ARTICLE 11 INTEREST
1. Interest arising in a Contracting State and paid to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State. 2. However, such interest may also be taxed in the Contracting State in which it arises and according to the laws of that State, but if the beneficial owner of the interest is a resident of the other Contracting State, the tax so charged shall not exceed: a) 10 per cent of the gross amount of the interest if it is received by any financial institution (including an insurance company); b) 15 per cent of the gross amount of the interest in all other cases. 3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2, interest arising in a Contracting State and paid to the Government of the other Contracting State shall be exempt from tax in the first-mentioned Contracting State. 4. For the purposes of paragraph 3, the term Government shall mean the State itself, its local authorities and statutory bodies thereof and shall also include: a) in the case of Bulgaria: (i) the National Bank of Bulgaria; (ii) such financial institution, the capital of which is wholly owned by the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria, any local authority or statutory body, as may be agreed from time to time between the competent authorities of the two Contracting States; b) in the case of Thailand: (i) the Bank of Thailand; (ii) Export-Import Bank of Thailand; and (iii) such financial institution, the capital of which is wholly owned by the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand, any local authority or statutory body, as may be agreed from time to time between the competent authorities of the two Contracting States. 5. The term "interest" as used in this Article means income from debt-claims of every kind, whether or not secured by mortgage and whether or not carrying a right to participate in the debtors' profits and in particular income from government securities and income from bonds or debentures, including premiums and prizes attached to such securities, bonds or debentures, as well as income assimilated to income from money lent according to the taxation laws of the Contracting State in which the income arises. Penalty charges for late payment shall not be regarded as interest for the purpose of this Article. 6. The provisions of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the interest, being a resident of a Contracting State carries on business in the other Contracting State in which the interest arises, through a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personal services from a fixed base situated therein, and the debt-claim in respect of which the interest is paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment or fixed base. In such case the provisions of Articles 7 or 14, as the case may be, shall apply. 7. Interest shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting State when the payer is a resident of that State. Where, however, the person paying the interest, whether he is a resident of a Contracting State or not, has in a Contracting State a permanent establishment or a fixed base in connection with which the indebtedness on which the interest is paid was incurred, and such interest is borne by such permanent establishment or fixed base, then such interest shall be deemed to arise in the State in which the permanent establishment or fixed base is situated. 8. Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficial owner or between both of them and some other person, the amount of the interest, having regard to the debt- claim for which it is paid, exceeds the amount which would have been agreed upon by the payer and the beneficial owner in the absence of such relationship, the provisions of this Article shall apply only to the last-mentioned amount. In such case, the excess part of the payments shall remain taxable according to the laws of each Contracting State, due regard being had to the other provisions of this Convention. ARTICLE 12 ROYALTIES 1. Royalties arising in a Contracting State and paid to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State. 2. However, such royalties may also be taxed in the Contracting State in which they arise and according to the laws of that State, but if the beneficial owner of the royalties is a resident of the other Contracting State, the tax so charged shall not exceed: a) 5 per cent of the gross amount of the royalties received as consideration for the use of, or the right to use, any copyright of literary, artistic or scientific work, excluding cinematograph films and films, tapes or discs for radio or television broadcasting; b) 15 per cent of the gross amount of the royalties in other cases. 3. The term "royalties" as used in this Article means payments of any kind received as a consideration for the use of, or the right to use, any copyright of literary, artistic or scientific work including cinematography films, and films, tapes or other means of image or sound reproduction for radio or television broadcasting, any patent, trade mark, design or model, plan, secret formula or process, or for the use of, or the right to use, industrial, commercial or scientific equipment, or for information (or fees for technical services) concerning industrial, commercial or scientific experience, 4. The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the royalties, being a resident of a Contracting State carries on business in the other Contracting State in which the royalties arise, through a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personal services from a fixed base situated therein, and the right or property in respect of which the royalties are paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment or fixed base. In such case the provisions of Articles 7 or 14, as the case may be, shall apply. 5. Royalties shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting State when the payer is a resident of that State. Where, however, the person paying the royalties, whether he is a resident of a Contracting State or not, has in a Contracting State a permanent establishment or a fixed base in connection with which the liability to pay the royalties was incurred, and such royalties are borne by such permanent establishment or fixed base, then such royalties shall be deemed to arise in the State in which the permanent establishment or fixed base is situated. 6. Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficial owner or between both of them and some other person, the amount of the royalties, having regard to the use, right or information for which they are paid, exceeds the amount which would have been agreed upon by the payer and the beneficial owner in the absence of such relationship, the provisions of this Article shall apply only to the last-mentioned amount. In such case the excess part of the payments shall remain taxable according to the laws of each Contracting State, due regard being had to the other provisions of this Convention. ARTICLE 13 CAPITAL GAINS 1. Gains derived by a resident of a Contracting State from the alienation of immovable property referred to in Article 6 and situated in the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State. 2. Gains from the alienation of movable property forming part of the business property of a permanent establishment which an enterprise of a Contracting State has in the other Contracting State or of movable property pertaining to a fixed base available to a resident of a Contracting State in the other Contracting State for the purpose of performing independent personal services, including such gains from the alienation of such permanent establishment (alone or with the whole enterprise) or of such fixed base, may be taxed in that other State. 3. Gains from the alienation of ships or aircraft operated in international traffic by an enterprise of a Contracting State or of movable property pertaining to the operation of the mentioned means of transport shall be taxable only in that State. 4. Gains from the alienation of any property other than that referred to in paragraphs 1,2 and 3 shall be taxable only in the Contracting State of which the alienator is a resident. Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent either Contracting State from taxing the gains or income from the sale or transfer of shares or other securities. ARTICLE 14 INCOME FROM INDEPENDENT PROFESSIONAL AND OTHER PERSONAL SERVICES 1. Income derived by a resident of a Contracting State in respect of professional services or other activities of an independent character shall be taxable only in that State unless he has a fixed base regularly available to him in the other Contracting State for the purpose of performing his activities. If he has such a fixed base, the income may be taxed in the other State but only so much of it as is attributable to that fixed base. 2. The term "professional services" includes especially independent scientific, literary, artistic, educational or teaching activities as well as the independent activities of physicians, lawyers, engineers, architects, dentists and accountants. ARTICLE 15 INCOME FROM EMPLOYMENT 1. Subject to the provisions of Articles 18, 18, 19, 20 and 21, salaries, wages and other similar remuneration derived by a resident of a Contracting State in respect of an employment shall be taxable only in that State unless the employment is exercised in the other Contracting State. If the employment is so exercised, such remuneration as is derived therefrom may be taxed in that other State. 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1, remuneration derived by a resident of a Contracting State in respect of an employment exercised in the other Contracting State shall be taxable only in the first-mentioned State if: a) the recipient is present in the other State for a period or periods not exceeding in the aggregate 183 days in any twelve month period commencing or ending in the fiscal year concerned, and b) the remuneration is paid by, or on behalf of, an employer who is not a resident of the other State, and c) the remuneration is not borne by a permanent establishment or a fixed base which the employer has in the other State. 3. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Article, remuneration derived in respect of an employment exercised aboard a ship or aircraft operated in international traffic by an enterprise of a Contracting State shall be taxable only in that State. |