A breakdown of the figures for the first month of the 2007 fiscal year suggests incomes of firms and workers rose but consumers were still cautious about spending.

The Revenue Department's tax collection totalled Bt68.61 billion, a 10.5-per-cent rise compared with the same month last year, and 3.5 per cent higher than estimated.

Corporate income tax receipts rose 15 per cent to Bt14.88 billion, and personal income tax was up 14.4 per cent to Bt13.56 billion.

Value added tax collections reached Bt36.32 billion, up 8.5 per cent year on year.

The Excise Department collected combined tax worth Bt24.15 billion, up 19.9 per cent year on year and 15.2 per cent higher than estimated. Liquor tax receipts jumped by 91.3 per cent to Bt3.09 billion.

Oil tax receipts rose 30.8 per cent year on year to Bt6.22 billion, while collection of beer tax was up by 31.8 per cent to Bt3.73 billion. However, revenues from automobile tax fell 18.5 per cent to Bt4.21 billion. Tax collected from electrical-appliance sales dropped 1.2 per cent to Bt239 million.

Motorcycle tax receipts, however, rose 5.1 per cent to Bt165 million.

The figures suggest consumers remained cautious about their spending. While the income of firms and individuals apparently improved, it is too early to tell whether the trend will continue, said Somchai.

October revenue collection by the Customs Department dropped 13.7 per cent to Bt7.76 billion, but was 2.7 per cent higher than targeted. Import-tariff receipts were Bt7.59 billion, down 11.1 per cent year on year.

State enterprises and other government agencies submitted cash to the Finance Ministry worth a combined Bt21.31 billion, a huge year-on-year rise of 376 per cent. The increase was caused by accounting changes required by the ministry, although their contributions were 11.8 per cent lower than estimated.

The government estimates revenues of Bt1.42 trillion for the 2007 fiscal year and plans to set expenditures at Bt1.52 trillion, running a deficit of Bt100 billion.

Wichit Chaitrong

The Nation