TIN number and how do I apply for one.

[khunPer]

22 hours ago, topt said:

I take it you have not seen the multiple comments recently from posters in various threads about how their local tax office refused to give them a TIN as they did not need to file...........

And I take you don't read the AN-news, which states that foreigners need to file a tax return...😉
 

 

[Hamus Yaigh]

8 minutes ago, khunPer said:

And I take you don't read the AN-news, which states that foreigners need to file a tax return...

Much like the hundreds of thousands of other expats who never read AN-news I expect. Imagine a Thailand without this web site and no one would even be discussing TINs or changes in tax laws of which there are no changes. Don't you think if something had changed for expats authorities would go out of their way to inform said expats and not assume they all read AN-news.

[oldcpu]

5 minutes ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

Much like the hundreds of thousands of other expats who never read AN-news I expect. Imagine a Thailand without this web site and no one would even be discussing TINs or changes in tax laws of which there are no changes. Don't you think if something had changed for expats authorities would go out of their way to inform said expats and not assume they all read AN-news.

 

I suspect many foreigners who don't read this web site, when they show up at their local RD to get a Thai TIN, will find out the policy of their local RD, which may (or may not) be no TIN provided and do not file a tax return. or it may be here is a TIN and please do file a tax return.

 

I also suspect some Thai local RD offices might initially get their assessment wrong, but I speculate as time goes by, the accuracy of assessment of the local Thai RD in evaluating the need to file a tax return (for the situation of different foreigners) will improve.

[khunPer]

1 hour ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

Much like the hundreds of thousands of other expats who never read AN-news I expect. Imagine a Thailand without this web site and no one would even be discussing TINs or changes in tax laws of which there are no changes. Don't you think if something had changed for expats authorities would go out of their way to inform said expats and not assume they all read AN-news.

Indeed foreigners discuss TIN and income tax in other forums than AN and in other languages than English, I know of both German and Danish. And by the way, tax officers also visits foreigners in person to check that they pay their income tax, either at home or here in Thailand. I've had a visit, and so have the more than 20 other country fellows where I live; the tax officer showed me the list with expat-names to visit. I luckily had my stuff in perfect order, they said, but they were shocked over how much tax I pay at home. So, now you are warned, if you stay in the Kingdom for more than 180 days within a tax-year, because then you might have an unannounced tax-visit...

[jayboy]

On 1/17/2025 at 8:25 AM, thesetat said:

If you ever worked legally in Thailand and had a tax number issued. That number is valid forever in every part of Thailand

 

 

I'm not sure that is correct.My understanding is that the Ministry of Interior had a reorganization of the system a few years ago and numbers issued previously became invalid, replaced by a 13 digit version.Somebody more knowledgeable than me will be able to advise.

[topt]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

And I take you don't read the AN-news, which states that foreigners need to file a tax return...😉

And if you read the comments following it seems pretty clear that he never used the word "foreigners" - so no it didn't state that.

 

And yes a tax resident can be a foreigner before you go down that rabbit hole.

[topt]

17 minutes ago, khunPer said:

I've had a visit, and so have the more than 20 other country fellows where I live; t

So all from 1 or 2 nationalities only and presumably this was last year so not even due to the change that happened?

Any specific reason why they they may have visited you and the others as I have never heard of similar happening in Pattaya for example.

 

[GinBoy2]

On 1/16/2025 at 2:30 PM, SiSePuede419 said:

PROTIP: Even though they ask for the original document for your wife's passport, don't send it to them.

The Austin office lost my wife's passport and refused to admit it.

Instead send them a certified copy of your wife's passport.  You might have to go to the nearest big city they don't do this everywhere.  We had to drive 4 hours to Chiang Mai to certify.

They are discussing obtaining a Thailand TIN, not a US TIN

[bamnutsak]

48 minutes ago, khunPer said:

the tax officer showed me the list with expat-names to visit.

 

I'm a little surprised that a Thai government official would share a list of "expat-names" with you.

 

That seems like gross misconduct.

 

What prompted that?

 

 

[Hamus Yaigh]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

tax officers also visits foreigners in person to check that they pay their income tax, either at home or here in Thailand. I've had a visit, and so have the more than 20 other country fellows where I live; the tax officer showed me the list with expat-names to visit. I luckily had my stuff in perfect order, they said, but they were shocked over how much tax I pay at home. So, now you are warned, if you stay in the Kingdom for more than 180 days within a tax-year, because then you might have an unannounced tax-visit...

Well I've lived in Thailand over 40 years and never heard of this. Maybe foreigners who are in places of work, but not heard of the RD coming to peoples homes as you suggest.

[thesetat]

1 hour ago, jayboy said:

 

 

I'm not sure that is correct.My understanding is that the Ministry of Interior had a reorganization of the system a few years ago and numbers issued previously became invalid, replaced by a 13 digit version.Somebody more knowledgeable than me will be able to advise.

well... i went last week and they said i can use my old tax number they found in their system from 12 years ago in another province when i was working legally in thailand and paying tax. So i am pretty sure the information i gave is correct..

[thesetat]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

Indeed foreigners discuss TIN and income tax in other forums than AN and in other languages than English, I know of both German and Danish. And by the way, tax officers also visits foreigners in person to check that they pay their income tax, either at home or here in Thailand. I've had a visit, and so have the more than 20 other country fellows where I live; the tax officer showed me the list with expat-names to visit. I luckily had my stuff in perfect order, they said, but they were shocked over how much tax I pay at home. So, now you are warned, if you stay in the Kingdom for more than 180 days within a tax-year, because then you might have an unannounced tax-visit...

Im sorry... but why would they come to your home to check this? 2 reasons i am asking. 1- they have that information if you are paying already in their computer system. 2. You did not need to pay tax on anything other than income earned in Thailand previously. It only became active in 2025 that you would need to file by Mar. 31 if you have lived here longer than 180 days. 

So perhaps you are leaving out pertinent information to make such a comment and because of this you may be making some old-timers fearful for knocks on their doors about paying their taxes.

[thesetat]

On 1/17/2025 at 2:52 PM, saintdomingo said:

I saw a comment not long ago that if you have a bank passbook savings account that deducts tax from interest paid, you will then have a TIN number.

True or false, anybody know.?

a bank can not make a TIN number application. You must do it. At least as far as I know. 

[Bday Prang]

22 hours ago, IsaanT said:

FWIW, I'm filing because then it's all above board and proper.  I have no wish to cause any problems in my host country.

I've calculated I might owe £71 in tax - it's a small price to pay.

   for gods sake this is Thailand , not England ! "above board and proper" and other such phrases have no relevance here. 

[Bday Prang]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

Indeed foreigners discuss TIN and income tax in other forums than AN and in other languages than English, I know of both German and Danish. And by the way, tax officers also visits foreigners in person to check that they pay their income tax, either at home or here in Thailand. I've had a visit, and so have the more than 20 other country fellows where I live; the tax officer showed me the list with expat-names to visit. I luckily had my stuff in perfect order, they said, but they were shocked over how much tax I pay at home. So, now you are warned, if you stay in the Kingdom for more than 180 days within a tax-year, because then you might have an unannounced tax-visit...

Presumably you are, or were,  running some sort of business ?  I have never heard of any retiree being visited by the tax people, ever, in 30 years.   Stop scaremongering

[NoDisplayName]

2 hours ago, khunPer said:

And by the way, tax officers also visits foreigners in person to check that they pay their income tax, either at home or here in Thailand. I've had a visit, and so have the more than 20 other country fellows where I live; the tax officer showed me the list with expat-names to visit.

 

I'm not saying I don't believe you, but I don't believe you.

 

Unless there's quite a bit more to the story, I'm calling shenanigans.

[jayboy]

43 minutes ago, thesetat said:

well... i went last week and they said i can use my old tax number they found in their system from 12 years ago in another province when i was working legally in thailand and paying tax. So i am pretty sure the information i gave is correct..

 

As a matter of interest was your old tax number 10 or 13 digits? I'm not sure when the switch to 13 digits TINS for foreigners took place but I'm fairly sure it was less than 12 years ago.

[thesetat]

2 minutes ago, jayboy said:

 

As a matter of interest was your old tax number 10 or 13 digits? I'm not sure when the switch to 13 digits TINS for foreigners took place but I'm fairly sure it was less than 12 years ago.

13

[NoDisplayName]

1 hour ago, jayboy said:

 

As a matter of interest was your old tax number 10 or 13 digits? I'm not sure when the switch to 13 digits TINS for foreigners took place but I'm fairly sure it was less than 12 years ago.

 

I got my TIN in 2016.  13 digits.  Got pinkie in 2023.  TRD cancelled my TIN when they activated pinkie for online filing.

[Yumthai]

3 hours ago, khunPer said:

So, now you are warned, if you stay in the Kingdom for more than 180 days within a tax-year, because then you might have an unannounced tax-visit...

Thank you for your kind warning, it will be taken with the highest consideration.

[topt]

2 hours ago, Yumthai said:

Thank you for your kind warning, it will be taken with the highest consideration.

Where is the sarcasm emoji...........

[SiSePuede419]

14 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

They are discussing obtaining a Thailand TIN, not a US TIN

Ahhh, a TiT TIN. 😋

[OJAS]

On 1/17/2025 at 10:30 AM, OJAS said:

 

Based on my experience of obtaining a TIN a few months ago, you need to apply at your local Area Revenue Office. The following link lists those in and around Chiang Mai:

 

https://www.rd.go.th/13839.html

 

Best to take a Thai speaker with you as TRD staff members' comprehension of the English language tends to be non-existent, even in those areas with large expat populations. Take your passport with you since the IMM stamps contained in it will form the basis on which they determine whether you're a tax resident of Thailand (based on staying in the country for more than 180 days per annum).

 

Your Thai speaker may well have to complete the following form in the Thai language on your behalf:

 

https://www.rd.go.th/fileadmin/tax_pdf/request/lp10.1_110355.pdf

 

 

To Mr/Ms Confused: I can only surmise that you find the concept of straight answers to direct questions a tad too difficult to grasp!😲

 

[khunPer]

22 hours ago, topt said:

So all from 1 or 2 nationalities only and presumably this was last year so not even due to the change that happened?

Any specific reason why they they may have visited you and the others as I have never heard of similar happening in Pattaya for example.

It happened also other places in Thailand. They check by country due to different DTAs.

[khunPer]

22 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

 

I'm a little surprised that a Thai government official would share a list of "expat-names" with you.

 

That seems like gross misconduct.

 

What prompted that?

Yes, I was also surprised. The reason was to show it to me was that they had a lot of people to visit, not only me. Another country fellowman posted that he had also been shown the list and even counted the number of names; the were more resident folks from our mutual home country living in the area than we expected.

[khunPer]

21 hours ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

Well I've lived in Thailand over 40 years and never heard of this. Maybe foreigners who are in places of work, but not heard of the RD coming to peoples homes as you suggest.

Things has changed in the last few years, so the 37 or 38 of your previous years don't count here. Unfortunately Thailand needs more tax income – just read the news – foreigners might be a source for income tax. They started with a couple of countries – Denmark and Finland – which are easy to exchange tax-information with, as stated in DTAs, and clear agreements of taxable income.

[khunPer]

22 hours ago, topt said:

And if you read the comments following it seems pretty clear that he never used the word "foreigners" - so no it didn't state that.

 

And yes a tax resident can be a foreigner before you go down that rabbit hole.

The headline clearly says "overseas income"...

[khunPer]

21 hours ago, thesetat said:

Im sorry... but why would they come to your home to check this? 2 reasons i am asking. 1- they have that information if you are paying already in their computer system. 2. You did not need to pay tax on anything other than income earned in Thailand previously. It only became active in 2025 that you would need to file by Mar. 31 if you have lived here longer than 180 days. 

So perhaps you are leaving out pertinent information to make such a comment and because of this you may be making some old-timers fearful for knocks on their doors about paying their taxes.

1) They were going to check all residents staying for more than 180 days, if they are paying their income tax, either to their home country or in Thailand. Easy information to get from Immigration and TM30-system.

 

2) Yes, overseas income was at that time taxable to Thailand – depending of what is agreed in the individual DTAs – if transferred within the same calendar year (tax year) as earned. The new thing is that from 1st January 2024 – not 2025, as you mention – any foreign income is income taxable in Thailand, no matter when it's earned.

 

And yes, if you are transferring foreign funds – not proven savings from no later than 31st December 2023 – including withdrawals in ATMs with a foreign plastic card, they are taxable in Thailand, if not already taxed according to the individual DTAs. In news it is stated that they are almost all slightly different from country to country.

 

With my home country, Denmark, for example, the DTA clearly says that "pensions are taxable in both states". A DTA means that you won't be double taxed, but the highest income tax will be valid. My home country's income tax is higher than Thailands – it begins at 38 percent, Thailand only goes up to 35 percent – so pension from my home country will not be further taxed in Thailand. However, Thailand can still claim income tax, but shall later refund it. Another and more easy legal Thai-possibility is, not to double-tax pensions. The Thai tax officers accepted the official statement I have from my home country's tax department that my pensions are taxable there.

 

It might be wise to get a tax liability-statement from one's home country, for future income taxation questions. You can see an example of such statement here, the one from my home country...

 

[khunPer]

21 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

Presumably you are, or were,  running some sort of business ?  I have never heard of any retiree being visited by the tax people, ever, in 30 years.   Stop scaremongering

Nope, I am retired.

And I'm not "scaremongering", just extremely realistic; you can check my other replies above, I won't repost them here.

[khunPer]

21 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

I'm not saying I don't believe you, but I don't believe you.

 

Unless there's quite a bit more to the story, I'm calling shenanigans.

Nope, it's true facts and no other additions than the Thai tax officers begin to check if foreigners pay income tax, either at home or her.