Thai Revenue offers glimmer of clarification on tax changes

The Revenue Department this week has reassured Thais and expats living here that the new rules on taxation apply only from January 2024 and not earlier. There had been speculation that the Revenue might start probing cash transactions to Thailand in earlier years as, in theory, they have the power to do.

This is the first statement by the Revenue about the taxation changes since September 2023 when it announced its intention to tax income from overseas by tax residents – anyone who lives here for at least six months in a year – no matter when the cash was or will be transferred. The statement at least shows that the Revenue is aware of the complexity of the whole issue.

Expats in Thailand, mostly ignored until now by the tax authority unless legally working here, are…