This is NOT an official government website. We are an independent resource providing information and assistance to travelers.
Is UK tax-free cash from pensions or ISAs taxed in Thailand when brought into a Thai bank account?
Thai tax resident statusUK tax lawsPension lump sumIncome tax in ThailandTax exemption for expatriatesThailand Revenue DepartmentRemittance rulesLong-term resident visa
Nov 28, 2025
5 months ago
Andie ***********
ORIGINAL POSTERIf you bring UK tax free cash into your Thai bank account , from your pension lump sum or ISA, is it taxed in Thailand?
TLDR : Answer Summary
When bringing UK tax-free cash, such as a pension lump sum or ISA, into Thailand, whether it is taxed depends largely on tax residency status. If a person is considered a Thai tax resident at the time they remit the money, the lump sum may be subject to Thai income tax despite being tax-free in the UK. However, if the individual is not a tax resident, it is generally tax-free in Thailand. Additionally, the type of visa held may influence tax implications; for example, holders of the LTR wealthy pensioner visa may be exempt from Thai taxes. Recent discussions indicate ongoing changes in Thai tax proposals that may affect remittance rules.
LONG TERM RESIDENT (LTR) VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
- Take the basic LTR Qualification Test to see if you're eligible for the Long Term Resident (LTR) Visa.
- For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
- Explore recent discussions by using the Long Term Resident (LTR) Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
- Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
Pelle Eriksson★★★★★
Absolutely Bangkok's best service I highly...recently on Facebook
Luca G.★★★★★
I used this agency for my DTV Visa...recently on Google
Trusted DTV Visa Agent
OVER 100,000 EXPATS SERVED
#1 VISA AGENT IN THAILAND
Andie ***********
ORIGINAL POSTERStill unclear, it's a minefield
Andie ***********
ORIGINAL POSTERI really appreciate your help, I really do, but that site doesn't say anything that you haven't. It's really unclear. I'll try to simplify the question, I,m a Thai tax resident. if I have £1,000 per month from my pension paid directly into my UK bank account would I pay tax in the UK? The answer is no,. If I have that same £1,000 paid directly into my Thai bank account would I pay tax in Thailand?
My personal thought is still no, as the tax that would be due on it would be paid in the UK.
I have another question, what is the personal allowance of a Thai tax resident?
My personal thought is still no, as the tax that would be due on it would be paid in the UK.
I have another question, what is the personal allowance of a Thai tax resident?
Pete *******
@Andie **********
under section 40 (1) of the Thai Revenue Code pensions are taxable upon remittance to Thailand. Thailand doesn’t care if the source country has taxed it already, they only care about what is under their jurisdiction. If you’re a Thai tax resident Thailand will tax you. In your scenario you are remitting £1000 per month, assuming that’s your only income and you are a basic rate taxpayer in the UK that is below the £
*****
tax threshold so will be paid free from UK tax. As you have paid no UK tax there is no claim for a tax credit under the Thai UK DTA.You remit the £1000 into Thailand for living expenses. As you are a Thai tax resident Thailand will assess that £1000 for Thai tax. Let’s call that £1000 430,000 baht. As a Thai tax payer you have Thai allowances and deductions.
60k as a taxpayer
100k as income from employment
190k as being over 65
60k for being married
150k 0% tax rate
Your total Thai allowance and deductions could amount to 560k. In this case you have more tax free allowances and deductions than you have remitted income therefore your Thai tax bill would be zero. In order to claim the allowances and deductions you would need to register for a TIN and file a Thai tax return.
Reply to
Pete *******
Reply
Pete *******
@Andie **********
what is still unclear?Andie ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Pete ******
let's assume I am a tax resident in Thailand:1. Is a UK, company or state pension paid into a Thai bank account subject to Thailand tax. Please bear in mind everyone in the UK is allowed a personal allowance before any tax is due of at least £12,570, some have a higher personal allowance. So although £12,570 is taxable income, no tax is due in the UK as you are allowed that, only if you have income above your personal allowance is that income taxed. So if you had £12,571 income, you'd be taxed on £1, and 20p tax would be due to the HMRC. I can't understand why you'd be taxed on that income in totality in Thailand.
2. You are allowed to take 25% of your pension pot tax free in the UK, either has one lump sum or as a series of drawdown payments. Again, I can't understand if you drew down your 25% in monthly installments and had it paid into your Thai bank account, why that would be subject to Thailand tax.
3. I've never heard on any forum anyone say they've had to pay tax on their 400k, 500k, 800k requirement for visa deposits into a Thai bank.
And this, if you don't bring it in in the year it was earned, rather leave it in your UK bank account and bring it in the year after, how on earth would the Thai HMRC be able to police a deposit paid into a Thai bank account was earned in the UK yesterday, last month, last year or 5 years ago?
Pete *******
@Andie **********
1+2, UK tax treatment is completely irrelevant when considering Thai taxation.3, that all depends on the source of the funds and your tax residency status at time of remittance.
Foreign sourced Income earned whilst a Thai tax resident and remitted into Thailand is taxable even when remitted in future years.
Andie ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Pete ******
it isn't irrelevant, it's entirely relevant. If you're income into Thailand has been assessed and taxed in the UK you don't pay tax it Thailand. I think the important distinction here is assessed. If taxable income has been assessed in UK, it won't be re-assessed when that income comes into Thailand. Non taxable income is a different matter. That's my take on it.Pete *******
@Andie **********
you couldn’t be more wrong, everything you just stated is demonstrably factually incorrect. There is a reason why tax credits exist in DTA’s. You need to do much more reading and research on the subject, suggest you join “Thailand tax for expats” group for some Thai tax insights.Andie ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Pete ******
I'm sorry, but I think you're wrong PetePete *******
@Andie **********
that’s fine but please do more reading and research.Andie ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Pete ******
I will Pete, I genuinely appreciate your input, not falling out at all, you've helped in steering me, and it might be me simply not understanding what you're saying but logically I can't see you'd pay Thai tax on your UK personal allowance, else every UK person here would be paying Thai tax. Thanks for your help mate, genuinely.Andie ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Pete ******
Thanks, people saying earn it one year bring it in the next, no tax, are wrong? Do you know where I'd see the DTA rules?Pete *******
@Andie **********
All information is available on the Revenue Department website. ********************
Andie ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Pete ******
it's in Thai, I don't speak Thai.Pete *******
@Andie **********
it has an English setting….Reply to
Pete *******
Reply
Graeme ******
Firstly it depends what visa you have, the LTR wealthy pensioner visa exempts you from thai tax. If you have a standard retirement visa then they will be accessible for tax if you are a thai tax resident in the year you remit the money, doent mean you will pay taxes but you should submit a thai tax return, in your case probably would pay thai tax on your remittance. Thailand has a thai tax proposal that is being reviewed hopefully approved that will give more opportunities to bring money into thailand without paying tax. When they changed the interpretation in jan2024 many thais stopped bringing money into thailand so the revenue department has lost lots of tax from thai nationals. This is looking to change so thai nationals will start to repatriate money again knowing the tax burden has been lifted. Look out for the changes in the coming months
Andy *****
I’m not sure but I think you have to bring it in the same year you earn/receive it in order to be taxed on it. If you leave in uk bank andwait an until the next tax year it is classed as previous savings and then not taxed as income when introduced to Thailand
Ian ********
I have sent my house proceeds to my Thai bank ie
*****
0bt will this be taxable?John **********
@Ian *******
if you are a Thai tax resident the year you sent it then any gain is taxable, as income. The principal is not taxable so you would need proof of that.Reply to
John **********
Reply
Pete *******
@Andy ****
incorrect, foreign income earned in a tax year that you are Thai tax resident is subject to Thai tax even if remitted in future years.Pete *******
@Andy ****
perhaps you should bypass third parties and go straight to the information published by the Revenue Department…Ian ********
@Pete ******
are pension payments ‘earnt’ ?Pete *******
@Ian *******
pension payments are assessable income and are subject to Thai taxation on remittance. Only a DTA can exempt a pension from tax.Ian ********
@Pete ******
I did read that pension payments weren’t included in the uk DTA which will cause issue if you can’t offset the PA ie £12k against itPete *******
@Ian *******
not correct, the UK DTA specifically exempts government pensions from Thai tax.John **********
@Pete ******
the UK state pension is not classed as a government pension. If it is brought into Thailand it counts as assessable incomePete *******
@John *********
that is exactly what I stated…Ian ********
@Pete ******
so we really need to distinguish between private pensions and state pensions when this is discussed.I think that is where a lot of confusion takes placePete *******
@Ian *******
UK private, UK company and UK state pensions are all taxable when remitted to Thailand. Only UK government pensions are exempt via the DTA (military, police, fire, NHS, etc).Reply to
Pete *******
Reply
Reply to
Andy *****
Reply
Phil ******
@Andie **********
hard question stay a UK tax resident. If unsure seek professional advice from
@Integrity ******
Ossie *********
No
Pertti *************
Maybe if you're here 180 days from January 1st to December 31st. File an Income Tax Return and you know👍
Andie ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Pertti ************
I'd rather know before I do that obviously.Reply to
Andie ***********
Reply
Pete *******
Being paid out tax free in the UK is irrelevant to whether it will be taxed by the Thai Revenue Department. What matters is are you tax resident at the time you remit the lump sum into Thailand? If not resident then it’s tax free too in Thailand. If you are tax resident then the tax free lump sum from your private or company pension is 100% assessable for Thai tax. You cannot get relief from the UK DTA as you have no tax credit available to you. If the pension lump sum comes from a government pension scheme then it can be remitted tax free into Thailand.
Andie ***********
ORIGINAL POSTERAre you sure? This is taxable income not tax free income, so the HMRC has assessed it and deemed although it's taxable there is no tax to pay. Why wouldn't that be classed under the DTA?
Pete *******
@Andie **********
the fact that HMRC has deducted tax at source is as I keep repeating irrelevant to whether Thailand taxes that income. The UK DTA may exempt that income altogether as is the case with government pension schemes or will allow a tax credit against other forms of income. Using Thai allowances and deductions and full utilisation of available tax credits a basic taxpayer would only start paying Thai tax after remitting more than £39k per year. Sums below that figure would have a net zero Thai tax bill as the UK tax credit would cover it. You would need to get a TIN and file a Thai tax return in order to claim the tax credit.Reply to
Pete *******
Reply
Andie ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Pete ******
same question to John Stanners above, thanks, what about bringing taxable income in the UK, but because it falls under your personal allowance you haven't paid tax, can you bring that into a Thai bank account and not pay tax?Pete *******
@Andie **********
no, as I previously mentioned UK tax law is irrelevant when determining a Thai tax liability.Reply to
Pete *******
Reply
John **********
@Pete ******
you have to be careful with government pension schemes, many which I would think of as government are actually not. ************************************************************************
*****
0Reply to
John **********
Reply
John **********
Yes it is if you are a Thai tax resident when you bring it in. The lump sum is tax free in the UK but is viewed as income in Thailand and Thai tax is applicable plus you have zero UK tax to offset against it.
Gary ***********
@John *********
what would be difficult is for them to work out where it came from if you have different sources, for example I have ISAs and premium bonds all which were funded with taxes money, I will also get a tax free sum from pension soon, how would they determine which money was which?John **********
@Gary **********
it's up to you to determine that and file appropriately. The Thai tax authorities only get involved if you don't do thatGary ***********
@John *********
ThanksReply to
Gary ***********
Reply
Andie ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@John *********
thanks, what about bringing taxable income in the UK, but because it falls under your personal allowance you haven't paid tax, can you bring that into a Thai bank account and not pay tax?John **********
@Andie **********
if you bring it into Thailand while a Thai tax resident then Thai tax rules apply and you will have no UK tax to offset against Thai tax. Basically the same as aboveReply to
John **********
Reply
Peter *********
No
Nigel **************
No
Reply to
Nigel **************
Reply
29 comments
6 months ago
30 comments
7 months ago
26 comments
a year ago
113 comments
a year ago
66 comments
a year ago
10 comments
a year ago
88 comments
a year ago
286 comments
2 years ago
77 comments
2 years ago
Will my tax-free pension from Australia be taxed in Thailand if I live there for more than 179 days?
278 comments
2 years ago
43 comments
2 years ago
21 comments
2 years ago
36 comments
2 years ago
32 comments
2 years ago
77 comments
2 years ago
28 comments
2 years ago
60 comments
2 years ago
126 comments
2 years ago
80 comments
2 years ago
50 comments
2 years ago
78 comments
2 years ago
23 comments
3 years ago
21 comments
4 years ago
41 comments
5 years ago
7 comments
a month ago
9 comments
a month ago
21 comments
a month ago
16 comments
a month ago
8 comments
a month ago
The ask:thailand community, consisting of multiple Q/A groups with over 100,000 members, powers this platform. It is not an official government resource. Our members actively contribute to this resource, and while we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee its complete reliability. Assistance to travelers is provided as a community service.