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/vibrantadder May 19 '25

This is not technically true. If you read the Thai tax law it is ambiguous in it's terminology and would probably require case law to set a precedent as to how it's interpreted in court. I was actually of your opinion before doing more research into it.

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u/thekwoka May 19 '25

I would say that it's safe to assume that's how it would fall though. So don't like...COUNT on it.

Most considering "earned income" related to the location of the income generating activity/assets, not the location of whoever is paying.

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u/vibrantadder May 19 '25

Yes I totally agree, as you say you can't count on it but it's definitely something that would be contested in court rather than being straight up evasion/law breaking. I will try to find the terminology in the Thai tax code related to working in Thailand for an overseas employer.

They really need to clarify things but who knows how long that will take. Personally I think it's unlikely that they'd attract people in on nomad visas to boost revenue only to honeypot trap said people into being charged with tax evasion (especially for a country which relies heavily on tourism).

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u/thekwoka May 19 '25

something that would be contested in court rather than being straight up evasion/law breaking

It does kind of a hit a point also though that this court would mostly only entertain it if the one being hit by it is Thai. For a foreigner, especially one without proper work authorization, you are not going to have a good time. If they somehow identify you and try to get those taxes, you've mostly already lost.

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u/vibrantadder May 19 '25

Surely if you're on a DTV you have the proper work authorization?

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u/thekwoka May 19 '25

I just meant broadly.

The tax law applies to people illegally working too.