What happens if you stay in Thailand for more than 6 months regarding taxes?

@Deepak ******

What utter, insulting nonsense. I mean, the same could be said about all the migrants coming to the west but it's not fair to make sweeping generalizations like that either. Many westerners earn good, western salaries working remotely and living in low cost Thailand in a great climate and on a large property with their Thai families. The best of both worlds.

You sound jealous.

@Martino ******

Yes, if you stay for more than 180 days in a calendar year.

@Urs *******

. This is not true. I also originally believed it was in a calendar year, but it’s actually a rolling 12 month period. Once you start earning income in Thailand the 12 month period begins at that point and continues for 12 months.

@Paul *******

NO!

@Martino ******

In most European countries you have to pay tax, as long as you have income, even when you are over 180 days a year in Thailand.

But I think most European countries have an agreement with Thailand

@Martino ******

in most countries you pay taxes if you receive income there. In the case of DTV holders (me included) I'm working for a company in X country, and as such I must pay taxes there, regardless if I physically reside there or not, as I'm working "in" there, as per that country local laws and regulations. Saying to them oh, I live in Thailand, so I would rather pay taxes there is not an option, and it makes sense, as it's their own money, not Thailand's.

@Elías *******

I understand what you mean. I can give you an example from Italy, there is a register of italians resident abroad, if you register yourself here and you can don't stay in Italy more than 181 days, you will not have any problem.

But for DTV and other tourists visa it can still be a problem because Thailand don't give you a "real" residency, so you may have problems still because you can't even really "prove" to your country that you are a "real" Thai resident...

So yeah, thinking more you are right, this can be a problem in more ways...

@Magilian ***********

64 Million Dollar question. In my tax submissions for the last 5 years it has been an honour system of declaration. The consultants sent some form to complete in English. They put it into a Thai Tax Return and I signed a declaration it was a true and honest representation. The TRD (Thai Revenu Department) has not had to deal with these issues before. Income kept out of the country for a calendar year was not taxed. Wealthy Thais just kept it outside a year before bringing it in. The rules were only changed for 2024 that it did not matter when it was earned. I just cannot see DTV hldersw being caught up in this for a good while yet. Wait and see what happens to the 100k Retirees here that in theory should be submitting a tax return in 2025.

@Magilian ***********

Taxes in Thailand are super low. Get a tax accountant.

@Angelo **********

I don’t live in Thailand (yet)…it’s only in planning ☺️

@Angelo **********

and your point is?

Anonymous participant You are wrong.

Anonymous participant Money transfers into Thailand are not taxed, and never were.

EDIT: taxed is income. You earn money you pay taxes. Does not matter if you transfer the income into Thailand or not.

Historically, income made outside of Thailand was not taxed if it was seasoned more than a year outside of Thailand, before bringing it here.

This seasoning rule was abolished beginning of the year.

Does not matter where you make your income, and how. Is it is "income" it is taxed at the place you live.

Has nothing to do with ATMs or money transfers.

@Angelo **********

"Does not matter if you transfer the income into Thailand or not." - it is only taxed if remitted to thailand.

@Sam ********

No, that got changed January 1st of 2024. All income is taxed. Does not matter where you store/hide it.

Anonymous participant Why not just read the laws?

OLD law: income outside Thailand tax free as long as it is not transferred into Thailand in less than a year.

NEW LAW (current): income outside of Thailand is taxed. Regardless when you bring it into Thailand.

Money transfer: not taxed. It is just transferring your own money from one account to another one.

If you have a youtube video, I suggest to check the date. And listen more carefully to what they are actually talking about.

You can transfer as much money as you want: no taxes. On what would be the tax? It is not income if you sent your own money to another account.

@Angelo **********

also, "Money transfer: not taxed. It is just transferring your own money from one account to another one." money you can prove you had pre january 2024 is not taxed, otherwise any transfers are taxable. if you have paid tax on it in another country and there is a DTA you can use that tax paid to reduce or eliminate any thai taxes owed.

@Angelo **********

NEW LAW (current): income outside of Thailand is taxed. Regardless when you bring it into Thailand.

should be

NEW LAW (current): income outside of Thailand is taxed when it is remitted to thailand. Regardless when you bring it into Thailand.

@Sam ********

No, that is not the NEW law, that is the OLD law. And OLD means, it was only taxed when it is coming sooner than 12 month after it was earned.

NOW, CURRENT LAW: income is taxed where ever you earn it, and what ever you do with it.

NOPE TRANSFERS are not taxable. They are not income. Thai business would completely collapse if every money transfer to Thailand would be instantly taxed.

But up to you if you believe your nonsense.

If you are afraid about getting taxed or double taxed even: I suggest to ask a lawyer.

What you are posting here is just FUD and nonsense.

@Angelo **********

the only change is that the 1 year loophole has been closed. nothing else has changed.

and transfers are not taxed, you are correct, but transfered income becomes assesible income and should be included on a thai tax return

@Angelo **********

you seem to be saying different to what almost everyone else is saying. you are saying that thailand has a worldwide income tax policy which is not the case. it has been proposed but nothing more as yet. overseas income is not taxed unless remitted to thailand.

@Sam ********

"overseas income is not taxed unless remitted to thailand." Okay. You seem out of the loop. This CHANGES January this year.

But I give up lecturing one who is not able to use google.

Good luck.

Bye Bye.

@Angelo **********

you are literally the only person saying that thailand currently taxes worldwide income. you need to google this one... thailand is still a territorial tax system. unfortunatley it is you that is out of the loop. a few places for you to read up on this

@Sam ********

I already said good bye. You are wrong. Your problem.

Anonymous participant im not a tax expert by any means but i have been following this all closely the past few months. i think the link above clearly shows

@Angelo **********

is mistaken. perhaps a language barrier but he seems to be the only one claiming a worldwide income tax for thai tax residents.

Anonymous participant that's what I'm saying - if you don't transfer money to your Thai bank account, you aren't repatriating money into Thailand. Withdrawing cash via an ATM from your foreign bank account isn't repatriating money over here. Your Thai bank won't report anything, as the cash isn't going into your Thai account.

@Milo ********

I don't about Thailand i just report what most countries do, i lived in many countries and they have a record of the money you withdraw with ATM/Banks

@Martino ******

Thailand is aiming for 30 million visitors a year. Many of which are going to use ATMs.

@Milo ********

Ask 5 different consultants and you will get 5 different opinions. You will also find some of them were financial advisors selling dodgy financial products until the tax announcements late 2023. All of a sudden new domain names registered and they are international tax consultants. If you have complex needs and are going to use tax consultants at least use those that are experienced and qualified not some dodgy unlicensed and unqualified ex-financial advisor. These guys are the real deal and not newly minted carpetbaggers

@Milo ********

research Expat Tax Thailand, many videos explaining the details behind foreign remittances.

@Greg *******

Hello Greg, please allow me two questions:

Do the personal documents (e.g. proof of income or savings) that you present to the Revenue Department have to be translated into Thai ?

In addition, do they need to be certified? Thanks a lot for your help 🙏🏻

@Steffi **********

The company I worked for provided tax consultants for expats. Their correspondence with me was all in English but if I remember correctly the final submission I signed was in Thai. Income documentation was from the company so I am assuming Thai. Share sold the form I submitted was in English but I could not say if consultants translated into Thai. This whole taxing of people being in the country over 180 days such as retirees and spouses is pretty new. The vast majority have not submitted a tax return in previous years (I estimate 95%++). DTV holders are not really liable this year so the first tax submission is by 31st March 2026 - I would wait and see the landscape first. My personal view is DTV holders will not be in the sights of the revenue department

@Greg *******

Thanks a lot 🙏🏻

@Steffi **********

If you have to submit a tax return I would use a consultant. Use a Thai one with good English directly. Foreign ones mostly just outsource it to them anyway and take a cut :-)

@Greg *******

Thanks for the hint 👍🏼

@Craig ********

Employment. That is a word. You could look it up in a dictionary.

The rest of your post, no idea what it is about.

If you are more than 180 days in Thailand, you are tax resident of Thailand Taxes paid on INCOME. Not on transferred money or ATM withdrawals.

@Angelo **********

what’s this about employment? I m very familiar with the word. Please read the word following employment. This taken from a valid DTV!

@Craig ********

You can not be employed by a Thai employer. Simple. Common sense. Or not? Why post in forums when you have no clue about the topics the forum is about?

@Angelo **********

you obviously did not follow what I’m saying. I suppose you’re currently working remotely on a DTV here in Thailand?

@Craig ********

No, I work in a standard Non B visa for my own company. The DTV came to late, my company was already founded.

Anonymous participant NO. Learn to read. INCOME is taxed. How can an ATM withdrawal be income?

@Tore ********

correct ✅

@Greg *******

185 to be precise

@Dima *******

180 days or more to be precise that means 181 not 185 %20You%20a%20Thai%20Tax,you%20are%20in%20the%20country.

@Dima *******

you automatically become Thai tax resident after 180 days in the Kingdom.

@Pete ******

when I was taking the certificate of tax residency in revenue department.

They were counting 185

@Pete ******

correct ✅

@Pete ******

It is not the first time he has posted this misinformation. He seems convinced if you leave Thailand the days counting towards tax residency are reset to zero. If that was the case everyone woukd be doing border hops around 6 months and nobody is paying any tax. FFF

@Greg *******

hahahahhahah anyway thank you for paying tax it's good for the country..

@GenesisFritz *************

Finally it has got through to you. Were you this hard to educate at school? I pity your teachers.

@Pete ******

yeah.....right..anyway it is always good to pay tax in Thailand or in any country you stay...so I don't want to argue anymore...I just state facts of what is currently in the law....if you pay tax anyway it is good for the country

@GenesisFritz *************

You did not state facts of the current law. You stated the 180 days have to be consecutive. It is in total. Stop spreading misinformation. It is OK to admit you do not know.

@Greg *******

you are. The one spreading scare mongering wrong information...now that I agree with you since paying tax anyway is not bad you change your course ....

@GenesisFritz *************

In simple terms a child could understand. Leave and re-enter with DTV it resets to 180 days. 90 day reporting. Leave the country and count starts again from when you enter. Thai Tax Residency DOES NOT reset in the calendar year if you leave and Re-enter. It is cumulative amount of days in a calendar year. It is simple. A child can understand this. It seems some people find this concept rather difficult.

@GenesisFritz *************

Listen pal. The clock does not reset in the number of days you are in Thailand if you leave and return. It is cumulative days not consecutive eith regards to tax residency. In your mind you have somehow got the DTV and 90 days reporting being reset. You have no clue what you are talking about and are spreading misinformation. Sometimes it is best not to oost if you are not sure. It stops embarrassing yourself.

@Pete ******

I have pointed out his misinformation before but he continues with it.

Anonymous participant It Does not reset. He is wrong.

Anonymous participant it's not about bringing money in. It's about bringing income in. It doesn't matter how you bring it in.

Anonieme deelnemer to me that looks like you bring in money into Thailand.

When you do not work in Thailand, and you do live in Thailand, you have to bring money into Thailand.

When you are over 180 days in Thailand, the only question is do you have to pay tax for the money you bring in.

@Jim *******

correct. But the comment I read replying to was

"if you DON'T even have a single bank account here, you couldn't be taxed, as the government won't have any records of you either getting income"

It's not about what they can see, it's about what the law is. That attitude, from people desiring long stay visas to work and line here, frankly stinks.

@Sefton *******

You mean the longstay expats who have paid bribes to government officials through visa agents to get their visa extensions? And of course that doesn't stink does it? 🤣

@Andy ***********

I think they deserve to be kicked out or face the full force of pubishment too..

Thailand has the right to self determination and to control its own borders, immigration and tax policies, we have the right to comply or leave.

We dont have the moral right to lie and cheat to abuse the (generally pretty simple and easy to comply with) systems they offer because 'we dont want to' while boasting of the power of our passports. Its things like this which really get under Thai nationals skin and in turn make things harder for the rest of us.

Simple really.

Plus what we are debating is what the rules are, anyone can lie and cheat, its pretending the rules are something they are not, like 'no taxes are due if you pay somewhere else' or 'Oz super isnt taxable in Thailand' confuses people when what your actually saying is 'I intend to lie so I dont pay taxes in Thailand'. Those are not the same thing.

@Sefton *******

I'm giving advice to others who don't have the same protection as the Australian DTA. When everybody who has a dodgy visa extension, everyone who has a f@ke company so they can "own" land, when everybody who refuses to abide by traffic laws, and everybody who buys f@ke designer merchandise has left Thailand, then I'll go too. Which actually means I'm staying! 😆

@Sefton *******

Agreed. And what equally stinks is the obsession of every country's government to tax people wherever they can. I'm a believer in the "user pays" system of taxation. Most things in Thailand attract a 7% government tax. If you use the roads you pay for the privilege, if you use trains or planes you pay additional taxes. There's high taxes on alcohol. Why should people be further taxed just for breathing the air in Thailand? We cannot escape income tax somewhere, and those of us who have paid tax in the country where the income is generated should be rightly aggrieved if another country wants to tax that same money further. The foreigners who stay the longest under the LTR visa are exempt from tax, so how does that figure?

@Jim *******

You are free to believe in what you wish to believe in.. Consumption taxes being superior to income taxes, the benefits of attracting high net worth millionaires, etc etc..

But we are not free to invent our own reality.. The rules that Thailand makes are up to them, we (those of us lucky enough to have powerful passports) are free to choose to comply or to leave, what is not really morally right is to want to enjoy the hospitality of a host country and purposefully lie and abuse that hospitality when the rules are clearly stated in advance.

@Sefton *******

I should add I've now flicked the non-O and gone onto DTV, so no more recorded transfers. I now bring in cash which is untraceable. It's a beauty of a visa! Creating a "cash community" amongst expats. That'll f*ck up the Thai Tax Office 😂😂😂

@Jim *******

So your plan is fraud.. OK at least your open and clear about it.

I would suggest Thailand has every right to not want people whose plan is to knowingly lie and defraud the country to come here. You know the rules, go where the rules suit your needs.

@Sefton *******

Fraud? You mean like the thousands here who use visa agents to pay bribes to immigration to get dodgy visa extensions? And the thousands who buy f@ke designer goods at markets? And the thousands who pay bribes to police officers because they don't have motorcycle licences? Excuse me whilst I ROFL! 😂😂😂

Anonymous participant Some people have huge double standards 😆

@Sefton *******

That's your opinion and I respect that, but there's no way in the world I'll be handing over one baht in income tax to the Thai government. I have triple citizenship and my passports of UK, Germany and Australia are three of the most powerful and if anyone thinks for a moment I'm going to be led like an obedient sheep into grovelling to Thailand they are seriously deluded. Fortunately I have not succumbed like many expats into having multiple orgasms over getting a Pink card, blue book, yellow book, green book and any other rainbow coloured award Thailand gives to expats who wear them like badges of honour. As ex-military whose badge of honour is a Military Cross, it makes me vomit the way some expats grovel to Thailand. But heyho, if you're happy with your yellow book, it's all good! 😂

Anonymous participant ah an intelligent rebuttal.

@Elías *******

I am afraid "tourist" is not a real legal status, and "tax resident" is.

The type of visa does not have influence on being tax resident, unless explicitly defined.

Even on visa exempt you might be tax resident when you stay over 180 days.

@Luit ****************

I see. Then, even if a person on visa waiver who spents more than 180 days in a year is supposed to pay taxes here, DTV holders would also be required.

@Elías *******

Tax resident means tax law applies to you, that does not always nean you have to pay tax, a tax agreement between your home country and Thailand may influence this.

@Deepak ******

while I'm sure what you mention might be true for people of American citizenship and/or working for American firms, it's totally not applicable to people leaving out of an American bubble (meaning they don't meet any of the two mentioned conditions).

@Colin ******

your countries tax office will send it to the Thai tax office once a year but it will have all relevant information from across the year including debit/credit card transactions

@John *********

If I go into a bank branch in Australia and withdraw $9,999 in cash (which I could be using to buy an old car, or as a gift to my daughter), the Australian government will report this to the Thai government? And what purpose will this achieve? I'm not under any obligation to tell anybody what this cash is for. I bring it perfectly legally into Thailand and gift it to my lady, who over a period of a couple of months exchanges it into Thai Baht, which she then gives back to me a bit at a time. All of this is totally legal, and there is zero obligation for me to report this to anybody.

@Andy ***********

that's unlikely to be caught by CRS, but could none the less be tax evasion

Anonymous participant stupid comment. It's the regulations

@John *********

thanks. I guess my main point was that if you have no Thai fiscal accounts then how would the other country know to send your data to Thai revenue. Conversely how would Thai revenue know to request data from another country. Unless Thai revenue is accessing the immigration database to see who is in the country for more than 180 days in a tax year ?

@Colin ******

Or which country, as you might hold an Xland passport but have all of your money and bank accounts in Yland country

@Elías *******

I'm confused. Let's keep it simple, if I don't have any financial accounts in Thailand, how does my home country know I'm here to notify Thai revenue. And how does Thai revenue know to check my CRS data if I'm not tax resident? Unless they take a data feed from immigration to establish tax residency status.

@Colin ******

yeah, I think they can't (if no accounts). Not to mention that I heard that on the Thai side this is al new, being next year the first they'll enforce it (correct me if I'm wrong), so nobody has prior experience on the matter.

@Elías *******

When are people going to wake up to the fact that the Thai Tax Office don't give a sh*t about the few baht difference in tax rates. They're going after the billionaires, not the expat pensioners! Jesus wept!

@Jim *******

That depends on the will of the Government in that moment. If they need money to finance their policies why wouldnt they try to tax you? Assuming things will stay the same for ever is dangerous...

@Jesus ***

I can't see how it's "dangerous"! 😂😂. Look,if you're so keen and excited to be paying tax to Thailand, go for it!! I'll just sit back and laugh. Been here wayyyyyy too long to listen to the bs! 👍👍

@Jim *******

I am not excited at all about paying taxes. But if any time the tax authorities become agressive and start enforcing their tax laws and you have commited tax evasion in the last 5 years... well you are at certain risk dont you think? Anyway at this stage is hard to predict how things are going to be in the next years, but looking at how the economy is and the socialist spending agenda of this new government there are some reasons not to be very optimistic

@Colin ******

CRS reports both inflows and outflows from your accounts.

@Rafa ******

I do not know where you come from but opening bank accounts without being resident etc is not easy these days. The DTV is a tourist visa - where else allows temporary tourists to open bank accounts?

@Rafa ******

I don't make make the rules homie, it's just part of the game.

Anonymous participant an agent. Pay an agent 5k and they take you to the bank. Sit down, set up app, get card, sign, done.

It's not a big secret. It's advertised openly everywhere

@Elías *******

if you are paying by non-Thai credit card and then clearing the credit from income that's equivalent to bringing the income in directly from a tax perspective

@Ručman **********

it depends what you withdraw. If you withdraw income then it counts towards Thai tax. Savings accumulated prior to /2024 have no income element so no tax liability

@John *********

Does this mean that as long you do not bring more money to Thailand than the total balance of your saving of any kind at /2024, they cannot charge you with tax?

@Luit ****************

what do you mean by savings of any kind? If you had savings in a bank account as of /2023 and can show proof of that, and only bring THAT money into Thailand then you are not liable for Thai tax. Only income is subject to tax. Bear in mind you might need to prove this to the Thai Revenue Department should they wish to audit you.

@John *********

I mean money on bank accounts, but also stock portfolio.

Money is money, what do you mean with THAT money, as long as I do not send more than what was already there on /2023.

So when I keep my Dutch tax assessment of 2024 I have proof how much saving where available at that moment

@Luit ****************

a stock portfolio won't work only money in a bank account. I don't know how Dutch tax assessments work but in the UK you don't enter savings in a bank account, only the interest received on the savings. Save a copy of your bank account statement covering the end of 2023, then you need to show that the money you bring in to Thailand comes from that bank account which you can again show from statements. You can't let the money in the account drop by using it elsewhere and then topping up the account again.

@John *********

so when you change bank accounts after 1-1-2024 you will have a problem with Thai tax office? Sounds strange.

In the Netherlands, it is not the interest and dividends that are taxed, but the value itself as if a certain profit had been made on it.

Many legal proceedings are still pending over this theft by the tax authorities, and billions will have to be repaid to citizens.

Is the fact that tax has already been paid on the assets in the Netherlands not enough to then have exemption from Thai tax on those assets?

@Luit ****************

unless you can clearly show the transfer to a new account maintains the original funds then yes you will have a problem. The Netherlands and Thailand have a dual tax agreement (DTA) but it doesn't give you an exemption from tax in Thailand. If you bring income into Thailand then that becomes assessable income for Thai tax purposes which means you need to file a Thai tax return. You can then claim a pro rata credit against Thai tax for the tax already paid in the Netherlands on the income you bring into Thailand

@John *********

Good reason not to stay over 180 days a year in Thailand