Tax Registration

[Vin]

I'm a newbie and just going through a divorce so I have lost my Thai interpreter. I want to stay in Thailand and do not want to return to the UK.

I have been here for over 180 days. I have to register for Personal Income Tax, apparently.

All of my income is derived from overseas pensions.

First thinks first. Where are the Personal Income Tax offices?

I have noted that it is recommended that you take an interpreter with you to the Tax Office. Do any of you have recommendations for an interpreter?

The second issue is that I will have to engage with an accountant as the tax return is in Thai. Do you have any recommendations on accountants within Korat City?  Engaging with an accountant may deal with two of the above issues i.e. registration and completion of the tax return without the need for an interpreter. The accountant, therefore, needs to be able to speak English.

[Herbie]

I have been living in Thailand since 2006 and have never registered for tax. A few years ago I had a letter from my Lloyds Bank branch in Jersey, Channel Islands, asking for my Thai tax number as I wasn't a Jersey resident. I went to a tax office in Korat to ask about registration. They asked about my income, which is from UK pensions and a small amount from bank deposits. They said I don't need to register as all my income comes from outside Thailand and is taxed in the UK.
I did some more research and found the following website which is worth reading.
I am by no means an expert. But my advice would be don't bother.

https://www.thaiembassy.com/faq/do-retirees-pay-income-tax

[Hector]

Agree entirely with Herbie.  Ive been here 25 years and have never registered for tax as I was told the same thing as him when I first came.  As regards a translator/interpreter you may wish to contact HappyLarry as I recall his wife worked as one.

[Robert]

Welcome Vin,

like Herbie stated it also depends where you already pay tax and what kind of agreement exists between your home country and Thailand. I am from The Netherlands and to get tax deduction in my home country I have to proof I pay tax in Thailand. So info below is based upon the needs for my citizenship.

Which Revenue Office you have to go depends also on where you live in Korat. I go to Nakhon Ratchasima Regional Office 2. It is close to Yamo, Google Coordinates 14.58.34.72 N 102.06.14.22 E.

First thing I had to do was to register to get a TIN which stands for Taxpayer Identification Number. Because I did not have a Thai ID at that time (now I have pink card) Revenue Department had to make one up.

First time they helped me with the taxform, rather easy so from there on I did it myself. For me no need for an accountant as my situation is very simple.

If you want more info (as each individual differs) feel free to call me. I have sent my telephone number in pm to you as do not want to publish it on a forum.

Robert

[Roger]

Vin I'm from the UK and have paid full UK income tax for 11 years now - the UK is where my income (pensions) arise.

I agree with the Herbie/Hector view.

It may depend on the rules in your own Country - as it does for Robert from Holland. A Danish friend has also had to register but that may have been due to some income arising in Thailand - (I remember his Tax Office couldn't do English either).

Good luck but keep your head down if you can . . .

[Thaiwolf]

 I needed a tax number to claim back tax paid on bank account interest. This was at Pak Thong Chai office.

Very easy to do, staff were very helpful.

[Anton]

I needed a tax number to claim back tax paid on bank account interest

I would need that too. Did you have to fill in an income declaration in return? Are they taxing you anything since then? Was it worthwhile with respect to getting back the tax on bank account interest?

[Thaiwolf]

Hi Anton, yes it is worth getting the tax back, worth a few thousand for me!!

You will find that after you get a tax number you will be sent a tax return form which I ignored.

I have no other taxable income in Thailand. I suspect if one has undeclared income, probably best not to get involved.

[Anton]

Hi Anton, yes it is worth getting the tax back, worth a few thousand for me!!

You will find that after you get a tax number you will be sent a tax return form which I ignored.

I have no other taxable income in Thailand. I suspect if one has undeclared income, probably best not to get involved.

Thank you Thaiwolf, I will follow your example then.

[Thaiwolf]

You're welcome

[Vin]

Thanks, everyone for your 'advice' although I shouldn't really say that.

Yes I am being taxed in both the UK and another offshore centre, that offshore centre does not have a double taxation agreement with Thailand.

I'm under the personal allowance threshold in the UK but the offshore centre tax on everything except the State Pension.

The personal allowance here is THB150,000 which appears to be increased to THB190,000 for those older than 65.

It is unlikely that I will be required to pay any tax and another 'adviser' has queried my resolve to register for tax or even if I need to submit a tax return.

The issue with submitting a tax return is twofold:

- to get any bank interest back that is deducted at source. That'll most probably offset the THB1,000 for submitting the annual tax return.
- secondly will be to get out of the CRS reporting net. If I am not resident in the UK or the offshore centre, then my bank should not be reporting any income to them and I will definitely not have to declare any 'off-shore' income to them. I suppose, in a way, I am maximising my personal allowances.

It's a minefield, to say the least.

Thanks once more for all of your 'advice' and 'experiences'

Vin