Q1346. When must a Thai company register for VAT and what are the ongoing duties?

Answered by the NYC Visa & Translation team

As a general rule, an operator whose revenue from selling goods or services in Thailand exceeds the statutory annual threshold (check the current figure with the Revenue Department) must register for VAT before starting operations or within the prescribed period after reaching the threshold. Newly incorporated companies often register at the same time to be ready to issue tax invoices. Once registered, ongoing duties include: (1) issuing a tax invoice for every sale of goods or services, (2) filing the PP.30 return monthly even when there are no transactions, (3) maintaining input and output tax reports, and (4) keeping records for the statutory retention period. Cautions: late filing carries surcharges and penalties, and the registered VAT address must be a genuine place of business — officers may inspect it. Our accounting team handles both registration and monthly filings. This is general guidance; requirements and fees change — always verify with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Revenue Department, the Department of Business Development, or the receiving authority before proceeding.