Thailand expat visa, work and tax

Thailand

Verified 2026-08MethodSourcesDecision aid — not immigration or tax advice.

In plain termsA visa can let you stay without letting you work. Tax residence starts at 180 days, then asks when foreign income reaches Thailand. Start with the door in front of you.

Bangkok · night CBD · stay / earn / tax

Thailand · three doors

StayEnter and remain

DTV

Destination Thailand Visa — 5-year multi-entry for remote workers and soft-power stays Thailand stay

LTR

Long-Term Resident visa — 10-year track for wealthy or skilled applicants

and the 90-day report.EarnWork lawfullyWork permits and 40 reserved occupations.TaxKnow who may tax you180 days, remittance and treaty relief.

Earn doors we publish

Field briefings on this land — not a job board.

TeachingSchools and language centres HospitalityHotels and F&B TechLocal hire paths DivingInstructor licences Own a businessEntity and work authority LegalPractice gates MassageReserved occupation trap Tour guideReserved occupation trap Regulated workReserved occupations

Eight passports · Thailand

Passport overlays for Thailand

Passport	Treaty	Short-stay	Relief	Open
Australia	yes Source [1989] ATS 36; Australian Treasury income tax treaties list — Thailand status In force Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog. Art 4 permanent home → habitual abode → closer personal and economic relations Source AU–TH Agreement Art 4(3) (rd.go.th/english/859.html); citizenship/nationality is a factor in the third limb under Art 4(4) Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	183 Source AU–TH DTA Art 15(2)(a) — ≤183 days in the tax year / year of income of the other State Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	ordinary tax credit Source AU–TH DTA Art 24 — Methods of elimination; Australia and Thailand each allow a capped credit Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	AU → Thailand tax
Singapore	yes Source MOF Singapore — revised Singapore–Thailand DTA enters into force on 15 February 2016 (signed 11 June 2015) Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog. Art 4 permanent home → centre of vital interests → habitual abode → nationality → mutual agreement Source Singapore–Thailand Agreement (2015/2016) Art 4(2), IRAS ratified MLI text — individual dual-residence cascade Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	183 days Source Singapore–Thailand Agreement Art 15(2)(a) — not exceeding in the aggregate 183 days within any twelve-month period, plus employer and PE/fixed-base limbs Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	ordinary tax credit Source Singapore–Thailand Agreement Art 22 — each State credits tax paid in the other, subject to domestic limits Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	SG → Thailand tax
South Korea	yes Source Thai RD DTA list (rd.go.th/english/766.html) — Korea appears in Thailand's in-force DTA network; full English convention text published by the RD and Art 4 read from it Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog. Art 4 permanent home → centre of vital interests → habitual abode → nationality → mutual agreement Source Korea-Thailand income tax convention, Art 4 (Resident), full English text published by the Thai Revenue Department (rd.go.th/fileadmin/download/nation/korea_e.pdf) - read line-by-line Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	183 days Source KR–TH Convention Art 15 Income from Personal Services (Thai RD English HTML) — 183 days in the fiscal year; relief is Article 5 on the RD Art 1–5 page (unusual early number) — short-stay day ceiling Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	ordinary tax credit Source KR–TH Convention Art 5 Elimination of Double Taxation (Thai RD English HTML Art 1–5) — ordinary foreign-tax credit Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	KR → Thailand tax
China	yes Source Thai RD DTA list (rd.go.th/english/766.html) — China appears in Thailand's in-force DTA network; full English convention text published by the RD and Art 4 read from it Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog. Art 4 permanent home → centre of vital interests → habitual abode → nationality → mutual agreement Source China-Thailand income tax agreement, Art 4 (Resident), full English text published by the Thai Revenue Department (rd.go.th/fileadmin/download/nation/china_e.pdf) - read line-by-line Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	183 days Source CN–TH DTA Art 15 Dependent Personal Services (Thai RD English HTML) — short-stay day ceiling Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	ordinary tax credit Source CN–TH DTA Art 23 Elimination of Double Taxation (Thai RD English HTML Art 21–25) — ordinary credit Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	CN → Thailand tax
Japan	yes Source Thai RD intro japan — signed 7 April 1990; instruments exchanged 1 August 1990; effect in Thailand from 1 Jan 1991 Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog. Art 4 no individual cascade — dual residence goes straight to competent-authority mutual agreement Source Japan–Thailand Convention Art 4(2), MOF synthesised text Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	180 days Source Japan–Thailand Convention Art 14(1)(a) — not exceeding in the aggregate 180 days in the calendar year concerned (not 183) Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	ordinary tax credit Source Japan–Thailand Convention Art 21 — each State credits tax paid in the other, subject to treaty limits Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	JP → Thailand tax
United Kingdom	yes Source GOV.UK Thailand tax treaties — double taxation convention entered into force on 20 November 1981 Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog. Art 4 permanent home → centre of vital interests → habitual abode → nationality → mutual agreement Source UK–Thailand Convention 1981 Art 4(2), GOV.UK text Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	183 days Source UK–Thailand Convention Art 16(2)(a) — not exceeding in the aggregate 183 days in the fiscal year concerned Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	ordinary tax credit Source UK–Thailand Convention Art 23 — UK credits Thai tax; Thailand credits UK tax, subject to domestic limits Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	UK → Thailand tax
Canada	yes Source Thai RD intro canada — Convention signed 11 April 1984; instruments exchanged 16 July 1985 Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog. Art 4 permanent home → centre of vital interests → habitual abode → nationality → mutual agreement Source Canada–Thailand Convention Art 4(2), Finance Canada text (cross-checked Thai RD Art 4) Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	183 days Source Canada–Thailand Convention Art 15(2)(a) — not exceeding in the aggregate 183 days in the calendar year concerned Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	ordinary tax credit Source Canada–Thailand Convention Art 22 — Canada credits Thai tax; Thailand credits Canadian tax, subject to domestic limits Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	CA → Thailand tax
United States	yes Source US–Thailand Income Tax Convention, signed Bangkok 26 Nov 1996; Art 30 general effective date 1 Jan 1998 (irs.gov/pub/irs-trty/thailand.pdf) Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog. Art 4 permanent home → centre of vital interests → habitual abode → nationality Source US–Thailand Convention Art 4(2) — dual-residence tie-breaker cascade Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	183 days Source US–TH DTA Art 16 Dependent Personal Services (IRS thailand.pdf); relief already flagged in us_th_ftc_relief_art25 — short-stay day ceiling Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	ordinary tax credit Source US–TH DTA Art 16 Dependent Personal Services (IRS thailand.pdf); relief already flagged in us_th_ftc_relief_art25 — Article 25 ordinary credit Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	US → Thailand tax

Other headaches on Thailand SSA · pensions · remittance · traps

Passport	SSA	Pensions	Foreign income	Home traps
AU	no Source DSS — Australia international social security agreements list (32 partners) does not include Thailand Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source AU–TH Agreement Art 18(1) — subject to Art 19, pensions and annuities taxable only in the residence State Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source AU–TH Agreement Art 3(4) — where the other State taxes only remitted income, treaty relief applies only to the remitted portion Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source au_vn_tax / AU-side traps — residency tests, CGT deemed disposal, superannuation reuse across destinations Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
SG	no Source CPF Board / Singapore domestic CPF regime — no Singapore–Thailand social security / CPF totalisation agreement published; same gate as sg_vn_social_security_agreement_in_force (nguon/SG_SIDE_TRAPS.md pattern) Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source SG–TH Agreement Art 18(1) (IRAS synthesised MLI PDF, in force 1 Jul 2022) — subject to Art 19(2), pensions and similar remuneration for past employment taxable only in the residence State; Art 18(2) public social-security pensions taxable only in the paying State Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source Stack with Thailand Revenue Code §41 remittance basis (/thailand/tax) Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source sg_vn_tax / SG-side traps — territorial base, IR21, CPF status reuse Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
KR	no Source NPS social security agreements overview — Thailand is not among Korea’s published SSA partners (MOU lump-sum paths elsewhere do not equal an SSA) Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source KR–TH Agreement Art 18 (Thai RD korea_e.pdf, OCR of official English text) — subject to Art 19(2), pensions and similar remuneration in consideration of past employment from sources within one Contracting State paid to a resident of the other may be taxed in the first-mentioned (source) State Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source Stack with Thailand Revenue Code §41 remittance basis (/thailand/tax) Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source kr_vn_tax — 183-day span / exit tax / SSA traps reuse Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
CN	no Source MOHRSS / published China bilateral social security partner list (13 countries) does not include Thailand — same gate as cn_vn_social_security_agreement_in_force Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source CN–TH Agreement Art 18(1)–(2) (Thai RD china_e.pdf, OCR) — subject to Art 19(2), pensions for past employment taxable only in the residence State under (1); notwithstanding, the other State may tax if payments are borne by an enterprise of that State or a PE situated therein (Art 18(2)) Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source Stack with Thailand Revenue Code §41 remittance basis (/thailand/tax) Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source cn_vn_tax — six-year rule / domicile / hukou clearance reuse Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
JP	no Source Japan Pension Service — Status of Agreements in Force (24 partners) does not include Thailand Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source JP–TH Convention 1990 (Thai RD japan_e.pdf) — no dedicated private-pensions article; Art 14 carves pensions out of employment income; Art 17 covers government-service pensions only; residual private pensions fall under Art 20 other income (taxable only in the residence State, subject to PE connection) Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source Stack with Thailand Revenue Code §41 remittance basis (/thailand/tax) Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source jp_vn_tax — exit tax / nenkin traps reuse across destinations Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
UK	no Source GOV.UK Reciprocal agreements + NI38 country lists do not include Thailand as a UK social security agreement partner Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source UK–Thailand Convention 1981 — no dedicated pensions article for private/SIPP income; GOV.UK consolidated text Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source Stack with Thailand Revenue Code §41 remittance basis (/thailand/tax) — treaty relief is pair-specific; do not invent Art numbers without reading the convention text Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source nguon UK-side traps / uk_vn_tax cells — TNR CGT, FIG, SRT reuse across destinations Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
CA	no Source CRA countries-with-agreement table (Open Government CSV July 2024) does not list Thailand Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source CA–TH Convention Art XVIII / pensions paragraph (Finance Canada official text) — pensions and similar remuneration for past employment, arising in a Contracting State and paid to a resident of the other, shall be taxable only in the first-mentioned (source) State Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source Stack with Thailand Revenue Code §41 remittance basis (/thailand/tax) Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source ca_vn_tax — departure tax, OAS/GIS traps reuse across destinations Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
US	no Source SSA — U.S. International Social Security (Totalization) Agreements list does not include Thailand Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source US–Thailand Convention Art 20(2) — social security/public pensions taxable only in the paying State; exception to the saving clause Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source Thailand Revenue Code §41 para 2 (bringing foreign assessable income into Thailand) Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source nguon/US_SIDE_TRAPS.md — FBAR / Form 8938 / FEIE gates; PFIC & expatriation dollars not modelled Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.

What the codes mean5 terms in plain language

DTV: Destination Thailand Visa — 5-year multi-entry for remote workers and soft-power stays
LTR: Long-Term Resident visa — 10-year track for wealthy or skilled applicants
work permit: separate paper that makes the job lawful — a visa alone does not
180 days: Thailand's tax-residence line — 180 days in a calendar year (Revenue Code §41), not 183
DTA: double-tax agreement between two countries