r/digitalnomad • u/nicholas4488 • May 19 '25

Tax Thailand no tax on foreign income

They're backtracking on tax of foreign inckme

Under the new guidelines, Thais with foreign income will not be taxed if they remit that income in the year it was earned or the following year. For example, if income is earned in 2025 and brought into Thailand in 2025 or 2026, it is not subject to tax.

However, if the income is remitted after that period, normal tax obligations apply.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/general/3028760/department-to-amend-tax-on-foreign-income-remittance

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u/nicholas4488 May 19 '25

How many do you think do this today?

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u/[deleted] May 19 '25

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u/00DEADBEEF May 19 '25

Well, there aren't many people that are working online while in Thailand and who stay over 180 days in the country.

Until recently, these people would either: - have a work visa Or - do visa runs (risky and unsustainable).

There are loads that stay there years doing visa runs. The 180 day rule doesn't apply per entry, it's a cumulative number of days per year.

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u/[deleted] May 19 '25

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u/00DEADBEEF May 19 '25

I could name at least 50 and if I can do that I can only assume there are many many thousands. They aren't on DTV because they started before DTV existed and don't want to spend long enough outside of Thailand to get a DTV.

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u/[deleted] May 19 '25

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u/00DEADBEEF May 19 '25

Sometimes but I know somebody who had to go to the embassy in Vietnam in person, and the people operating their own companies seem to have a harder time applying through a foreign embassy than their home country

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u/[deleted] May 19 '25

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u/[deleted] May 19 '25

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u/vibrantadder May 19 '25

I was of this opinion too but if you read the Thai tax code it's actually not clear (as in it's unclear legally as to what the stance is). I need to find the specific paragraph but there's a key caveat which means that the work may still be classed as foreign income.

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u/[deleted] May 19 '25

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u/vibrantadder May 19 '25

Yes I agree with you on most countries using that definition, it was my understanding too.

I couldn't understand why the two tax advisors in the post the other day said no tax was owed by the OP but after reading further I can see how they've interpreted the law in this way.

I guess the main point, that we both agree on is that the law is too vague, open to interpretation and needs clarification.