How to file your income tax in Thailand in 2024

As an expat moving to Thailand (ประเทศไทย) for work, you need to know how you’ll be taxed on your income. The good news is that Thailand’s income tax system is relatively clear, which means you can file your tax return online and offset standard deductions.

Continue reading to learn about the basics of income tax in Thailand, including more on the following:

Income tax in Thailand: overview and latest developments

The Revenue Department (กรมสรรพากร) of the Ministry of Finance (กระทรวงการคลัง) is responsible for administering Thailand’s tax system.

Thailand’s tax year runs in line with the calendar year: 1 January to 31 December. Married couples can choose to file tax returns jointly or individually. Social security (ประกันสังคม, Prakan Sangkom) contributions are made separately.

Personal income tax (ภาษีรายได้ส่วนบุคคล) in Thailand is payable on the following forms of income:

• Employed income (รายได้จากการทำงาน): salaries are taxed at progressive rates of 0–35%. Employment bonuses are taxable.
• Self-employed income (รายได้จากการประกอบอาชีพอิสระ): Self-employed workers must pay income tax on their earnings at the same rates as employees.
• Business income (รายได้จากธุรกิจ): Businesses in Thailand are not subject to income tax. Companies instead pay corporate tax on profits. The standard rate of corporate tax is 20%. Companies with lower profits can benefit from a reduced rate of 15%.
• Savings and investments: interest on bank deposits, dividends and investments are subject to income tax. If you earned less than ฿20,000 in interest form a Thai account, this can be excluded from your tax return. Tax credits are available against dividend income from locally incorporated companies.
• Shares: gains from selling shares are subject to income tax. Sales of securities listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (ตลาดหลักทรัพย์แห่งประเทศไทย) are exempt. Non-residents must pay a rate of 15% on share sales.
• Rental income: rental income is taxed at the standard income tax rates. Some deductions are available. Property investors can deduct expenses at a flat rate of 30% or offset their actual expenses (evidence is required). Rental income is subject to a 5% withholding tax (15% for non-residents).

Latest news about income taxes in Thailand in 2024

Changes to Thailand’s tax rules are announced in the annual Budget, which usually takes place in the Spring. However, the 2024 Budget has been delayed until May.

On 1 January 2024, new rules came in force affecting the taxation of foreign-sourced income. Previously, tax residents who earned income from overseas (including income from employment, business or property) only paid Thai income tax on these earnings if they brought them into Thailand in the same year.

Now, however, all foreign-sourced income will be subject to Thai income tax when it is brought into the country, regardless of the year.

Tax rates: how much tax will I pay in Thailand in 2024?

Thailand’s income tax brackets are progressive. The top income tax rate is 35% and is payable by those who earn more than ฿5 million in a year. The tax brackets for 2024 are as follows:

Income tax band	Tax rate
Up to ฿150,000	0%
฿150,001-฿300,000	5%
฿300,001-฿500,000	10%
฿500,001-฿750,000	15%
฿750,001-฿1 million	20%
฿1,000,001-฿2 million	25%
฿2,000,001-฿5 million	30%
฿5 million and above	35%

Who pays income tax in Thailand?

Who needs to file a tax return in Thailand?

Residents of Thailand who earn more than ฿120,000 (individuals) or ฿220,000 (married couples) per year must file a tax return.

Residents who need to file a tax return must do so by 31 March (for paper returns) or 8 April (for online returns).

Thailand’s income tax for foreigners

Income tax liability in Thailand varies according to your residency status. You’ll be considered a resident for tax purposes if you live in Thailand for 180 days or more in a calendar year. Tax residents pay Thai income tax on their local salary and foreign-earned income remitted to Thailand.

People who live in Thailand for fewer than 180 days in a calendar year are considered non-residents. They are, therefore, only taxed on income earned while in Thailand. If you’ve earned money while living in Thailand and plan to leave the country during a tax year, you’ll need to obtain a tax clearance certificate to prove that you don’t have outstanding liabilities.

Thailand has double taxation agreements with over 60 countries. The exact rules for double taxation vary depending on the specific agreement. You can find the full list of treaties on the Revenue Department’s website.

Who is exempt from paying Thailand income tax?

The first ฿150,000 of income is exempt from income tax. This increases to ฿190,000 for people aged 65 or over.

How do you file your tax return in Thailand?

How to register for tax in Thailand?

To register to pay income tax, you’ll need to obtain a taxpayer identification number (TIN) (หมายเลขประจำตัวผู้เสียภาษี, mai lek pu sia pasee). The Revenue Department issues this unique 10-digit ID.

Which forms do I need to fill out?

Paper tax returns must reach the authorities by 31 March. Meanwhile, online tax returns have until 8 April.

You can file your return using the online e-filing system (ระบบยื่นแบบอิเล็กทรอนิกส์) or via the RD SmartTax app (แอป RD สมาร์ทภาษี ). Both are in Thai. If you wish to file a paper return in person, you must do so at your local Revenue Department Area Office.

The most commonly used tax return forms in Thailand are forms PND 90 and PND 91. Individuals and couples who only need to file their employment income use form PND 91. Those with other income to report (for example, income from self-employment) must file form PND 90.

Deductibles and tax relief

There are a series of allowances for taxpayers in Thailand, which you may be able to use to reduce your tax bill, including the following.

Family-related

• Personal and spousal allowance (เงินช่วยเหลือส่วนตัวและคู่สมรส): Each taxpayer has a standard ฿60,000 personal deduction that applies to a personal return. A further ฿60,000 is available if you have a dependent spouse.
• Child allowance (เงินสงเคราะห์บุตร): Parents can offset ฿30,000 for their first child and ฿60,000 for each subsequent child born in or after 2018. Each parent can claim an additional ฿30,000 toward parental care. Non-residents can only claim child allowances if their child is a tax resident.
• Caring for family members (การดูแลสมาชิกในครอบครัว): Taxpayers can offset ฿30,000 if they care for parents aged over 60 who have an income of less than ฿30,000. The allowance doubles to ฿60,000 if you care for a disabled or incapacitated family member.

Housing-related

• Mortgage interest (ดอกเบี้ยจำนอง): Deductible for the purchase or construction of a residential property, up to a maximum of ฿100,000

Health insurance-related

• Health insurance premiums (เบี้ยประกันสุขภาพ): Health insurance is deductible up to a maximum of ฿25,000.
• Pregnancy allowance (เงินช่วยเหลือการตั้งครรภ์): Expectant mothers can deduct ฿60,000 for each pregnancy.
• Life insurance premiums (เบี้ยประกันชีวิต): These are deductible up to ฿100,000 if the policy is with a Thai insurer and lasts for at least 10 years. Life insurance premiums are deductible up to 15% of income (maximum ฿200,000).

Work-related

• Employment allowance (เบี้ยเลี้ยงการจ้างงาน): Taxpayers in employment can benefit from a standard deduction of 50% of income up to a maximum of ฿100,000.
• Retirement mutual funds (กองทุนรวมเพื่อการเกษียณอายุ): Deductible up to 30% of income (maximum of ฿50,000).
• Travel costs: reimbursement of work travel costs, flat-rate travel allowances (in line with the government’s rates for official travel), and expenses incurred to get to a place of employment for the first time are not taxable. Other travel allowances must be specified in your tax returns.

Other

• Super savings fund investment (การลงทุนกองทุนซุปเปอร์ออมทรัพย์): Deductible up to 30% of income (maximum ฿200,000).
• Charitable contributions (เงินบริจาค): Deductible up to 10% of net income. ‘Double’ deductions are available for some donations, like donations to state hospitals. Donations to political parties are deductible up to a maximum of ฿10,000.

Limits to the above deductions

The total amount deducted in one tax year for life insurance, provident funds, teacher or civil servant pension funds, retirement funds, and super savings funds must not exceed ฿500,000 per person.

Expenses for self-employed workers

Self-employed workers have two options for offsetting their business costs against their tax bills. First, you can itemize your actual expenses and deduct them from your profits. If you do this, you’ll need to supply supporting evidence of the costs you’ve incurred.

Alternatively, you can choose to take the standard deductions set out by the Thai Revenue Code for different forms of expenditure. You may find it useful to take expert advice on the right option for your specific situation.

How do I pay my Thai income tax?

After you’ve filed your tax return, you’ll need to pay any tax due. There are various ways to pay your tax.

For example, you can pay via online and mobile banking, card, or money order payments. Other methods include ATMs or in-person payment. Fortunately, if you owe more than ฿3,000 in tax, you can request payment in three equal monthly installments.

Income tax refunds

If you’ve paid too much income tax in Thailand, you should automatically receive a refund from the Revenue Department. If you’re expecting one, keep an eye on your account online to see if you’ve received any messages from the Revenue Department. Any payment due will be made to your account using the PromptPay system.

What happens if I don’t pay on time?

If you fail to file or pay your tax return on time, you’ll face a surcharge of 1.5% of the tax bill and a fine of up to ฿2,000. If you fail to file a tax return, you can expect an added penalty of twice the amount of tax owed.

Intentionally failing to file a tax return or avoiding paying tax is a serious offense, punishable with a fine of up to ฿5,000 and imprisonment of up to six months. Those who commit serious tax evasion through fraudulent means can receive a penalty of up to ฿200,000 and go to prison for up to seven years.

Income tax advice in Thailand

If you have specific questions about filing your income tax return in Thailand, consider taking advice from an English-speaking professional. As a starting point, check out the Expatica Directory.

The Thailand Federation of Accounting Professionals (TFAC – สภาวิชาชีพบัญชีแห่งประเทศไทย) provides accreditation for companies.

Useful resources

• Revenue Department – information, rates, and forms for taxes in Thailand
• Allowable income tax deductions – breakdown of personal income tax
• Download tax forms online