ARTICLE 21 Income Not Expressly Mentioned Items of income not dealt with in the foregoing Articles, may be taxed according to the law of each Contracting State. ARTICLE 22 Elimination of Double Taxation 1. The laws in force in either of the Contracting States shall continue to govern the taxation of income in the respective Contracting States except where express provisions to the contrary are made in this Convention. Where income is subject to tax in both Contracting States, relief from double taxation shall be given in accordance with the following paragraphs of this Article. 2. In Finland, double taxation shall be eliminated as follows: a) Where a resident of Finland derives income which, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, may be taxed in Thailand, Finland shall, subject to the provisions of sub-paragraph b), allow as a deduction from the tax on income of that person, an amount equal to the tax on income paid in Thailand. Such deduction shall not, however, exceed that part of the tax on income, as computed before the deduction is given, which is attributable to the income which may be taxed in Thailand. b) Dividends paid by a company which is a resident of Thailand to a company which is a resident of Finland shall be exempt from Finnish tax to the extent that the dividends would have been exempt from tax under Finnish taxation law if both companies had been residents of Finland. c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Convention, an individual who is a resident of Thailand and under Finnish taxation law with respect to the Finnish taxes referred to in Article 2 also is regarded as resident in Finland may be taxed in Finland. However, Finland shall allow any Thai tax paid on the income as a deduction from Finnish tax in accordance with the provisions of sub-paragraph a). The provisions of this sub-paragraph shall apply only to nationals of Finland. d) Where in accordance with any provision of the Convention income derived by a resident of Finland is exempt from tax in Finland, Finland may nevertheless, in calculating the amount of tax on the remaining income of such resident, take into account the exempted income. e) For the purposes of sub-paragraph a), the term tax on income paid in Thailand shall be deemed to include Thai tax which would, under the law of Thailand and in accordance with the Convention, have been payable as Thai tax but for any exemption or reduction of Thai tax on income arising from Thailand granted under the Investment Promotion Act B.E. 2520 (1977) of Thailand, so far as it was effective on, and has not been modified since, the date of signature of the Convention or has been modified only in minor respects so as not to affect its general character, or any other provisions which may subsequently be enacted and agreed upon in an exchange of letters between the Governments of the Contracting States. f) The provisions of sub-paragraph e) shall apply for the first ten years for which the Convention is effective but the Governments of the Contracting State may consult each other to determine whether this period shall be extended. 3. In the case of Thailand, Finnish tax payable in respect of income from sources within Finland shall be allowed as a credit against Thai tax payable in respect of that income. The credit shall not, however, exceed that part of the Thai tax, as computed before the credit is given, which is appropriate to such item of income. However, where such income is a dividend paid by a company which is a resident of Finland to a company which is a resident of Thailand and which owns not less than 25 per cent of the voting shares of the company paying the dividend, Thailand shall exempt such income from tax but may in calculating tax on the remaining income of that person, apply the rate of tax which would have been applicable if the exempted income had not been so exempted. 4. Where a resident of a Contracting State receives any payment referred to in paragraph 3 of Article 18 which has been charged to tax in that State and may be taxed in the other Contracting State, that other State shall allow as a deduction from the tax on income of that resident an amount equal to the tax on income paid in the first-mentioned State. Such deduction, however, shall not exceed that part of the tax on income, as computed before the deduction is given, which is attributable to the payments which is attributable to the payments which may be taxed in that other State. ARTICLE 23 Non-Discrimination 1. Nationals of a Contracting State shall not be subjected in the other Contracting State to any taxation or any requirement connected therewith, which is other or more burdensome than the taxation and connected requirements to which nationals of that other State in the same circumstances are or may be subjected. This provision shall, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 1, also apply to persons who are not residents of one or both of the Contracting States. 2. The taxation on a permanent establishment which an enterprise of a Contracting State has in the other Contracting State shall not be less favourably levied in that other State than the taxation levied on enterprises of that other State carrying on the same activities. This provision shall not be construed as obliging a Contracting State to grant to residents of the other Contracting State any personal allowances, reliefs and reductions for taxation purposes on account of civil status or family responsibilities which it grants to its own residents. 3. Except where the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 9, paragraph 8 of Article 11, or paragraph 6 of Article 12, apply, interest, royalties and other disbursements paid by an enterprise of a Contracting State to a resident of the other contracting State shall, for the purpose of determining the taxable profits of such enterprise, be deductible under the same conditions as if they had been paid to a resident of the first-mentioned State. 4. Enterprises of a Contracting State, the capital of which is wholly or partly owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by one or more residents of the other Contracting State, shall not be subjected in the first-mentioned State to any taxation or any requirement connected therewith which is other or more burdensome than the taxation and connected requirements to which other similar enterprises of the first-mentioned State are or may be subjected. 5. In this Article, the term taxation means taxes which are the subject of this Convention. ARTICLE 24 Mutual Agreement Procedure 1. Where a person considers that the actions of one or both of the Contracting States result or will result for him in taxation not in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, he may, irrespective of the remedies provided by the domestic law of those States, present his case to the competent authority of the Contracting State of which he is a resident or, if his case comes under paragraph 1 of Article 23, to that of the Contracting State of which he is a national. The case must be presented within three years from the first notification of the action resulting in taxation not in accordance with the provisions of the Convention. 2. The competent authority shall endeavor, if the objection appears to it to be justified and if is not itself able to arrive at a satisfactory solution, to resolve the case by mutual agreement with the competent authority of the other Contracting State, with a view to the avoidance of taxation which is not in accordance with the Convention. 3. The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall endeavour to resolve by mutual agreement any difficulties or doubts arising as to the interpretation or application of the Convention. In particular, they may consult together for the purpose of reaching an agreement on the allocation of income in cases referred to in Article 9. They may also consult together for the elimination of double taxation in cases not provided for in the Convention. 4. In the event the competent authorities reach an agreement referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3, taxes shall be imposed on such income, and refund or credit of taxes shall be allowed by the Contracting States in accordance with such agreement. 5. The competent authorities of the Contracting States may communicate with each other directly for the purpose of reaching an agreement in the sense of the preceding paragraphs. When it seems advisable in order to reach agreement to have an oral exchange of opinions, such exchange may take place through a Commission consisting of representatives of the competent authorities of the Contracting States. ARTICLE 25 Exchange of Information 1. The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall exchange such information as is necessary for carrying out the provisions of this Convention or of the domestic laws of the Contracting States concerning taxes coverd by the Convention insofar as the taxation thereunder is not contrary to the Convention. The exchange of information is not restricted by Article 1. Any information received by a Contracting State shall be treated as secret in the same manner as information obtained under the domestic laws of that State and shall be disclosed only to persons or authorities (including courts and administrative bodies) involved in the assessment or collection of, the enforcement or prosecution in respect of, or the determination of appeals in relation to, the taxes covered by the Convention. Such persons or authorities shall use the information only for such purposes. They may disclose the information in public court proceedings or in judicial decisions. 2. In no case shall the provisions of paragraph 1 be construed so as to impose on a Contracting State the obligation: a) to carry out administrative measures at variance with the laws or the administrative practice of that or of the other Contracting State; b) to supply information which is not obtainable under the laws or in the normal course of the administration of that or of the other Contracting State; c) to supply information which would disclose any trade, business, industrial, commercial or professional secret or trade process, or information, the disclosure of which would be contrary to public policy (order public). |