How to Get a Thai Tax File Number

[roderick17]

I recently acquired a retirement visa , and plan to spend the next few years in the kingdom. During the next few years, Id like to make sure my tax affairs are in order. To do this, I thought getting a Thai Tax number - and filing annual tax returns - might be a good way of esuring that i stay on the right side of the Thai tax people. Has anyone here ( on a retirement visa) - managed to obtain a tax file nuumber, and if so, how did yu achieve this feat? 

 

 Many thanks in advance !!

[ubonjoe]

You would apply for a tax ID number at the local Revenue Department office. Anybody can apply for one.

Info here: http://www.rd.go.th/publish/21987.0.html

[jacko45k]

I went to my local tax revenue office. 

They said I needed a residence certificate .

I went to immigration to get one and they told me I needed to get a letter off the revenue office asking immigration to issue a residence certificate. 

I went back the 15 km in 35 degC to he revenue office, they wouldn't hear of it.

I went home to cool down

I remembered I had a spare copy of an old residence certificate I had from last time I was being messed about, got it to renew my driving licences.

The revenue office accepted that, along with passport copies and proof of address (a bill) and issued me a tax number.

 

If you are just coming here for a few years, not working and don't wish to reclaim any withholding tax, don't bother. I managed 15 years without one.  

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, roderick17 said:

To do this, I thought getting a Thai Tax number - and filing annual tax returns - might be a good way of esuring that i stay on the right side of the Thai tax people.

There’s no point filing a tax return unless you have a tax liability, and that’s highly unlikely if you’re a retiree.

 

If you think you have a liability it’s best to consult an accountant before putting yourself on the radar.

 

The tax man is only interested in people that owe tax.

[hereforgood]

I went to my local tax revenue office and asked and was given a new Tax ID number and card as well this was in Jomtien did not need any other forms. This was years ago things change 

[scubascuba3]

I went to my local tax revenue office. 
They said I needed a residence certificate .
I went to immigration to get one and they told me I needed to get a letter off the revenue office asking immigration to issue a residence certificate. 
I went back the 15 km in 35 degC to he revenue office, they wouldn't hear of it.
I went home to cool down
I remembered I had a spare copy of an old residence certificate I had from last time I was being messed about, got it to renew my driving licences.
The revenue office accepted that, along with passport copies and proof of address (a bill) and issued me a tax number.
 
If you are just coming here for a few years, not working and don't wish to reclaim any withholding tax, don't bother. I managed 15 years without one.  

Kinda typical how things work here

[MikeN]

1 hour ago, elviajero said:

There’s no point filing a tax return unless you have a tax liability, and that’s highly unlikely if you’re a retiree.

 

If you think you have a liability it’s best to consult an accountant before putting yourself on the radar.

 

The tax man is only interested in people that owe tax.

Unless perhaps the OP is going to out 800k in a time deposit where witholding tax is automatically taken out, and he wants to claim a refund for being under the taxable threshold.

[darrendsd]

The process depends on Province and no doubt the mood of the staff you deal with

 

I needed one to satisfy my UK Bank - off I went to the revenue office in Hua Hin thinking it would be easy - how wrong I was - short story short I had to pay tax on my bank transfers into Thailand for the last 12 months - once I paid that I got my tax ID - The process took about 3 weeks

 

As others have said on this and different threads with other offices they will issue you one on the spot - I'm just unlucky I live in Hua Hin

 

 

 

 

[NotEinstein]

I easily got a tax ID card in Chiang Mai last year after explaining a pension I cashed in required a Thai tax ID reference. I visited them in January to ask what I should do, thinking I needed to make an annual declaration. Having no income I was told no need to do anything.

[sfokevin]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You would apply for a tax ID number at the local Revenue Department office. Anybody can apply for one.

Info here: http://www.rd.go.th/publish/21987.0.html

Is there anywhere to download Form LP 10.1?

[asiaexpat]

If u have a kind landlord u can het them to help u get a Yellow Tabien Baan (house registration book) and the number assigned to u in that book will be your tax ID number.

[sfokevin]

4 minutes ago, NotEinstein said:

I easily got a tax ID card in Chiang Mai last year after explaining a pension I cashed in required a Thai tax ID reference. I visited them in January to ask what I should do, thinking I needed to make an annual declaration. Having no income I was told no need to do anything.

Did you need a certificate of residence to apply for a tax ID?

[OJAS]

2 hours ago, MikeN said:

Unless perhaps the OP is going to out 800k in a time deposit where witholding tax is automatically taken out, and he wants to claim a refund for being under the taxable threshold.

He might also need to obtain a Thai Tax Identity Number at the insistence of his home country bank (regardless of whether or not he still holds an account with them), in order to meet their perception of the OECD Common Reporting Standard - notwithstanding that Thailand hasn't yet signed up to this Standard!

[NotEinstein]

7 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

Did you need a certificate of residence to apply for a tax ID?

No, they just took a copy of my passport and filled in the form.....

[fredob43]

Just be careful. Friend of mine some 5 months ago got a tax No: to claim back his tax taken out from his 800th visa interest deposit. It was easy to get at the local tax office at the Amper.

 

On being offered it he was told yes he would get his tax back but would also be libel to have to pay tax on any monies he brings into the country.

 

Having thought about it he has now decided to not bother. As he would be pounds $$$ out.

You don't have to declare any tax here so why open the door. You'll only be libel for a kick up the Butt.

[MikeN]

There was a tax on inbound money transfers (10% ?) during the late 90s financial crisis to prevent speculation on the baht but that was scrapped soon after. A friend of mine has a Thai tax ID but has never paid any tax on money coming in to the country. I think you will find it is a recycled urban myth.

Or perhaps just confusing tax with the normal bank fees ?

[nrasmussen]

My home country bank requested that I get a Thai TIN, so I went to the Revenue Department office. But no luck.

Even though I presented the letter (in English) from my bank, they refused to issue a TIN, unless I had some tax to pay. Well, I have no income, so no tax, so no TIN.

I then called the bank and told them that I wasn't able to get a TIN - and the reply was: "OK, if you cannot get one, we don't need one." (!)

[ThomasThBKK]

20 minutes ago, nrasmussen said:

My home country bank requested that I get a Thai TIN, so I went to the Revenue Department office. But no luck.

Even though I presented the letter (in English) from my bank, they refused to issue a TIN, unless I had some tax to pay. Well, I have no income, so no tax, so no TIN.

I then called the bank and told them that I wasn't able to get a TIN - and the reply was: "OK, if you cannot get one, we don't need one." (!)

They wanted a working permit from me, which i don't have, they simply couldn't imagine i still had taxes to pay.

It just didn't want to get into their head that if i receive dividends from thai companies, rental income or otherwise would have to pay cap gains tax or tax on money i earned the same year and moved into thailand... They thought i am an alien and tell them bullshit.

 

Took like 2 months to convince them, major waste of everyones time.

[ThomasThBKK]

57 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

On being offered it he was told yes he would get his tax back but would also be libel to have to pay tax on any monies he brings into the country.

 

Having thought about it he has now decided to not bother. As he would be pounds $$$ out.

You don't have to declare any tax here so why open the door. You'll only be libel for a kick up the Butt.

 

That's always the case, if u earn money in the same calender year offshore and move it into thailand you have to pay taxes on it in theory - Tax id issued or not.

Every thai tax resident (180 plus days per year in thailand) has to do that.

[arithai12]

8 hours ago, roderick17 said:

how did yu achieve this feat?

What others say about not paying tax here may be correct, but there are many good reasons to actually wanting to do it. Getting a tax id is only a first step, the real issue is to  actually fill the tax forms which are in Thai. I found it very easy and affordable to use a tax accountant/lawyer. She obtained the Tax ID and she does every year the tax filing and gives me back the stamped forms and receipts, her fee is 2000THB per year which is very well worthy my peace of mind. FYI, taxes are due in March. You'll be surprised how low they are.

[OJAS]

2 hours ago, fredob43 said:

Just be careful. Friend of mine some 5 months ago got a tax No: to claim back his tax taken out from his 800th visa interest deposit. It was easy to get at the local tax office at the Amper.

 

On being offered it he was told yes he would get his tax back but would also be libel to have to pay tax on any monies he brings into the country.

 

Having thought about it he has now decided to not bother. As he would be pounds $$$ out.

You don't have to declare any tax here so why open the door. You'll only be libel for a kick up the Butt.

 

1 hour ago, ThomasThBKK said:

 

That's always the case, if u earn money in the same calender year offshore and move it into thailand you have to pay taxes on it in theory - Tax id issued or not.

Every thai tax resident (180 plus days per year in thailand) has to do that.

Our liability to being taxed in Thailand, as Thai tax residents but non-Thai nationals, is dependent on the terms of the double taxation treaties between our home countries and Thailand. 

[ThomasThBKK]

8 minutes ago, OJAS said:

 

Our liability to being taxed in Thailand, as Thai tax residents but non-Thai nationals, is dependent on the terms of the double taxation treaties between our home countries and Thailand. 

No, it's not that easy.

 

Only for income that gets taxed at source such as pensions, real estate (not always), dividends etc. IF in the country those are paid in has a DTT and IF this is part of the DTT.

Thailand has DTTs with only 62 countries and only about specific stuff. DTTs are mostly about preventing double taxation, if no tax gets paid at source it's not the case.

 

Such stuff as offshore work salary, consulting payments, offshore dividends (if no treaty is signed) etc. is different, depending on the source:

 

Quote

 If such income is considered foreign-sourced income (income derived from work performed outside of Thailand, business conducted outside of Thailand, or property situated outside of Thailand) it will be taxed in Thailand only if: (1) an individual is a Thai tax resident; and (2) the individual brings such income into Thailand in the same calendar year that he receives it.

 

https://www.mazars.co.th/Home/Doing-Business-in-Thailand/Tax/Basis-of-Thai-personal-income-tax

 

https://www.pwc.com/th/en/publications/assets/thai-tax-2017-18-booklet-en.pdf (check assessable income)

 

 

If you work for a client in germany that pays you but you aren't a german tax residence and you remit that money into thailand in the same calender year you would need to pay taxes on it. So it's better to always have a buffer that allows you to remit old money.

[darrendsd]

11 hours ago, OJAS said:

He might also need to obtain a Thai Tax Identity Number at the insistence of his home country bank (regardless of whether or not he still holds an account with them), in order to meet their perception of the OECD Common Reporting Standard - notwithstanding that Thailand hasn't yet signed up to this Standard!

They have signed up for it but do not expect to be ready to start exchanging tax info with other countries for another 3-4 years

[fredob43]

13 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

 

That's always the case, if u earn money in the same calender year offshore and move it into thailand you have to pay taxes on it in theory - Tax id issued or not.

Every thai tax resident (180 plus days per year in thailand) has to do that.

Well I have lived here for some 25 years and bring monies in quite a few times to live on. The last big one I brought in was 25thUK for a car purchase. Never paid tax on any of it they don't ask so don't get.

 

All of my friend don't have to pay either. If you pay best of luck, but I can assure you they are not interested. Unless you have already opened the can of worms. By getting a tax No:

[ThomasThBKK]

30 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

Well I have lived here for some 25 years and bring monies in quite a few times to live on. The last big one I brought in was 25thUK for a car purchase. Never paid tax on any of it they don't ask so don't get.

 

All of my friend don't have to pay either. If you pay best of luck, but I can assure you they are not interested. Unless you have already opened the can of worms. By getting a tax No:

 

that might be totally fine anyway, depending if you had that amount in savings before 2019 started...

I know they never cared and also didn't have the means to check this stuff anyway in the past, but they also never gave a damn about tm30 reports and all that other rubbish they introduced lately.

 

Times are changing, they are upgrading their IT systems: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/finance/1500082/revenue-department-eyes-ai-upgrade

 

And it's only a matter of time till they go after this, for foreigners and thais alike. Don't be one of those that get messed up, it's too easy to just comply with the laws and still be tax free.

 

[ubonjoe]

34 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

All of my friend don't have to pay either. If you pay best of luck, but I can assure you they are not interested. Unless you have already opened the can of worms. By getting a tax No:

Getting a tax ID number does not obligate you to pay taxes or cause any problems after getting it.

Many people get them so they can apply for refunds of taxes deducted from savings accounts for the interest earned.

As others have stated they needed one for a bank in their home country.

[fredob43]

12 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Getting a tax ID number does not obligate you to pay taxes or cause any problems after getting it.

Many people get them so they can apply for refunds of taxes deducted from savings accounts for the interest earned.

As others have stated they needed one for a bank in their home country.

I can only say what I find. I have 3 bank accounts in the UK 1 offshore and the other two in the UK mainland. Have never been asked for a tax No: here by any of them. 

Retired many years ago and don't work so that might be the answer. Regards the having a Tax No: my friend was told he can have his around 4.5th bt interest back but he could be libel to pay tax on any monies he brings into Thailand. Up to you what way you go. TIT as you know every tax office see's it a different way.  

[KiChakayan]

12 hours ago, arithai12 said:

She obtained the Tax ID and she does every year the tax filing and gives me back the stamped forms and receipts, her fee is 2000THB per year which is very well worthy my peace of mind. FYI, taxes are due in March. You'll be surprised how low they are.

Dunno where you get this BS from, according to the table below I'd be liable to pay between  600k to 700k...

 

[ThomasThBKK]

7 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

I can only say what I find. I have 3 bank accounts in the UK 1 offshore and the other two in the UK mainland. Have never been asked for a tax No: here by any of them. 

Retired many years ago and don't work so that might be the answer. Regards the having a Tax No: my friend was told he can have his around 4.5th bt interest back but he could be libel to pay tax on any monies he brings into Thailand. Up to you what way you go. TIT as you know every tax office see's it a different way.  

 

yes if its your pension income then it's already taxed in the UK anyway, you can do what you want with it (all specified in the double tax threaty between thailand and UK).

But i still get a salary monthly for work that i do all over the world - so it's different. Many people here work offshore but are based out of Thailand, and they have to be a bit cautious.

 

Quote

my friend was told he can have his around 4.5th bt interest back but he could be libel to pay tax on any monies he brings into Thailand.

 

Having or not having a tax id has nothing to do with being a tax resident and does not change if someone does or does not owe taxes. 

They are just so incompetent that they don't know anything about that here.

 

 

It's called the peter principle and thailand is the master of it: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/peter-principle.asp

 

Quote

The Peter Principle is thus based on the logical idea that competent employees will continue to be promoted, but at some point will be promoted into positions for which they are incompetent, and they will then remain in those positions because of the fact that they do not demonstrate any further competence that would get them recognized for additional promotion. According to the Peter Principle, every position in a given hierarchy will eventually be filled by employees who are incompetent to fulfill the job duties of their respective positions.