000 in the past.

For the department's revenue collection, Mr Krisada expects its full-year target of 108 billion baht to be reachable after garnering 98 billion in revenue thus far.

Vehicles, auto parts and electronic products are Thailand's top import items and they contribute the highest tax revenue to the department.

The tax-collecting agency is targeting to collect revenue amounting to 111 billion baht for fiscal 2020.

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