1. In late December 2019, Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI), the government agency responsible for foreign investment promotion, issued new incentives to attract investments in the country’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
2. The EEC is a special development zone (SEZ) established in 2017 and straddles three eastern provinces of Thailand – Chonburi, Rayong, and Chachoengsao – spanning a total of 13,285 square kilometers. The government aims to complete the EEC by 2021 and turn it into a hub for technological manufacturing and services.
TAX PACKAGES
1. This latest incentive package will include tax reductions and holidays as well as an expansion on the type of activities that will be eligible for these incentives. The BOI is accepting applications from January 2, 2020, to the last working day of 2021.
2. There are tax incentives in the form of three years of 50 percent corporate income tax (CIT) reduction and a two-year tax holiday for corporations that are engaged in targeted activities in the EEC.
3. These specific activities must involve human resource development programs, such as work-integrated learning activities and dual and cooperative education programs.
4. Additionally, two years of 50 percent CIT reduction or a one-year tax holiday is applicable for investments in the four promoted zones (EECi, EECd, EECa, and EEDmd) in Thailand. These zones aim to facilitate the development of targeted industries, ranging from healthcare to research and development to transport.
THAILAND PLUS STIMULUS
1. In September 2019, the Thailand Plus stimulus package was issued, which covers seven key points – offering tax incentives, deductions, as well as reforms designed to improve the ease of doing business and attract businesses affected by the US-China trade war. Consist of:-
2. Five years of 50 percent CIT reductions, if investors commit to at least Thai Bhat 1 billion (US$32 million), provided the investment is realized by the end of 2021. This is in addition to the 13 years and 50 percent CIT reduction already in place;
3. CIT deductions of 200 percent for training expenses or employing personnel in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM);
4. CIT reduction of 200 percent for businesses looking to engage in automation systems and robotics;
5. The government to establish an investment and steering committee, which will be chaired by the Prime Minister. This committee will help facilitate the larger foreign investments into the country; and
6. Expansion of the country’s free trade network; and
7. The development of special economic zones for companies from individual countries, namely South Korea, Japan, China, and the US.
HR DEVELOPMENT
1. The government is offering tax incentives for businesses that invest in human resource development. This is an important pillar of the Thailand Plus stimulus package, and the overall Thailand 4.0 vision, which aims to accelerate digital transformation and innovation in the country by 2035.
2. At the heart of this master plan is the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) – a special economic zone – which has been touted as the center of Thailand’s future technology-based industries such as artificial intelligence, bioscience, aerospace engineering, and robotics.
3. Educational institutions are also exempt from import duty on scientific equipment and tools designed for their maintenance.
4. The BOI has provided businesses up to 200 percent CIT deduction for expenses related to internal or external STEM training courses for employees. Furthermore, businesses can also receive up to 100 percent CIT deduction for expenses related to apprenticeship programs.
5. It is important to note that these courses and programs must be endorsed by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation or the Eastern Economic Corridor Office(if the activity occurs in the EEC).
(Source: aseanbriefing)
