Do all expats who spend more than 180 days in Thailand need to file a tax return?

Digby Strong ah you tube and farcebook for legal advice. Yup got it!

KYC

Bob D'Andrea some of us save hundreds of thousands of baht paying our taxes in Thailand due to very beneficial mutual tax agreements with our home countries where our money comes from.

My revenue office initially said I didn't have to due to my income being disability benefits, but I explained the tax agreement and insisted on paying. She absolutely understood and had no problems filing it for me, thus saving me a solid amount of money in the end.

Bob D'Andrea , exactly.

But some people just won't listen , and keep turning up at government offices begging to give them money ????

@Ossie ********

That's the thing, the Revenue Department is not local government. They will only contact you if they want to audit you, and then if you've found not to have filed and owe tax it's penalties and fines.

Ossie Cassidy Do you have to file a tax return every year when you have a TIN? I am spending just under 180 days/year in Thailand, so am not tax resident, but having a Thai TIN would make life easier when opening bank accounts etc

Ossie Cassidy i have a mate who thought the same...guess what...now paying tax.

Ossie Cassidy how will they let you know? In Thailand you don’t get any reminders or such to file tax return like in Western countries, here its self-declaration

Duncan Morton then can only think he is earning some sort of income in Thailand

Duncan Morton i had a mate why was a believer in that......guess what...

Now paying tax

Duncan Morton

Exactly my thoughts.

Why anybody would go to the tax office and ask for a TIN number is stupid in my books.

If they want you they'll come after you.

Michael Spaulding bunkum.

Michael Spaulding i agree. Its like people have never heard of AI. How do they think the nominee crackdown started?

All that needs to happen is someone mentioning that with AI, we can easily see who has been in country for over 180 days and has not filed a TIN report. We could make billions.

Michael Spaulding I see it happening in the near future,

Michael Spaulding will most probably happen sometime in the future

Michael Spaulding baseless speculation. Stop dreaming things up without any basis

Michael Spaulding not for a very long time! The only people who have dealings in that way are those with work permits.

There is no connection between Immigration and Tax Departments otherwise.

I personally do not need a TIN or need to pay tax as I fortunately have a large inheritance we can live on. So there would be no papers for Immigration.

Mike Timbers Exactly my impression

Mike Timbers mine happily let me file my taxes in Thailand.

I save roughly 175 000 baht a year by paying taxes in Thailand 🙃

Mike Timbers Imagine their delight when they see a farang in the queue knowing they'll have to entertain multiple questions that they are unable to proves answers.

Mike Timbers really? Mine didn’t they asked for bank statement, rental contract and all that stuff (visa passport).

Mike Timbers 💯 that is exactly what they do. However if you go see a Thai accountant they will get you a TIN and then charge you to do a Tax return every year. Unless your earning money from working or investments in Thailand, don't worry about it.

@John *********

and stay at least 180 days in the tax year ;)

@John *********

i thought it was 310.000 minus deductions.

Paul Durkan it's becoming a typical western demascalised attitude. Always compliant..

Paul Durkan that’s not how it works and incorrect. Spending 180 days or more in Thailand generally makes you a Thai tax resident. Paying tax in your home country doesn’t automatically exempt you from Thai tax. Depending on the applicable Double Taxation Agreement and foreign tax credits, you could still owe additional tax in Thailand if your Thai tax liability exceeds the allowable credit. These rules aren’t limited to digital nomads or tax evaders.

Paul Durkan still have to lodge if over 180+ days....but you can offset tax paid at home...all depends on personal circumstances. Cheeres

Paul Durkan

If you are on a UK pension

UK state pension is assessable income, there's no exemption for it in the DTA between !!

Paul Durkan I think you are correct in suggesting that the expat retiree community was not the target of the revised tax regulations.. but if you are in that group and are tax resident then you are 'supposed' to file tax returns covering any income you receive in Thailand.. that means any income earned from a Thai employer but also includes any money brought into Thailand from overseas.. reporting it does not mean you will absolutely have to pay tax on it.. but it will be assessed for taxation whilst taking into account any DTA with your home country and discounting any tax already paid on said income.. which is loosely known as a 'tax credit offset'.. but savings transferred to your Thai bank which were accumulated prior to the new regulations being introduced (effective date being 01Jan25) are exempt from taxation.. provided you can evidence this fact.. by contrast current pension income which is moved from your overseas bank to your Thai bank each month would not be exempt.. and would trigger a need to file.. even if it has already been taxed in the overseas territory.. most western countries have more penal tax regimes than Thailand.. which means your tax credit would extinguish any Thai liability anyway.. the exception being where there is no DTA.. having said all that some expats that do try to 'do the right thing' are finding tax offices are unwilling to issue a TIN or have been told they do not need to file.. despite being tax resident.. since it would seem they are interpreting the rules differently and see this group as exempt.. if that's the case then a change in legislation is needed to make this clear.. or at least a clarification so that all tax offices are on the same page.. otherwise whether or not you get taxed will become a post code lottery!

Paul Durkan absolutely not true, I think it's better to not comment if you only think you know what your talking about.

Paul Durkan here come all the incorrect answers. Congrats on being the first!

@Paul *******

this is not true, you still need to file a Thai tax return and claim a credit for any tax already paid elsewhere against Thai tax