How to get a tax-free refund in Phuket
Tax Free or VAT Refund is a refund of the value-added tax (VAT) for purchases made abroad. You can get this nice “cashback” when departing from Phuket. How does it work? Let’s break it down.
Who can claim a tax-free refund?
A key condition: VAT refunds are available only for tourists. This means you must have entered Thailand on a tourist visa or received a stamp at passport control. If you are a Thai resident, you are not eligible for a tax refund. Additionally, the VAT refund request must be submitted within 60 days from the date of purchase.
How much can you get back?
You can receive a refund of 4% to 6.1% of the purchase price for goods bought in Thailand. The total purchase amount must be at least 2,000 THB. However, not all stores in Phuket offer VAT refunds — look for signs that say “Tax Free” or “VAT Refund,” or ask the seller directly.
When making a purchase, the store must provide you with a receipt and a completed P.P.10 form — without these, you won’t be able to process your tax refund. You will also need to present your passport at the time of purchase.
There is a special table that helps calculate the VAT refund percentage based on the purchase amount.
How to process a tax refund at Phuket Airport
Tax-free refunds can only be processed at Phuket International Airport.
You will need to have your receipts, the P.P.10 form, and the purchased goods (preferably in their original packaging).
Before passing through passport control, go to the “VAT Refund for Tourists” office in the general departure hall. Here, officials will check your documents (and possibly the items) and stamp your receipts. In some cases, you may need to fill out a special form and choose your refund method—either in cash (Thai Baht) or via transfer to an international bank card. After this step, proceed through passport control and find the “VAT Refund for Tourists” counter to collect your refund. That’s it!
Important details
Luxury goods worth over 40,000 THB (such as mobile devices, electronics, jewelry, branded bags, watches, sunglasses, belts, and more) must remain with you after passing customs and checking in your luggage.
Hand luggage that is not luxury but exceeds 100,000 THB in value must also stay with you after all security checks.
The VAT refund office may have long queues, so allow extra time before your flight to complete the process.
You can find a list of shopping malls in Phuket where tax-free purchases are available in the Places to visit section on our website.
