BANGKOK: Thailand’s Revenue Department is stepping up efforts to collect more than 17.6 billion baht in tax from former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra after the Supreme Court ruled that the department’s tax assessment was lawful. The Department may also file a bankruptcy case if the debt is not fully recovered.
Somsak Anantawat, strategic tax collection adviser for the energy business group and acting director-general of the Revenue Department, said the case had become final under Supreme Court judgment No 6890/2568, which was read on Nov 17, 2025.
The court ruled that the assessment by tax officials was lawful, making the assessed tax debt final immediately. The total amount stands at 17,629,585,191 baht, including tax, penalties and surcharges.
Somsak said the Revenue Department had continued to pursue the outstanding tax under the legal framework even while the case was going through the appeal committee and the courts.
Measures already taken include:
- issuing notices demanding tax payment;
- examining all categories of assets;
- preparing for possible seizure and attachment of assets;
- expanding asset-tracing efforts in Thailand and abroad;
- coordinating with relevant agencies to enforce payment.
He said the department had also planned carefully around legal timeframes and limitation periods to prevent financial damage to the state.
If tax enforcement procedures are carried out to the fullest extent and the department is still unable to recover the full assessed amount, it will consider filing a bankruptcy case against Thaksin.
The dispute stems from a personal income tax assessment notice, known as Por Ngor Dor 12, issued on March 28, 2017. Thaksin had asked the Central Tax Court to revoke the assessment, which required him to pay about 17.6 billion baht in personal income tax, penalties and surcharges to the Revenue Department.
The Central Tax Court ruled on July 18, 2022, to revoke the assessment, finding that Revenue Department officials had not issued a summons to examine Thaksin under Section 19 of the Revenue Code in his capacity as principal.
The Specialised Appeal Court’s tax division later upheld that ruling on June 2, 2023.
However, the Supreme Court later reversed the lower court rulings.
According to the judgment summary, the court found that Thaksin had concealed his shareholding in Shin Corporation Plc by having other people, including Panthongtae Shinawatra and Pinthongtha Shinawatra, hold shares on his behalf because he wanted to take up a political position while being barred by law from holding the shares.
The court found that the arrangement lacked tax morality, was inconsistent with the purpose of tax law, prevented the state from collecting tax properly and reliably, and had no economic reason beyond seeking other benefits, including income tax benefits.
It also found the transaction was carried out for a seriously unlawful purpose, leaving no grounds to waive or reduce the penalty and surcharges.
As a result, the Revenue Department has the authority to collect tax, penalties and surcharges totalling about 17.6 billion baht under the March 28, 2017 tax assessment notice.
A news report also cited Forbes’ 2025 wealth ranking as estimating Thaksin’s net worth at US$2.1 billion, or about 72 billion baht, ranking him 15th in Thailand and 1,688th globally. - Bangkokbiznews via The Nation/ANN
