Thai tax ID less than 180 days after arrival, without work permit?

[maqui]

European banks tend to harass customers for a new tax ID as soon as you inform them that you have left your previous country of tax residence. Without a Thai tax ID, the European bank may just cancel your accounts. Quite a few European banks are known to cancel accounts without even asking for a new tax ID; they just want to avoid the effort of dealing with compliance rules for non-local customers.

To avoid the cancellation risk, I´d prefer to offer my European bank an official Thai tax ID within the first 2-3 months after leaving Europe, without waiting 180 days and only then trying to get a Thai tax ID. I read that the Thai Revenue Office only provides a tax ID to a non-resident (<180 days) if he can prove to have earned some taxable income. I don´t have work permit.

My only Thai-sourced income will be the interest of 800 Baht on a deposit account at Bangkok Bank. The bank also reports a Withholding Tax of 125 Baht.

Would this bank statement, with its tiny interest income and withholding tax, be sufficient proof that the Thai Revenue Office must provide me with a tax ID?

Or would my Thai-sourced income have to be higher to qualify me for a tax ID?

 

 

[Oldie]

"Quite a few European banks are known to cancel accounts without even asking for a new tax ID; they just want to avoid the effort of dealing with compliance rules for non-local customers." 

 

It is exactly what you say. If you move to Thailand they simply might cancel your accounts. It might not make any difference if you have a Thai tax ID or not. Look that you have accounts at big banks that do business globally. But even then - if you don't have bigger amounts they might not be interested. 

 

In respect of the Revenue Department. If you have interest income you pay now taxes starting with the first Satang. They changed this. So talk to them to get a tax ID. Would be good not to have only a tourist visa but a retirement extension. But again - if a bank doesn't want to deal with customers in Thailand it might not help you much. 

 

On the bright side. Be happy that you are not a resident of the USA. Very hard in the meantime to open/keep accounts in Europe. 

 

 

 

Edited August 3, 2020 by Oldie

[redpill17]

Ask your local Revenue office for requirements. I got a Tax ID with bank statement and some copies in Chiang Mai while on tourist visa.

 

Some EU banks do work with foreigners, usually those with foreign capital. Or you can get a N26 card before you leave - they never asked me for proof of residence. Or TransferWise card - only had to verify my residence once before they could send it.

[CMBob]

I easily obtained a Tax ID in Chiangmai although I'd note that (1) I'm here on annual extensions based on retirement (I wasn't here 180 days at the time I got the tax number and they didn't ask about how long I was there....although they could see my retirement extension which started more than 180 days prior), and (2) I loosely recall that they wanted a copy of a certificate of residence which could involve some minor hassle in getting....along with a copies of a couple of passport pages).  In any event, I had the tax ID in hand within 15 minutes of showing up at the Revenue Department (people there were very helpful).

I obtained the Tax ID solely so I could file a Thai tax return for purposes of obtaining a refund of the 15% withheld from a bank account. (I've never had other income in Thailand or a work permit). 

 

[khunPer]

19 hours ago, maqui said:

Would this bank statement, with its tiny interest income and withholding tax, be sufficient proof that the Thai Revenue Office must provide me with a tax ID?

Or would my Thai-sourced income have to be higher to qualify me for a tax ID?

You might not be able to get a Thai tax-ID without a Work Permit before you are official tax resident after 183-days stay. Furthermore you need to prove source of taxable income, which can both be domestic income and foreign taxable income.

 

First thing to do is the find the Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) between your home country and Thailand, and check your tax status. You can find your DTA here.

 

It can from both what I've read from others posters, and from my own experience, be a bit of "hard work" to apply for a Thai tax-ID when not having a work income – I'm on extension of stay based on retirement – but with patience, polite behavior, and smile, it's possible...????