Thailand tax residency

[Travelasia]

Hello for all
I’m living In Europe but not a EU country and I have multiple incomes from overseas from variable sources. As a citizen , my home country want to make me a taxpayer although I don’t live there.

I live in Thailand bu back to back tourist visas almost all year and for sure more than 180 days in one calendar year.

I will apply tax residency certificate in Thailand and will declare some incomes , not more than 30000 usd, to be brought to Thailand from overseas by declaring that the income is earned in same year. So I will be able to pay some tax in Thailand to get my tax residency certificate.

After I get my residency tax certificate my home country will not chase me anymore for tax purposes

I believe Thailand is a secret tax heaven because overseas income is not taxable unless you bring to Thailand same year you earn.
I want to ask if anyone tried to be tax resident in Thailand before ?
I already have Thai tax number (tin) and I wait until January to fill tax return in Thailand to get my tax residency certificate.

 

[Travelasia]

And another question, as far as I see , by elite visa it would be more easy to live in Thailand although this visa is not necessary to get tax residency. Living here in Thailand by tourist visas started to be more and more difficult everyday. Should I get elite visa ? Is it worth it ?

 

[fblbatt]

The immigration is starting to deny entry to people who have back to back tourist visas asking to get a proper visa. You can have a bank account and pay taxes in Thailand, but if your passport is full of visa run stamps and one time entry visas they will eventually tell you to get a proper visa (non-b, marriage, retirement, thai elite etc.) So if you are thinking of being a tax resident in thailand you should also think about getting a proper visa, ideally a non-b visa (for employment within thailand) or thai elite (expensive).

 

[Nyep]

Should I get elite visa ? Is it worth it ?

Elite is generally not worth it. If you don't qualify for a non-O based on retirement/marriage then your best bet is the education visa. There are plenty of schools that take care of visa hassles, and in some of the more well connected ones you don't even have to show up to school. If you're in CM there are also visa-eligible muay thai (thai boxing) schools. You can easily squeeze a few years in Thailand out of education visas.

If you get fed up with the thai visa dance, there are plenty of other countries in the area with much easier visa options (PH/VN/KH/MY/...).

 

[Travelasia]

What is other easier alternatives to be a tax residency in Asia ? As far as I read on Philippines I cannot be tax residency unless I have a company there , because Philippines doesn’t tax overseas income. So how I can declare some incomes and be a taxpayer in Philippines?

My target is to be a taxpayer in a country preferably in Asia. I would live in Philippines as well to get tax residency certificate. What is requirement for that ?
I don’t like Cambodia and Vietnam at all , neither Malaysia.

 

[Nyep]

What is other easier alternatives to be a tax residency in Asia ?

Tax residency is usually a function of time spent in country. In Thailand you're a tax resident if you spend 180 days or more in the country in the tax year. Now, you may not have any actual tax to pay, and Thailand may not actively come after you to make sure you're paying, but according to the laws you ARE a tax resident nonetheless, as far as Thailand is concerned.

It sounds like what you're really looking for is a way to pay a bit, so that your home country will leave you alone. Can't help you there. My home country is not concerned with where I pay taxes, as long as I can prove that I'm not a (tax) resident there. What's your home country?

 

[nomad999]

I will apply tax residency certificate in Thailand and will declare some incomes , not more than 30000 usd, to be brought to Thailand from overseas by declaring that the income is earned in same year. So I will be able to pay some tax in Thailand to get my tax residency certificate.

May I ask how did you come up with this amount of 30,000 USD ?

30,000 USD is over 900,000 THB which will put you on the 20% tax bracket (750,000 – 1,000,000), you will be paying over 5,000 USD in tax.

The first tax bracket is 150,000 – 300,000 THB taxed at 5%
Why not remitting an amount within the 5% tax bracket below 10,000 USD to pay less tax ? Would be less than 500 USD to pay in tax.

I understand 5k usd might be nothing to you, but I am really interested if there is a specific reason or not as I am actually attempting the same thing but staying on the 5% tax bracket and I am a bit worried if this would work or not.

 

[blackeric]

I believe Thailand is a secret tax heaven because overseas income is not taxable unless you bring to Thailand same year you earn.

I believe that you know little to nothing about Thailand.

You're not living on tourist visas, you've been lucky that you've spent a year on tourist visas.

Tax heaven - yes, it is. Don't tell anyone. Tsssshhhhhhh

 

[KJK]

Tax residency is usually a function of time spent in country. In Thailand you're a tax resident if you spend 180 days or more in the country in the tax year. Now, you may not have any actual tax to pay, and Thailand may not actively come after you to make sure you're paying, but according to the laws you ARE a tax resident nonetheless, as far as Thailand is concerned.

It sounds like what you're really looking for is a way to pay a bit, so that your home country will leave you alone. Can't help you there. My home country is not concerned with where I pay taxes, as long as I can prove that I'm not a (tax) resident there. What's your home country?

This is a very good point, you don't need an "Elite visa" to live in there or be considered resident there. I've heard they have become a more picky/annoying with the Elite visa so consider whether you really need it.

Travelasia: in a single post you wrote "I’m living In Europe but not a EU country" and one line below "I live in Thailand", please make a choice.