Revenue Department to amend tax on foreign income remittance

[samtam]

18 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Every bank branch exists in its own universe, with its own set of rules.

 

Take whatever documentation you have.  Passport and pinkie or TIN card.  Yellow book if you got it.  Passport number does not appear on the refund letter.

 

Couple years ago, I took my first refund letter to KT but they would not issue cash.  Required to open an account for deposit.

 

Thems was the rules at my branch in my town on that day with that day's clerk.  YKMV!

 

Thanks. Gottcha.

[oldcpu]

7 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

If / when they stop foreigners from exiting Thailand if they haven't got a tax clearance, I'll be fine.  They used to do this many years ago.  What's stopping them from bringing it back?

 

What's to stop them from bringing it back?  The same thing that stopped them in the past. That will stop them.

 

It was to much of a PIA for immigration and for the RD to follow up.

 

Rather all they have to do instead is point out to all uninformed expats to the posts of some on this forum ... lol !  That should be sufficient to scare expats (whose income does not qualify for filing a tax return, much less having enough income to qualify for paying tax)  into posting unnecessary tax returns, creating unnecessary work for all. Unnecessary work for the expats.   Unnecessary work for the Thai RD. .. .But the tax specialists / agents who make money off those who file unnecessary tax returns should benefit.   lol !

 

Don't get me wrong.  Expats need to be familiar with DTAs of the countries from which their income originates (to assess if a Thai tax return needed) and expats need to be familiar with some relevant Thai ministerial directives (to assess if a Thai tax return is needed) and even familiar with some Thai Royal Decrees that are associated with Thai tax law.  And then make a correct assessment whether an income tax return filing is needed .

 

I further note, if one can believe the current speculative reporting in Bangkok Post and some other news sources, things are moving very far away from any tax clearance certificate wild speculation.  Rather the speculative reporting suggests Thailand is wanting to encourage funds to be brought into Thailand, tax free.

[KhunHeineken]

18 hours ago, oldcpu said:

What's to stop them from bringing it back?  The same thing that stopped them in the past. That will stop them.

Like many other countries, Thailand has rising debt.  The government will be chasing every baht they can. 

 

https://www.focus-economics.com/country-indicator/thailand/public-debt/#:~:text=In the year 2024%2C the,information%2C visit our dedicated page.

 

18 hours ago, oldcpu said:

It was to much of a PIA for immigration and for the RD to follow up.

Computers do most of the heavy lifting these days. 

 

18 hours ago, oldcpu said:

Rather all they have to do instead is point out to all uninformed expats to the posts of some on this forum ... lol !  That should be sufficient to scare expats (whose income does not qualify for filing a tax return, much less having enough income to qualify for paying tax)  into posting unnecessary tax returns, creating unnecessary work for all. Unnecessary work for the expats.   Unnecessary work for the Thai RD. .. .But the tax specialists / agents who make money off those who file unnecessary tax returns should benefit.   lol !

I think you will find most expats, even those living here on a government pension from their home country, go over the tax free threshold. 

 

18 hours ago, oldcpu said:

Don't get me wrong.  Expats need to be familiar with DTAs of the countries from which their income originates (to assess if a Thai tax return needed) and expats need to be familiar with some relevant Thai ministerial directives (to assess if a Thai tax return is needed) and even familiar with some Thai Royal Decrees that are associated with Thai tax law.  And then make a correct assessment whether an income tax return filing is needed .

You just said it was all just scaremongering, now you are saying expats need to be aware of the law. 

 

Is it "real" or "scaremongering?"  Which one is it? 

 

18 hours ago, oldcpu said:

I further note, if one can believe the current speculative reporting in Bangkok Post and some other news sources, things are moving very far away from any tax clearance certificate wild speculation.  Rather the speculative reporting suggests Thailand is wanting to encourage funds to be brought into Thailand, tax free.

I read similar articles.  They are focused on Thai high net worth individuals.  They want them to repatriate their profits back to Thailand. 

 

My view is "TiT" and things can change here very quickly.  I remember many members posting that cannabis would never be legalized in Thailand and look what happened. 

 

Is it so left field to even consider a document from the Thai Revenue Department MAY be needed by immigration in the future, in a similar fashion that 800k and a bank document is required?  

[KhunHeineken]

20 hours ago, Yumthai said:

Me. I have no assessable income in Thailand and do not file accordingly.

I think you will find your income is assessable, and over the tax free threshold, under the law. 

 

Now, if YOU interpret the law differently, then as the bar girls say, "up to you."  

[KhunHeineken]

22 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Please post a photo of the majikal paper with personal details omitted.

Not gonna happen. 

 

If I ever have any problems from any Thai government officials in relation to these documents and / or the amounts, the agent can deal with them.  

[KhunHeineken]

On 6/5/2025 at 9:04 AM, CallumWK said:

No they are not.

Yes, they are. 

 

On 6/5/2025 at 9:04 AM, CallumWK said:

I have a friend who has a good friend working at immigration

I have an agent that has a "good friend" working at immigration. 

 

On 6/5/2025 at 9:04 AM, CallumWK said:

Another friend had an issue with an extension, and had his previous extension done by an agent.

They went to see the IO, he simply glanced at the stamp in my friend's passport, and immediately knew which agent had done the extension

Was he deported?  Serious question. 

[CallumWK]

1 minute ago, KhunHeineken said:

I have an agent that has a "good friend" working at immigration. 

 

Good try at deflection, but no cigar for you.

 

The point was that you claimed your stamp was exactly the same as everyones stamp, which is a lie, because from the stamp they can see which agent did the extension. So obviously there is a mark in the stamp

[Negita43]

On 5/19/2025 at 2:48 AM, motdaeng said:

why did you stop remitting money ...

it seems to my you belong to the only people that worried were the foolish and the obsessive (your own words) ... 

Seems like a sensible precaution to me whilst there is uncertainty around the issue.

[oldcpu]

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

Like many other countries, Thailand has rising debt.  The government will be chasing every baht they can. 

 

Yes - but if you read the press - you do read it? you will read the most recent Thai government approach is not asking for tax certificates. Not in the slightest. ZERO . NADDA. NOTHING.

 

Rather they have instead been talking of allowing tax residents to bring money in tax free. That is a very very VERY far cry from a tax certificate.

 

 

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

 

 

Computers do most of the heavy lifting these days. 

 

 

Sure - and I have swamp land in Florida and a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you. 

 

 

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

 

You just said it was all just scaremongering, now you are saying expats need to be aware of the law. 

 

Is it "real" or "scaremongering?"  Which one is it? 

 

"scaremongering" ? Those are NOT my words in my post you  quoted.  You did read my post? Right?  But now that you mention it, yes, you are scare mongering in regards to a tax certificate being required.

 

 

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

I read similar articles.  They are focused on Thai high net worth individuals.  They want them to repatriate their profits back to Thailand. 

 

My view is "TiT" and things can change here very quickly. 

 

At least on that we agree.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

Is it so left field to even consider a document from the Thai Revenue Department MAY be needed by immigration in the future, in a similar fashion that 800k and a bank document is required?  

 

Yes.

 

[NoDisplayName]

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

On 6/5/2025 at 6:04 PM, NoDisplayName said:

 

Please post a photo of the majikal paper with personal details omitted.

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

Not gonna happen. 

 

If I ever have any problems from any Thai government officials in relation to these documents and / or the amounts, the agent can deal with them.  

 

 

I take that to mean, no, you did not get the majikal "tax clearance certificate" of which you boast.

 

Shirley, you'd be just itchin' to post a photo to show how fun and easy it was to obtain.

 

I'ma callin' shenanigans!

 

 

[KhunHeineken]

1 hour ago, CallumWK said:

The point was that you claimed your stamp was exactly the same as everyones stamp, which is a lie, because from the stamp they can see which agent did the extension. So obviously there is a mark in the stamp

I compared my stamp with a friend's, who does his own extensions, a few years ago.  From memory, I didn't notice a difference. 

[KhunHeineken]

35 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

Yes - but if you read the press - you do read it? you will read the most recent Thai government approach is not asking for tax certificates. Not in the slightest. ZERO . NADDA. NOTHING.

Yes, but as I said, "TiT"  Things can change quickly here.  

 

37 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

Rather they have instead been talking of allowing tax residents to bring money in tax free.

I have read articles about this.  It is focused on Thai high net worth individuals.  They want them to repatriate their profits back into the Thai economy.  

 

38 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

Sure - and I have swamp land in Florida and a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you. 

Do you also sell immigration smart gates?   

 

Who would have thought such technology would be used by immigration? 

 

41 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

But now that you mention it, yes, you are scare mongering in regards to a tax certificate being required.

So, the possibility should not be given any consideration at all.  Is that right? 

 

42 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

At least on that we agree.

Which contradicts your argument. 

 

43 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

Yes.

Why? 

 

Examples:  One day you go to gaol for possessing cannabis, the next day you can buy it in a shop.  One day you have to fill in a TM6, the next day you do not.  Similarly, one day no Thailand Digital Arrival Card, the next day it is required. 

 

Today, a tax certificate is not required, who knows about tomorrow?  TiT.  

[KhunHeineken]

35 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

I take that to mean, no, you did not get the majikal "tax clearance certificate" of which you boast.

I have it.  I paid an agent and some tax in order to get it.  The reason was to cover my a**. 

 

As many suggested, I may never need it, and paid money and tax for nothing, but I am prepared for any "issues" that may arise here in the future regarding non compliance. 

 

Basically, where money is involved, I don't thrust the Thai Government, or any Thai officials.

 

Like many here, I actually knew I had to pay tax, and chose to do so.  Once again, to cover any nasty surprises the Thai government might have at a future date. 

 

35 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

Shirley, you'd be just itchin' to post a photo to show how fun and easy it was to obtain.

 

I'ma callin' shenanigans!

I've never posted a photo or a screenshot on any forum.  Reason is, they contain identifiable meta data.  

 

Call it whatever you want.  I paid for it and have it.  I'll probably never need it, but who know here.  TiT. 

 

[NoDisplayName]

1 minute ago, KhunHeineken said:

I have it.  I paid an agent and some tax in order to get it.

 

Sure ya did, buddy, sure ya did.

 

And I've got a hub of hubs to sell ya's!

 

Hubba-hubba!

[KhunHeineken]

Just now, NoDisplayName said:

 

Sure ya did, buddy, sure ya did.

 

And I've got a hub of hubs to sell ya's!

 

Hubba-hubba!

Think what you want.  I couldn't care less. 

 

Bubba-bubba. 

[rattlesnake]

In other words, it is never going to happen, as a few of us expected all along.

[motdaeng]

1 minute ago, rattlesnake said:

In other words, it is never going to happen, as a few of us expected all along.

 

sorry to ask, but what exactly never happen? 😔 

[Yumthai]

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

I think you will find your income is assessable, and over the tax free threshold, under the law. 

 

Now, if YOU interpret the law differently, then as the bar girls say, "up to you."  

You think wrong. I've made no remittance into Thailand over the past year and have no local income.

 

The way I or you interpret the law is irrelevant, only the way the tax auditor does translate the rules matters. Obviously, she/he will never knock at my/your door.

[oldcpu]

54 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

 

Which contradicts your argument.  

No it does not.

 

You claim there will be a tax certificate required for those who want a visa permission to stay renewal sometime in the future.  Sometimes you say "may" be required. Sometimes you omit the word "may" so to annoy or to frighten or to show your own paranoia.

 

I state follow Thai tax law. Simple. 

 

If no Thai tax return is required do not submit one. If one is required then submit one.

 

I also state it highly unlikely a tax certificate will be required, and those who keep claiming such will be needed, ommitting the word "may: on multiple occasions are simply pushing their own paranoia on others. Thai history has proven the tax certificate used in the past was a PIA and Thailand realized such, and no longer require such.

 

There is no contradiction there.

[rattlesnake]

29 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

 

sorry to ask, but what exactly never happen? 😔 

 

In my opinion, farangs will never be asked to pay taxes in Thailand.

 

After months of back-and-forth, speculation and contradictory information, given the insurmountable problems it would cause and the degraded image of the country as an expat haven (with the subsequent capital flee), it will end up being either:

 

1 - Completely swept under the carpet

 

2 - Turned into a flat tax (e.g. 1,000 baht) to be paid during any visa extension, i.e. tick the "I hereby declare being from a country which has a dual-taxing agreement with Thailand" = 1,000 baht per farang in the Thai State's coffers, everyone is happy and face is saved.

[Negita43]

19 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

you say "may" be required. Sometimes you omit the word "may" so to annoy or to frighten or to show your own paranoia.

Old stock market adage "sell in May and go away"

[KhunHeineken]

1 hour ago, oldcpu said:

No it does not.

Yes, it does. 

 

In a previous post you said this: "That should be sufficient to scare expats."

 

You then said this in the same post:  "Don't get me wrong.  Expats need to be familiar with DTAs of the countries from which their income originates (to assess if a Thai tax return needed) and expats need to be familiar with some relevant Thai ministerial directives (to assess if a Thai tax return is needed) and even familiar with some Thai Royal Decrees that are associated with Thai tax law. 

 

So, if they should make themselves familiar with all these things, why not at least consider the possibility that a certificate of clearance MAY be needed in the future? 

 

2 hours ago, oldcpu said:

You claim there will be a tax certificate required for those who want a visa permission to stay renewal sometime in the future.  Sometimes you say "may" be required. Sometimes you omit the word "may" so to annoy or to frighten or to show your own paranoia.

Of course it's MAY be required in the future.  I have never said WILL be required in the future. 

 

2 hours ago, oldcpu said:

I state follow Thai tax law. Simple. 

Which can change at anytime, so why not at least consider any possible changes?

 

2 hours ago, oldcpu said:

If no Thai tax return is required do not submit one. If one is required then submit one.

I think many expats remit an amount of money that is assessable, and over the threshold, but have not filed.  For how long do you think the Thai government will give them a free pass?  

 

2 hours ago, oldcpu said:

I also state it highly unlikely a tax certificate will be required, and those who keep claiming such will be needed, ommitting the word "may: on multiple occasions are simply pushing their own paranoia on others.

As mentioned, I never used the words WILL be required in the future.  

 

2 hours ago, oldcpu said:

Thai history has proven the tax certificate used in the past was a PIA and Thailand realized such, and no longer require such.

I don't share your confidence as there's more money to be made with it now.

 

2 hours ago, oldcpu said:

There is no contradiction there.

You base your argument on "Thai history" and it being a "PIA."

 

I just see it as another document that MAY be required at extension time in the future, similar the the bank documents. 

 

As usual, the "PIA" is all the farang's, meanwhile, the Thai Revenue Department widens it's  tax base and generates more revenue. 

 

Time will tell. 

[KhunHeineken]

1 hour ago, Negita43 said:

Old stock market adage "sell in May and go away"

Old saying about Thailand, "TiT." 

 

Anything can happen here, and farang are easy targets. 

[KhunHeineken]

2 hours ago, rattlesnake said:

Turned into a flat tax (e.g. 1,000 baht) to be paid during any visa extension, i.e. tick the "I hereby declare being from a country which has a dual-taxing agreement with Thailand" = 1,000 baht per farang in the Thai State's coffers, everyone is happy and face is saved.

I put this forward months ago, and used the Certificate of Residence as an example.  It should be free, but most pay 300 baht for it. 

 

Is it really scaremongering to at least consider they MAY require expats to product a flat rate Certificate of Clearance at extension time, and it will cost 500, 800, or some other amount of baht?  It will just be another earner, just like the Certificate of Residence. 

 

For those who do not have to pay tax, they will have to pay the "fee" and for those who do have to pay tax it will be laughable because they probably should be paying a lot more in tax than the cost of the flat rate Certificate of Clearance. 

 

Of course, the TRD can pull out the rule book for any high net worth individuals that they want to properly tax at any time.   

 

They have been doing it with the Certificate of Residence for decades.  What's stopping them doing it with the Certificate of Clearance? 

[oldcpu]

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

Yes, it does. 

 

In a previous post you said this: "That should be sufficient to scare expats."

 

lol !!  clearly you 100% missed my sarcasm.  lol !!  It was a 'dig' at the paranoia of some on this forum. lol !!  I think you know who.  Read my post again , and think about such.

 

 

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

You then said this in the same post:  "Don't get me wrong.  Expats need to be familiar with DTAs of the countries from which their income originates (to assess if a Thai tax return needed) and expats need to be familiar with some relevant Thai ministerial directives (to assess if a Thai tax return is needed) and even familiar with some Thai Royal Decrees that are associated with Thai tax law. 

 

So, if they should make themselves familiar with all these things, why not at least consider the possibility that a certificate of clearance MAY be needed in the future? 

 

Because there is no need to consider such.

 

Simply DO NOT file a tax return if it is not legally required - and file a tax return if it is required. No certificate of clearance is needed for annual permission to stay renewals. None has been mentioned by the Thai government. None. Nadda.  Nothing.  Guess why.  The why is because there is no plan to require such.

 

 

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

 

Of course it's MAY be required in the future.  I have never said WILL be required in the future. 

 

Rather you simply deliberately did NOT include the 'may' in many of your previous mentions.

 

 

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

 

Which can change at anytime, so why not at least consider any possible changes?

 

One should spend their time pondering on changes that are more likely to occur.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

 

I think many expats remit an amount of money that is assessable, and over the threshold, but have not filed.  For how long do you think the Thai government will give them a free pass?  

 

What is "many" ?? 

 

My view is many have income from countries with DTA with Thailand, ministerial directives (por-161/162) that cover their remitted money, and  Royal decrees which need to be considered given their income, which for many means remitted income is exempt from the Thai tax calculation, it is NOT to be considered assessable income and hence the threshold in which a Thai tax return is to be submitted is NOT reached. Ergo in such many cases, a tax return only needless creates work for the Thai RD, creates needless work for the expat, and gets a big grin and a very BIG, a massive BIG thankyou, thankyou, thankyou,  from the agents/tax-advisors who take the expats money for filing a totally unnecessary Thai tax return to provide a totally unnecessary Thai tax clearance certificate.

 

There is no government talk of a tax clearance certificate needed. None.  Likely the Thai government does not want the PIA associated with such (with proof being they no longer use such in the present, after having it in place for a while).

 

 

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

I just see it as another document that MAY be required at extension time in the future, similar the the bank documents. 

 

Well we will disagree there. I see needless paranoia in your view . 

 

 

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

 

Time will tell. 

 

Agree.