Report Thailand to Mandate Tax Declarations for All Citizens by 2027

[hotandsticky]

Just now, Ralf001 said:

 

Wish they did not tax me... Got my yearly bonus yesterday..........30% went to the government 😞

 

 

Only 30% ?

 

Jeez I am being robbed.

[Bredbury Blue]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

Been living here for almost 30 years, never had to get a tax form to leave Thailand. So if that's true, it really was a long time ago.

You're a newbie😄

 

Here you go:

 

In the 1990s, foreigners leaving Thailand, including from Don Mueang Airport, needed a Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) if they had any tax liabilities or pending tax payments. This document confirmed tax compliance to immigration authorities upon departure. It was obtained by filing an application, such as the TCC Application Form P.1, along with tax payment records and a letter of guarantee from a company. 

Why the Tax Clearance Certificate was required: 

Tax Compliance:

The TCC served as official proof from the Thai Revenue Department that a foreigner had settled their tax obligations in the country.

Immigration Requirement:

Foreigners had to present this certificate to the Immigration Office at the point of departure to be allowed to leave Thailand.

How to Obtain the Certificate (in the 1990s): 

1. File an Application:

Submit an application to the Revenue Department for the Tax Clearance Certificate. This would have been a specific form for that purpose, such as Form P.1, according to กรมสรรพากร.

2. Provide Required Documents:

Along with the application, you would need to submit:

Tax Payment Records: Documentation of tax payments for the three years preceding your departure.

Letter of Guarantee: If the foreigner was a company or had tax liabilities, a letter of guarantee from the relevant juristic partnership or company was required.

Key takeaway: If a foreigner had any tax obligations in Thailand during the 1990s, they were required to secure a TCC from the Revenue Department and show it to immigration at their departure airport, such as Don Mueang International Airport, to be allowed to exit the country. 

[stevenl]

29 minutes ago, Bredbury Blue said:

You're a newbie😄

 

Here you go:

 

In the 1990s, foreigners leaving Thailand, including from Don Mueang Airport, needed a Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) if they had any tax liabilities or pending tax payments. This document confirmed tax compliance to immigration authorities upon departure. It was obtained by filing an application, such as the TCC Application Form P.1, along with tax payment records and a letter of guarantee from a company. 

Why the Tax Clearance Certificate was required: 

Tax Compliance:

The TCC served as official proof from the Thai Revenue Department that a foreigner had settled their tax obligations in the country.

Immigration Requirement:

Foreigners had to present this certificate to the Immigration Office at the point of departure to be allowed to leave Thailand.

How to Obtain the Certificate (in the 1990s): 

1. File an Application:

Submit an application to the Revenue Department for the Tax Clearance Certificate. This would have been a specific form for that purpose, such as Form P.1, according to กรมสรรพากร.

2. Provide Required Documents:

Along with the application, you would need to submit:

Tax Payment Records: Documentation of tax payments for the three years preceding your departure.

Letter of Guarantee: If the foreigner was a company or had tax liabilities, a letter of guarantee from the relevant juristic partnership or company was required.

Key takeaway: If a foreigner had any tax obligations in Thailand during the 1990s, they were required to secure a TCC from the Revenue Department and show it to immigration at their departure airport, such as Don Mueang International Airport, to be allowed to exit the country. 

You said "it's not that long ago". I questioned that, rightfully from your own post.

[Bredbury Blue]

3 hours ago, stevenl said:

You said "it's not that long ago". I questioned that, rightfully from your own post.

I guess "it's not that long ago" is relative to the individual, and it seems like yesterday that we were all doing Tax Clearance Certificates at Don Mueang, buying a departure tax voucher at Don Mueang, etc.😁

[thaipo7]

What about Thai citizens with Green Cards living in the US, but visits Thailand every year for a few months a year?

[uksmdh]

On 8/19/2025 at 4:21 PM, snoop1130 said:

 

File photo for reference only

 

In a move set to overhaul Thailand's welfare and tax system, the Ministry of Finance has announced that from 2027, every Thai citizen must file a personal income tax return. This initiative, part of a broader reform effort, aims to enhance fairness and efficiency under the new 'Negative Income Tax' scheme.

 

Lawaron Sangsanit, Permanent Secretary for Finance, emphasised that the policy does not imply all citizens will pay taxes. Instead, it ensures everyone declares their income. Those with an annual income below the taxable threshold of ฿150,000 will remain exempt from taxes but still qualify for government assistance.

 

"The system guarantees welfare benefits reach those genuinely in need while promoting fairness and transparency in tax collection," Mr Lawaron explained.

 

At the core of this scheme is a newly developed 'data lake', consolidating information from various agencies into a single system. The Ministry aims to improve accuracy in income verification, reduce duplication across more than 20 welfare programmes, and eliminate gaps that previously allowed some higher-income earners to unjustly receive benefits.

 

According to the National Economic and Social Development Council, only 10.7 million of the 19 million registered workers in 2022 filed tax returns, with a mere 4.2 million earning enough to owe income tax. Concurrently, over 13 million Thais possess state welfare cards, many earning above the eligibility threshold.

 

Mr Lawaron noted, "This reform will broaden the taxpayer base by including moderate- and high-income earners who have not previously filed taxes. It also ensures that low-income earners previously excluded from welfare support are now accounted for."

 

The reform impacts different income groups uniquely:

 

• Current taxpayers will experience minimal changes, facing stricter income verification.
• Moderate-income earners who have not filed before may start paying taxes if their income exceeds the threshold.
• Low-income earners stand to gain the most with direct, targeted government support based on verified income data.

 

The Ministry reassured that the reform would not entail increased tax rates but would enhance revenue collection. Integration of data from the Revenue Department, Excise Department, and Customs Department aims to close loopholes that enable tax evasion.

 

Officials anticipate this reform will modernise Thailand’s tax and welfare systems, making them more transparent, equitable, and efficient.

 

"This signifies a transformation of Thailand’s tax system," Mr Lawaron stated. "It's about fairness—ensuring those who can afford to contribute do so, while those in need receive adequate support."

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Phuket News 2025-08-19

 

 

[Cabradelmar]

Mandating a declaration of tax filing does not ensure income is declared 😂 and asking people who don't owe taxes to file a return is just plain dumb. This will however help the government collect taxes from those in the formal economy (those collecting a paychecks from an employer), but considering how many people work for cash in the informal economy, this largely means nothing -- unless said person needs to apply for a government benefit and have to produce said declaration of tax filing, but if they don't, they just keep doing what they've always done and not file a tax return. The question is now much longer will it be before expats are required to produce a declaration of tax filing to get their visa extension 🤔 which would mean every expat would need to file even if they don't have taxable income. DAF.

[Thingamabob]

On 8/19/2025 at 4:54 PM, motdaeng said:

if this really gets implemented by 2027, then the many retired foreigners living in thailand who knowingly don’t follow the new tax laws (2024) can no longer use the excuse "but most thais also don’t pay taxes ..." and also the saying "the tax authorities will have to come personally to my door before i pay a single baht in taxes ..." maybe won't work anymore ....  

 

 

There have been many similar announcements over the years. BTW, don't you dare to try to tell me how I should handle my personal business. Arrogance and presumption beyond belief.

[motdaeng]

14 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

There have been many similar announcements over the years. BTW, don't you dare to try to tell me how I should handle my personal business. Arrogance and presumption beyond belief.

 

i assume that if an immigrant in your home country refused to follow the laws and rules, you would be one of the first to condemn it.

unbelievable, the arrogance if some people who think they are better than others ... does this  applies to you as well? 

[Captain Flack]

A post changing a quote from English has been removed @DULEROY

[Jaggg88]

Many of the world's citizens are earning money online, and governments are seeking ways to track, trace, and tax these earnings. Thailand's existing regulation for untaxed earnings abroad allowed people to bring these funds onshore tax-exempt if it was outside of the tax year in which they were earned. So, the government made an amendment to this law, which meant all untaxed earnings from abroad are subject to tax, no matter when they are brought onshore. This resulted in a marked drop in repatriated funds that affected the economy, so they have decided to drop this amendment, although that hasn't actually happened yet.

The latest proposal for all Thai citizens to file a tax return is just another policy aimed at encouraging people to declare their earnings and pay taxes. It has nothing to do with the fair distribution of welfare, and IMHO, neither policy is aimed at ex-pats, so don't get your panties in a bunch.

[redwood1]

1 hour ago, motdaeng said:

 

i assume that if an immigrant in your home country refused to follow the laws and rules, you would be one of the first to condemn it.

unbelievable, the arrogance if some people who think they are better than others ... does this  applies to you as well? 

 

Hey not following the rules is Thailands national sport.....And some of the biggest rule breakers around are the politicians themselves and the stinking rich.....

So the little people are just joining the lawless party with their rule breaking... 

[ronnie50]

On 8/20/2025 at 9:14 AM, statman78 said:

It will be interesting to see if this gets implemented and how it is enforced if it gets implemented.  I know several Thais that do a strictly cash business renting out properties but never file a tax return.  As in the US, I think many of these cash businesses will under report their income.

I guess all the Revenue Dept would need to do is ask the Immigration Department to share all TM30s of more than 2 month durations (to ignore the tourists), then they'd approach the landlords that haven't been paying tax?

[ronnie50]

On 8/20/2025 at 2:26 PM, Lingba said:

would love to see how they will monitor this

as far as we are concerned, it seems the banks are doing it for them, if recent developments are any indication (demands of banks to prove residency in-person). And of course if we transfer money here they know that too.

[Amethyst]

A reported foreign language post has been removed, per the forum's rule:

 

"16. English is the only permitted language anywhere on ASEAN NOW, except within the Thai language forum, where using Thai is allowed."

[DrMJA]

When I shared his article with the missus, she said, and I quote: “yea okay, when? In 2027 they will change their minds 27 times before 2027.” 555 

[motdaeng]

17 hours ago, redwood1 said:

Hey not following the rules is Thailands national sport.....And some of the biggest rule breakers around are the politicians themselves and the stinking rich.....

So the little people are just joining the lawless party with their rule breaking... 

i actually agree with your post for once ... 

 

but with the note that we foreigners in thailand are only guests with a limited residence permit. in my view, as a guest you should behave accordingly and not claim the same rights (especially unlawful ones) as thais.

 

this is also how i handle it in every country i travel to. i try to show respect and behave the same way i would also expect from a guest in my home country ... 

[MikeandDow]

Flip flop, flip flop !!! 

[crazykopite]

I’ve heard from rumour control out of 70+ million only 4 million are registered for tax can’t wait to see how they will make millions register for tax maybe they can achieve it by 2030 but 2027 not a chance 

[MarkBR]

On 8/19/2025 at 6:38 PM, Bredbury Blue said:

Every thai is on a blue book.

Every thai has an ID number.

Tax return form is online.

Therefore possible to implement.

Many old thais are not digitally literate

[BritManToo]

All these ministries appear to have the right to create and change laws without a vote in parliament. Has Thaksin disbanded parliament?

[lordgrinz]

1 minute ago, MarkBR said:

Many old thais are not digitally literate

For a cut of their welfare check, some locals will help (scam) them 😜

[BeastOfBodmin]

On 8/20/2025 at 4:33 AM, soi3eddie said:

 

Many are illitirate and uneducated. Good luck with that. Plus, often registered, not where they reside. Good luck with Thai revenue department getting them to file zero liability tax returns in the next two years.

 

 

FIFY: illiterate (the typo's kind of ironic)

 

I was surprised to find the illiteracy rate (100% - literacy rate) for 2022 to be so high, also the YoY variation.

 

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.LITR.ZS?locations=TH

 

[BeastOfBodmin]

13 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

All these ministries appear to have the right to create and change laws without a vote in parliament. Has Thaksin disbanded parliament?

What difference would it make if Thaksin had done this? 😜

[StevieAus]

On 8/19/2025 at 6:24 PM, ronnie50 said:

By my calculation - using a liberal daily wage on 400 THB, working six days a week - the average Thai worker would be doing well to hit 125,000 THB per year - maybe in a leap year. Univesity educated middle managers in local Thai companies earn only 30-35k per month - their subordinates if educated or skilled maybe 25-30k per month (that's 1,000 THB per day). Even the foreign embassies when hiring local staff don't pay much more than that unless it's a very senior local hire position (and they are expected to be near-fluent in English - scandalous really).

However scandalous it may be, it keeps the cost of living low compared with Western countries.

[BritManToo]

On 8/19/2025 at 6:24 PM, ronnie50 said:

By my calculation - using a liberal daily wage on 400 THB, working six days a week - the average Thai worker would be doing well to hit 125,000 THB per year - maybe in a leap year. Univesity educated middle managers in local Thai companies earn only 30-35k per month - their subordinates if educated or skilled maybe 25-30k per month (that's 1,000 THB per day). Even the foreign embassies when hiring local staff don't pay much more than that unless it's a very senior local hire position (and they are expected to be near-fluent in English - scandalous really).

Your calculations are wrong,

My university educated middle manager daughter is paid 25kbht/ month.

Her 8 university graduate underlings are paid 15-17kbht/month.

[BeastOfBodmin]

On 8/20/2025 at 7:43 AM, lordgrinz said:

They would do better to monitor peoples bank accounts then...

I don't think that is a good idea. This may be a medium-term plan to get Gubmint into everyone's bank account at will, to help implementation of the Thai CBDC. I prefer to keep Gubmint intervention into my private life on the other side of a legal wall. I don't trust them to make the best decisions for me on my behalf. I also tend to think they never act with the populaces' best interest at heart.

 

There is a similar scheme under way in the UK. Monitor bank accounts of welfare recipients (turning banks into spies), 2026 HMRC rules over crypto transactions (crypto exchanges, etc. to provide all transaction details of all UK tax residents to HMRC). The data to be given to Palantir's system they spent an 8 figure sum to implement. They are already looking for cash balances in excess of GBP 25k so as to remind the account holders they owe tax on their interest.

[BeastOfBodmin]

On 8/20/2025 at 9:17 AM, tomazbodner said:

That's the point of moving to cashless society, right? Mobile payments can be tracked.

Bitcoin fixes this.

[fondue zoo]

This will be Thaksin trying to modernise the homeland and begin locking down the tax base...  good luck with that Mr.

[BeastOfBodmin]

On 8/20/2025 at 2:26 PM, Lingba said:

would love to see how they will monitor this

Maybe draw up a bullsh1t Bingo card for this:

 

1. Inconsistently

2. Incompletely

3. Inaccurately

4. Disinterestedly

5. Corruptly

6. Reluctantly