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officials, when collecting this tax, to attach a piece of string to the wrist of every Chinese paying the tax, and to affix a wax seal to the same, excepting only in the case of Chinese who make an increased payment, and to whom a receipt is then merely given.
His Majesty now considers that this system of collecting the Chinese poll-tax which has been in force hitherto is disadvantageous both to the Government and to the Chinese who pay the tax. For all Chinese who, availing themselves of the Royal clemency, have entered the Siamese dominions for the purpose of earning their livelihood there, have been permitted by the Government to travel, to trade, and to become domiciled in any place according to their wish, exactly as though they were Siamese and natives of the country. To some even has been afforded the opportunity of obtaining positions in the Government service, as though they were Siamese in every way. In short, the Government has been willing to regard all Chinese who have become domiciled in Siam in the light of Siamese rather than of foreigners. But, notwithstanding this, the poll-tax lias been collected from the Chinese only once in three years, and not annually, as in the case of Siamese. The Government is thus placed at a disadvantage as regards the Chinese.
The Chinese too are placed at a disadvantage. For, when the time has come for paying the poll-tax, a seal is attached to the wrist of each tax-payer, and if this seal be broken a fresh one must be attached. The seal must be carried attached to the wrist for several months which is a source of annoyance and of a sense of degradation to which the Siamese are not subjected. The latter are simply given a receipt for on payment of the poll-tax, and the Chinese are placed at a disadvantage as regards the Siamese in this respect.
For these reasons His Majesty deems it fitting that the system of collecting the Chinese poll-tax should be changed so as to conform to the system adopted in the case of Siamese, and that the obnoxious method should be abolished whereby a seal is attached to the wrist of the Chinese tax-payer.
Wherefore, His Majesty has been pleased to abolish the system of attaching a seal to the wrist which is obnoxious to all Chinese, and to decree in its place the collection of an annual poll-tax of 6 ticals per head. A receipt will then be given in discharge by the proper officials, precisely as in the case of Siamese tax-payers. A reduction in the scale of the poll-fax, or total exemption from the tax shall be granted in the following cases :—
1. In any district where the amount of poll-tax collected from Siamese is less than 6 ticals, a similar reduction shall be made in the amount collected from Chinese in the same district.
2. Chinese who have received titles under Royal Patent or under the seal of any Minister are exempt from the poll-tax.
3. Chinese who are employed as Government officials, or who are tax farmers, or who are "kamnans" (heads of villages), or "pu yai bans" (village elders), are exempted from the poll-tax.
4. Chinese who have assisted the Government by voluntary contributions exceeding the amount of the poll-tax in any year are exempted from the poll-tax.
5. Chinese Headmen whose duty it is to inspect the Chinese lists in connection with the collection of this tax are exempted from the tax.
6. Chinese foreign subjects whom the Siamese Government does not permit to become domiciled in any part of the Siamese dominions at their will are exempted from the poll-tax.
7. Chinese servants employed in the foreign Legations and Consulates are exempted from the poll-tax.
8. Chinese under 18 and over 60 years of age are exempted from the poll-tax.
9. Chinese who are incapacitated from earning their own livelihood are exempted from the poll-tax.
10. From the year of the Siamose Era 129 (1910-11), Chinese whose arrival from China dates back less than one year are also exempted.
The Ministers in control of the Revenue Departments for the Interior and for the Metropolitan Province respectively, are empowered to issue Ministerial Regula- tions fixing proper times for the collection of this poll-tax in the case of any district as may be suitable.
This Proclamation is issued on the 26th day of March in the year of the Siamese Era 128 (1909), being the 14,745th day of His Majesty's reign.
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