BCEL in cooperation with Tax Department, Ministry of Finance, launched VAT Collection Payment System for goods/products bought by the passengers, vehicle fees and arrival passenger fees via electronic system (Smart VAT 2). On 17 January 2020, Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge I, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR
The objectives of the project are to facilitate the passengers who travel cross-border at the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge I and to collect the revenue for National Budget in a acurrate, swift, transparent and auditable way.
This system allows passengers to easily register their vehicle certificates, passports, border passes, temporary border passes and vehicle documents of the foreigners into the system. The system will automatically calculate the total fees which the passengers can make the payment via various channels such as: pay by cash, BCEL ATM, Smart VAT card, BCEL OnePay and BCEL One Application.
The system has been put on trial since 19 September 2017 under the name Smart VAT and since December 2018 under the name Smart VAT 2.
BCEL and Tax Department have put efforts in advertising, explaining and introducing the system to the public to acknowledge and understand how to use the system through many media channels. Moreover, BCEL officials were also on site to provide the instruction at the border immigration since the launch of the project until June 2019. This has helped guiding the passengers to understand the system and be familiar with paying for the fees by themselves via the KIOSK machine.
From the previous operation of the system, it can be seen that it is convenient, prompt and time-saving for the passengers. It also helps the collection revenues for government budget with accuracy, swiftness, transparency and auditability. When comparing to the previous year, the collection of the fees for 2019 increased by 201%; it was able to reduce the number of human resource on this duty about 25 %, and the service was recognized widely by the public.
In the future, BCEL and Tax Department will continue to cooperate in advertising and making the system more available to the public as well as strengthening the system’s quality in order to extend the services to other border check-points such as Bor Ten International Border Check Point, Lao Thai Friendship Bridge 4, and other Border check-Points in the country.
# More details on the launch ceremony of the electronic payment for tourist vehicle fees, goods transportation (D53) and the electronic payment for passenger and vehicle fees (Smart VAT 2).
The ceremony was held on 17th of January, 2020 at Immigration Office at the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge I under the theme of launching of the electronic payment for passenger and vehicle fees and the electronic payment for temporary vehicle certificate (D53) at Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge I. The ceremony was honorably attended by Mr. Somdy Douangdy, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr. Ardsaphangthong Siphandone, Vice Mayor of Vientiane Capital, Mr. Somchit Inthamith, Vice Minister of Industry and Commerce, Mr. Khammoun Viphongxay, Vice Minister of Home Affairs, acting Director General of Tax Department, Chief of Custom Office at the Lao Thai Friendship Bridge 1 and Mr. Phoukhong Chanthachack, General Managing Director of BCEL, together with immigration officers, Chiefs of Divisions from Tax Department, Ministry of Finance along with Director of khampaseuth Computer co., ltd, and related entities.
Information from: The websites of MOF and BCEL
Photo by: Mr. Vilaysak Phonthaphone
written by: Ms. Souksakone Bounsvathiphon
Banque pour le Commerce Exterieur Lao Public
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Facebook: BCEL Bank, Website: www.bcel.com.la