The Customs Department is offering bill payment services through online banking, counter service and bank branches to create more convenience for taxpayers and comply with the national e-payment strategy.
With the new bill payment service, taxpayers no longer need to visit the Customs Department to pay taxes, said director-general Krisada Chinavicharana.
The tax-collecting department yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the country's four largest banks -- Bangkok Bank (BBL), Siam Commercial Bank (SCB), Kasikornbank (KBank) and Krungthai Bank (KTB) -- to enable taxpayers to pay bills through the banks' online and branch channels.
The deal is part of efforts to move the Customs Department towards fully electronic payments.
The department recently joined hands with state-owned KTB to launch Krungthai Logistics Card, enabling shippers to pay customs taxes and fees on both exports and imports, cargo fees for Thai Airways International and Bangkok Flight Services, and port fees for the Port Authority of Thailand and privately owned ports.
Holders of the card, which must be tied to savings, current or overdraft accounts, can make payments by swiping the card through electronic data capture terminals. The card will be available from mid-2019.
Just 2% of the department's taxes and fees are paid by cash, while e-payments account for 55% and cashier's cheques make up the rest.
The new payment channels will lower tax payments by cashier's cheques and reduce taxpayers' operating costs.
Chaiyut Kumkun, a customs spokesman, said the MoU will improve Thailand's Ease of Doing Business score, as rated by the World Bank, and lower the need for face-to-face meetings between shippers and customs officials, making shipping more transparent.
At the moment, goods discharge is the only process under customs procedures that is not fully electronic, as such products require inspection by customs officials.
Customs collected 19 billion baht during the first two months of fiscal 2019, surpassing the target by 10%. The department aims to collect 100 billion baht in tax revenue this fiscal year.