Abstract:
The purposes of this study were to examine the problems and obstacles of a signboard tax collection and to provide development guidelines for collecting a signboard tax of a municipality in Chon Buri Province. The key informants participating in this qualitative study comprised three groups of representatives from big, medium, and small business entrepreneurs and involved practitioners in a signboard tax collection. The instrument used to collect the data was an interview form with a triangulation technique. Also, a content analysis technique was used to analyze the collected data. The results of the study showed that there were three main problems and obstacles in a signboard tax collection. These included the problems in the stages of signboard tax collection preparation, implementation, and evaluation. It was shown that involved personnel lacked knowledge and work experience, inadequacy of budget for personnel development, limited number of transportation, too crowded working space, and outdated/out-of-order equipment. Also, it was found that there was no advertisement on signboard tax collection, no technology information system, no system for monitoring tax collection, and no database for collecting a signboard tax. In addition, the payment of signboard tax could not be done at a bank counter service or via the Internet. There were no site payments additional to the working office and could not be done out of regular working time. No telephone numbers and queue cards are available for a signboard tax payment. Working space was not properly assigned, and most business entrepreneurs lacked knowledge of tax payment. Regarding the development guidelines for signboard tax collection, involved personnel should be better equipped with knowledge of signboard tax collection by attending trainings or paying a site visit. Knowledgeable officers in laws should be made available as well as the allocation of adequate budget and equipment. Plans should be made for the use of transportation. Working space should be expanded and clearly assigned. In addition, a new and up-to-date technology information system should be introduced. Also, information on a signboard tax collection should be publicized by using different modes of advertising. Trainings should be organized for tax payers. Finally, a database for a signboard tax collection should be introduced and updated on a regular basis.