How to get tax id number with non o?

[Topah]

I have stayed in Thailand over 6 month/year for 15 years with non o based on marriage. Now my bank overseas needs tax id number from Thailand. I dont have a business/work permit or any income from Thailand.

 

How do I get tax id number in Bangkok and what documents are needed?

 

Thanks for the repsonses in advance.

Edited April 12, 2023 by Topah

[NanLaew]

I tried to do this only last month for my foreign bank.

 

From previous threads and other forums, it is relatively easy if you live where there's plenty foriegners, either working or retired in Thailand. You will need to get a 1-year statement from your Thai bank (through end March which is Thailand's end of tax year), your passport and go to the local Revenue Office. There's a complicated form to fill in, all in Thai so you'll need assistance with it. Once that's done, you are registered in the system, given your tax ID or TIN. They will also assess you for any tax obligations which in most cases of the long-term retired will be zero. There are rather generous tax allowances that apply equally to Thai citizens and foreigners, especially old ones.

 

My most recent experience trying to get a TIN in Udon Thani, it went from clueless, to easy to difficult depending on the three different people I was dealing with at the Revenue office. The last one was steely-eyed above her mask and was adamant that after providing the bank statement, I would be assessed and only after any taxes due were fully paid, would I get my TIN. She also said the application form needed to be completed at her desk and it wasn't allowed to take it home and come back later. This was last month when the annual tax grab was in its eleventh hour and she must have mistaken my boner for my wallet!

 

In the meantime, I used the clause in my foreign bank's tax ID request form (in their online banking app) that said I don't qualify for a TIN in the country where I am domiciled. They have subsequently accepted that, saying if I don't hear anything, it's closed but if not, they'll be in touch again.

 

Looking forward to any posts from retired and/or non-working foreigners who actually managed to get their TIN here.

Edited April 12, 2023 by NanLaew

[300sd]

My foreign bank also asked for my tax number. I told them that I don't have one and I don't pay taxes here. I also can not be bothered to get one so let me know if I should move my funds elsewhere! (I didn't say that last part out loud)

[nigelforbes]

Thai tax year is the calendar year, it ends 31 December.

 

All you really need is your passport showing that you've spent more than 183 days per year in Thailand and that you have a non-O. Simply say you want a tax ID, that is really all you need to do. If someone asks why then simply say you intend to rent out a property and you want to pay tax on the income or you want to reclaim tax paid on bank interest, you could even tell them the truth and say you need it for your home country!

[NanLaew]

Just now, nigelforbes said:

Thai tax year is the calendar year, it ends 31 December.

 

All you really need is your passport showing that you've spent more than 183 days per year in Thailand and that you have a non-O. Simply say you want a tax ID, that is really all you need to do. If someone asks why then simply say you intend to rent out a property and you want to pay tax on the income or you want to reclaim tax paid on bank interest, you could even tell them the truth and say you need it for your home country!

Thanks nigel. Yes you are4 correct and it 1 Jan - 31 Dec. The third (unhelpful) lady must have conflated the last week of the last month before Songkran as the tax year.

 

Per my post, in Udon Thani, only the second lady knew what a TIN was, why I wanted it and said it was easy. The first lady didn't have a scooby and the last one wanted my first-born child. Two of my friends in Bangkok and Pattaya have obtained them with comparative ease but they were both working here.

 

Happy that your actual experience differed and it was easy. Wherever it was.

[nigelforbes]

1 minute ago, NanLaew said:

Thanks nigel. Yes you are4 correct and it 1 Jan - 31 Dec. The third (unhelpful) lady must have conflated the last week of the last month before Songkran as the tax year.

 

Per my post, in Udon Thani, only the second lady knew what a TIN was, why I wanted it and said it was easy. The first lady didn't have a scooby and the last one wanted my first-born child. Two of my friends in Bangkok and Pattaya have obtained them with comparative ease but they were both working here.

 

Happy that your actual experience differed and it was easy. Wherever it was.

No problem.

 

I got mine in Chiang Mai. I rate the Thai Revenue as the easiest and most professional of all the government agencies, they're super helpful, no hassles, give accurate info plus they're friendly.

[Topah]

Thanks for responses. Where is get the tax id number in Bangkok? I do own a condo I do not rent out (yet) but the idea to get the id number for that purpose is good.

[NanLaew]

Just now, nigelforbes said:

No problem.

 

I got mine in Chiang Mai. I rate the Thai Revenue as the easiest and most professional of all the government agencies, they're super helpful, no hassles, give accurate info plus they're friendly.

Yes and there's a fair few farangs up there too. By all accounts the Revenue offices are easy and amenable so I will do what typically works best in Thailand which is try again hoping that someone else will serve me.

 

BTW, I did manage to pop back upstairs to the first (clueless) office and get an application form and take it home. A small win but a win nontheless.

 

Thanks

[NanLaew]

2 minutes ago, Topah said:

Thanks for responses. Where is get the tax id number in Bangkok? I do own a condo I do not rent out (yet) but the idea to get the id number for that purpose is good.

Bangkok is huge so take your pick (google is your friend)

 

[lungbing]

I tried some years ago in Khon Kaen.  The boss of the office in the amphur complex was rude in the extreme shouted at my wife asking if she could read or write (she has an BA and an MA) and refused on the grounds that I was retired and thus didn't pay tax.   We were both dressed very conservatively.

Edited April 12, 2023 by lungbing
spelling

[FARANG KIWI]

I had the same request for a TIN recently from First Direct bank in the UK.

 

As I was staying in Thailand on visa exempt and extensions ( and not a citizen or resident ) they eventually accepted that I was UK based.....

[Srikcir]

Retired on non O-A at the time of application at Bang Khun Thuan District revenue office (Rama 2). Foreigners virtually unknown here. But no issues with people in the office.

Presented filled application form available from counter, passport, certificate of residence stub carried in passport, reason for the tax ID is annual refund of tax on interest on savings account. Given the large crowd of Thais waiting for their tax needs and I don't speak or read Thai, got my ID fairly quick.

A surprise however. With all the emphasis by the government on digital e-business, my tax ID, name, address, date is handwritten in a worn out large ledger by the agent and handsigned by agent.

 

[BoganInParasite]

Had two Australian banks request this as well. Told the first one I'd prefer to close my account and did so. Told the second one to take a running jump because I had no taxable income in any country. Turns out there was a flag I can tick in their system so I did so online and have been hassle free since. One of my least painful bank interactions of the last decade or so.

[CMBob]

13 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

I got mine in Chiang Mai. I rate the Thai Revenue as the easiest and most professional of all the government agencies, they're super helpful, no hassles, give accurate info plus they're friendly.

I also got mine in Chiangmai about a decade ago, a lady at the revenue office providing same.  I do recall that, besides a copy of a couple pages of the passport, she wanted a residence certificate and that she did accept a copy of one I had although it was a few months old.  I obtained the tax ID number solely for the purpose of filing a Thai tax return to retrieve the 15% of bank interest withheld.

Edited April 13, 2023 by CMBob

[proton]

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

Retired on non O-A at the time of application at Bang Khun Thuan District revenue office (Rama 2). Foreigners virtually unknown here. But no issues with people in the office.

Presented filled application form available from counter, passport, certificate of residence stub carried in passport, reason for the tax ID is annual refund of tax on interest on savings account. Given the large crowd of Thais waiting for their tax needs and I don't speak or read Thai, got my ID fairly quick.

A surprise however. With all the emphasis by the government on digital e-business, my tax ID, name, address, date is handwritten in a worn out large ledger by the agent and handsigned by agent.

 

Thats where we went filled in all the paper work then they told us we were at the wrong office and had to go to samut prakan instead. They told us months later we had not given them all the paper work, which we had, claimed they sent a letter about it which never turned up. Took 6 months to get a tax refund

[arithai12]

13 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

No problem.

 

I got mine in Chiang Mai. I rate the Thai Revenue as the easiest and most professional of all the government agencies, they're super helpful, no hassles, give accurate info plus they're friendly.

My experience too. Also their online submission service is great.

btw, taxation here is incredibly low with lots of deductions, and it is very useful to be able to prove back home that I am tax-resident in Thailand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[alanrchase]

14 hours ago, Topah said:

Thanks for responses. Where is get the tax id number in Bangkok? I do own a condo I do not rent out (yet) but the idea to get the id number for that purpose is good.

If you have a Thai bank account that pays interest they will be taxing it. Just tell them you pay tax on the bank interest so you should have a tax ID.

[nigelforbes]

8 minutes ago, alanrchase said:

If you have a Thai bank account that pays interest they will be taxing it. Just tell them you pay tax on the bank interest so you should have a tax ID.

They are unlikely to issue a Tax ID solely for that reason, the person must also prove tax residency in Thailand which means holding a long stay visa and proof that they spend at least 183 days here each year.

[jayboy]

14 hours ago, 300sd said:

My foreign bank also asked for my tax number. I told them that I don't have one and I don't pay taxes here. I also can not be bothered to get one so let me know if I should move my funds elsewhere! (I didn't say that last part out loud)

If you are a retiree with a foreign sourced pension and with no Thailand income, this is not necessarily the wrong answer for your bank. If your pension is being taxed in your country of origin (or arguably even if it's not) then simply tell your bank you have no TIN, no contact of any kind with the Thai tax authorities and no Thai taxable income.

[alanrchase]

6 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

They are unlikely to issue a Tax ID solely for that reason, the person must also prove tax residency in Thailand which means holding a long stay visa and proof that they spend at least 183 days here each year.

 I am not suggesting they would issue one solely for that reason. A reason for wanting a tax ID was one of the questions asked on the application form when I did mine and I am just pointing out that being taxed on bank interest is an easy answer.

[TigerandDog]

27 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

They are unlikely to issue a Tax ID solely for that reason, the person must also prove tax residency in Thailand which means holding a long stay visa and proof that they spend at least 183 days here each year.

don't agree Nigel. I got mine in BKK in 2014 and all I had to provide was my passport (no copies involved), complete the application form with reason for requiring tax ID, which was to claim tax deducted from bank interest. Tax ID issued on the spot and have been lodging tax refund claims every January since.

[connda]

16 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

No problem.

 

I got mine in Chiang Mai. I rate the Thai Revenue as the easiest and most professional of all the government agencies, they're super helpful, no hassles, give accurate info plus they're friendly.

Go to the Thai Revenue Office site.  The address for BKK is at the bottom of the page.
https://www.rd.go.th/english/6045.html

[GroveHillWanderer]

1 hour ago, TigerandDog said:

don't agree Nigel. I got mine in BKK in 2014 and all I had to provide was my passport (no copies involved), complete the application form with reason for requiring tax ID, which was to claim tax deducted from bank interest. Tax ID issued on the spot and have been lodging tax refund claims every January since.

I got a TIN in Hua Hin in 2015, for exactly the same reason. I applied for and was issued a TIN with no problem whatsoever.

 

Getting the refund was a different matter though. The first time I tried, I got a stony-faced guy who insisted that as a retired foreigner I was not entitled to a refund. Nothing I or my wife could say would get him to change his mind.

 

I went back a few days later with a Thai friend who owns a business and often has dealings with the Tax office. We went to the lady he normally deals with there, she couldn't have been more friendly or helpful and processed the refund form straight away. She even filled it out for me and all I had to do was sign it.

 

Whenever I've done refunds since, I always dread running into that guy again but luckily I haven't, and have always been able to get the refunds without any drama.

[Srikcir]

6 hours ago, proton said:

Thats where we went filled in all the paper work then they told us we were at the wrong office and had to go to samut prakan instead. They told us months later we had not given them all the paper work, which we had, claimed they sent a letter about it which never turned up. Took 6 months to get a tax refund

I live in Bang Khun Thian, Samae Dam subdistrict. Bank account in same district. Bank directed me to this tax office. There 90 minutes so many taxpayers but at least good aircons.

[khunPer]

20 hours ago, Topah said:

I have stayed in Thailand over 6 month/year for 15 years with non o based on marriage. Now my bank overseas needs tax id number from Thailand. I dont have a business/work permit or any income from Thailand.

 

How do I get tax id number in Bangkok and what documents are needed?

In principle to are due income tax to Thailand when you stay in the country for more than 180 days within a calendar year; however, only money brought into the country are taxed, and double taxation agreement will cover issues, where you pay tax in your home country.

 

You might need to show that you have some Thai income to get a TIN, but interest from bank books or bank deposit for marriage might cover that issue.

 

It is normally the customs tax revenue department that issue TI-numbers, same office where to register for v.a.t.

 

You need your passport and copy of name page, and all stamp-pages till last stamp, to prove that you stay more then 180 days within a calendar year in Thailand. You might also need copy of income or interest in Thailand.

 

In the future you are in principal due to to make a tax return report every year; it can be done electronically.

[NanLaew]

13 hours ago, connda said:

Go to the Thai Revenue Office site.  The address for BKK is at the bottom of the page.
https://www.rd.go.th/english/6045.html

Good link. I found the following from PwC provided comprehensive and up-to-date information viz a foreigner's tax liabilities in Thailand.

 

https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/thailand/individual/significant-developments

Edited April 13, 2023 by NanLaew

[foreverlomsak]

On 4/12/2023 at 6:02 PM, 300sd said:

My foreign bank also asked for my tax number. I told them that I don't have one and I don't pay taxes here. I also can not be bothered to get one so let me know if I should move my funds elsewhere! (I didn't say that last part out loud)

My UK International bank has also asked for a TIN, however they are also asking for a Tax Residency Certificate, as this is a throwaway entry on paper statements, and as they are delivered randomly (many missing), I've been ignoring the request to date.

Will probably need to do something soon.  All my income comes from the UK (Pensions), which is taxed at source (PAYE), so don't know why the bank is asking for them.

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post and the replies to it.

[Skeptic7]

From which "home country" banks is this required...and why??? Is this new?