Expat Tax: Frequently Asked Questions

Pensions are taxed on income, not gains on the pension structure. This is subject to how much income has been remitted, if tax has been paid on this elsewhere and if there is a DTA in place. If there is no DTA, Thailand has the full right to tax any remittance as income, and there is no credit to be given due to no DTA in place.

We calculate manually the tax paid in the UK over the calendar year, using your tax return/records from April 2024 and then estimate the tax in the UK for the remaining calendar year.

You will have to file a tax return, but with your allowances and deductions, its likely you won’t have a tax obligation. We can file this for you with our essential tax filing. Here is more information.

Certain types of pensions in different countries, such as government or civil service pensions, are not taxable in Thailand, depending on the DTA. UK Army pensions are not taxable in Thailand.

Correct, the UK/Thai DTA shows that government services and government pensions are not taxable in Thailand and only in the UK.

Potentially, yes. This is dependent on the tax rate in the UK and if it was remitted into Thailand. State and private pensions in the UK are taxable in Thailand, but you can use tax already paid as a credit. Even if your tax rate is high in the UK, and even if there is no tax to pay in Thailand for your situation, you will still have to file a tax return.

Learn more about Double Tax Agreements for expats in Thailand by watching our video here. 

The most important factors are how much tax you have paid, and how much have you received. You must calculate the net and gross and consider how much of that was sent to Thailand. You can then use that tax amount to deduct as a credit. It is not as straightforward as just considering a 20% tax rate: you must work out your net and gross from what was actually taxed. You cannot use your UK allowances, you get a Thai tax allowance. You will likely have to file a tax return in Thailand. There could be tax to pay in Thailand depending on the taxable income amount and your existing tax credits.

Learn more about Double Tax Agreements for expats in Thailand by watching our video here. 

You cannot avoid or change the jurisdiction you want to be taxed if you are a Thai tax resident, and you have overseas assets. For example, a UK pensioner cannot easily get an NT tax code while being a Thai tax resident, meaning tax will usually be deducted at the source in the UK. If you then transfer funds into Thailand, it’s taxable, but you can potentially use any tax paid as a credit against taxes owed in Thailand.

UK state pensions are taxable in Thailand if remitted. However, the exact tax treatment depends on the amount remitted due to Thailand’s allowances and deductions, which could mean you have to file but not have tax to pay. If you have less than THB220,000 remitted in a calendar year and are married, or less than THB120,000 if you are single, you do not need to file a Thai tax return for your UK state pension. If it is above these limits then you do, regardless if you have tax to pay or not. 

It is prudent to make sure that you aqcuire bank statements as of the 31st December 2023. You can then show in the future that this account is from before the rule changes. It is also important that you do not add new money into this account which is taxable, as it is then difficult to distinguish between non-taxable and taxable assets.

You will have to file a tax return, as this is over the single filing limit of THB120k and the married filing limit of THB220k.

This doesn’t mean you have to pay tax. It depends on your other allowances and deductions.

You can find out more about Thailand’s tax rates, allowances and deductions here or if you prefer to listen to a short podcast here

UK defined contribution pensions  are assessable income in Thailand if remitted. You can use any UK tax paid as a credit.

If you sell your ISA when you are a Thai tax resident, then anytime In the future that the funds are transferred to Thailand the capital gains are potentially taxable.

UK rental property income is a assessable income source in Thailand. You can use tax paid as a credit against some or all of the potential tax owed.

You can learn more about tax assessable foreign-sources income here

UK defined benefit company pension are assessable income in Thailand if remitted. (You can use any tax paid as a credit.

Both your state pension And private pensions are classed as assessable income If you transfer To Thailand. You will likely have To file a tax return. Our Assisted Tax Filing Service will help you to claim the tax credits for tax paid In the UK. This is called assisted tax filing. Click here to learn about foreign sourced assessable income.

If you living in Thailand for 180 days or more in a calendar year and you transfer (remit) in more than THB120,000 (or THB220,000 for married couples) per year of foreign-sourced income from outside Thailand, you’ll need to file a tax return for 2024.

This includes UK pensions. You can use any tax you have paid as credit against tax owed in Thailand, but it doesn’t mean you don’t have to file and you may have further tax to pay.

Yes, UK pensions are subject to taxation in Thailand if you are a Thai Tax resident, which is defined as someone living in Thailand for 180 days or more in a calendar year. Thailand taxes residents on foreign sourced income remitted to Thailand. This includes UK pensions. If you transfer the UK pension to Thailand it is taxable. However, there is a double taxation agreement (DTA) between the UK and Thailand, which aims to prevent the same income from being taxed in both countries. This agreement may allow for some relief or exemptions, depending on the nature of the pension and other individual circumstances. It is advisable to consult with a tax professional to understand how the DTA applies to your specific situation and to ensure compliance with both UK and Thai tax laws. If it is a State pension or private pension, these are both taxable in Thailand. You can use any tax paid already as a credit against any tax owed in Thailand.

Learn more about Double Tax Agreements for expats in Thailand by watching our video here. 

It does not matter what year the funds are remitted, but rather if you were a Thai tax resident when the income was earned. If you are a Thai tax resident in 2024 with UK income that is not remitted to Thailand, and you remit it in 2026, then it is potentially taxable in Thailand.

Thailand will not tax you. It depends on whether your residency status in the UK to whether they will tax you.

Fixed deposits are taxed on the capital gains that have been made and what percentage of the gains are remitted into Thailand. You will have to declare this on your tax return. There maybe tax credits available if tax has been paid in the other jurisdiction, depending on the DTA between that country and Thailand.

It is only the UK government pension which is only taxable in the UK. If you remit the property rental income then this is assessable income in Thailand

The UK state pension is considered assessable income in Thailand if remitted. You can use any tax paid as a credit.

If you were a Thai tax resident when the income was paid into the account, then if you remit this into Thailand at any time in the future, this is liable for income tax in the year it is remitted. This started from 1st January 2024 onwards.

It depends on the source of the money that you remit and whether they are classed as foreign sourced income. Thailand tax residents are liable for taxes on their foreign-sourced income remitted to Thailand. This means if you’re considered a tax resident in Thailand—defined as someone who spends 180 days or more in the country in a calendar year—you must include your income remitted from abroad in your annual tax return and pay Thai taxes on it. However, to avoid double taxation (paying taxes on the same income in both Thailand and the country where the income was earned), Thailand has double tax treaties with 61 countries that allow for tax credits or exemptions. It’s important to consult a tax professional to understand how these treaties may apply to your situation and to ensure compliance with Thai tax laws while maximising available benefits.

You will have to file a tax return, but with your allowances and deductions, its likely you won’t have a tax obligation. We can file this for you with our essential tax filing. Here is more information.