Did you know that it is possible to ask for a VAT refund in Thailand for purchases made, of course, in Thailand?

In this article, I’ll talk about all the bureaucratic aspects and briefly explain the procedure to follow.

WHAT IS THE VAT RATE IN THAILAND?

The refund is equal to the VAT paid for each purchase which in Thailand is 7% of the total item price.

WHO CAN CLAIM VAT REFUNDS?

• Those who aren’t a Thai national
• Those who don’t work for an airline
• Those who bought products at authorized shops that display the logo for the VAT refund for tourists

• Those who spent a minimum of 2,000 Baht (VAT included) per person
• Those who are in possession of the P.P.10 form (supplied by the shops that display the logo) and the original invoice/receipt for each item

• Those who request the VAT refund no later than 60 days from the date of issue of the invoice/receipt

HOW TO CLAIM A VAT REFUND IN THAILAND

• Make sure that the store where you purchase the goods displays the VAT REFUND FOR TOURIST logo above
• Spend no less than 2,000 Baht in total (approximately €55, at the time of writing) per person
• Request the P.P.10 form when paying and, of course, the invoice or receipt (don’t lose it!)
• Do not wait for more than 60 days from the date of purchase (the day of purchase is considered the first of the 60 days available) to go to one of the Thai airports listed below:
  • Suvarnabhumi
  • Don Mueang
  • Chiang Mai
  • Phuket
  • Hat Yai, U-Tapao
  • Krabi
  • Samui
  • Surat Thani
  • Mae Fah Luang – Chiang Rai
• Once you arrive at the airport you need to go to the VAT Refund for Tourist Office before checking any luggage

• Any luxury goods such as gold, jewels and other items valued 10,000 Baht or more (about € 272, at the time of writing), will be inspected by a revenue agency official so it’s best to have them within reach of hand to speed up the process.
• When you return back home, your VAT refund request along with all the documents stamped at the airport must be sent by ordinary mail to the address below:

VAT Refund for Tourists Office
Revenue Department
90 Phaholyothin 7
Samsen Nai, Phayathai
Bangkok 10400, Thailand

HOW WILL THE REFUND BE PAID?

For purchases not exceeding 30,000 baht, refunds will be made in cash (Thai baht), by bank draft or credit to your credit card account. For purchases exceeding 30,000 baht, the refund will be made by bank draft or credit to your credit card account.

REFUND FEES

For a cash refund, a fee of 100 Baht will be applied (approximately € 2.70, at time of writing)

For a refund, by wire transfer or onto your credit card a fee of 100 Baht will be applied, plus any of the bank’s charges as well as the exchange rate.

I hope this article was clear enough, alternatively you can contact the VAT REFUND FOR TOURIST OFFICE directly at the following email address: vrefund@rd.go.th

Looking for more information before traveling to Thailand? On this page you will find all my articles.

Get in touch if you have any questions!