Guides · Tax
Rental income tax in Thailand for foreign owners
Rent from a property in Thailand is taxable in Thailand, whether or not the owner lives here. Foreign owners declare it on the annual personal income tax return, can usually deduct a flat 30 percent of the rent as expenses, and pay progressive rates. A Thai company paying rent withholds tax at source: 15 percent for a non-resident owner.
Read this first
General information, not legal advice.
Written by Silvain, General Director of Phuket Property Manager (Empire Estates Phuket Co., Ltd). Last updated 7 November 2026. Silvain is French and has lived in Phuket since 2019; this is the explanation we give owners before they speak to an accountant, not a substitute for one. This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and their application depends on your property, your building and your personal situation: confirm anything that matters with a Thai lawyer or accountant before acting on it.
At a glance
The rules that apply to most foreign owners.
Where the tax is due
Rent from Thai property is Thai-source income, taxable in Thailand for residents and non-residents alike.
Resident or not
You are a Thai tax resident if you spend 180 days or more in Thailand in a calendar year. Non-residents are taxed on Thai-source income only.
Withholding by company tenants
A Thai company or other juristic person paying rent to an individual withholds tax at source: generally 5 percent for a resident landlord and 15 percent for a non-resident, with a withholding certificate.
Standard deduction
For rent from houses and buildings you may deduct a flat 30 percent of the gross rent as expenses, or actual expenses if you can document them.
Progressive rates
After deductions and allowances, net income is taxed on a progressive scale from 0 up to 35 percent. The first one hundred and fifty thousand baht of net income is taxed at zero.
Annual return
Filed for each calendar year by the end of March of the following year (online filing usually allows a few extra days), with a Thai tax identification number.
How it is calculated
From gross rent to tax due, in four steps.
- 1
Start from the gross rent
Everything received for the year: monthly rent, or for holiday rentals what the platforms paid you, before management fees and costs.
- 2
Deduct expenses
Either the flat 30 percent for houses and buildings, or actual documented expenses. Most individual owners use the flat rate.
- 3
Deduct allowances
The personal allowance of sixty thousand baht, and other allowances you may be entitled to.
- 4
Apply the scale, then credit what was withheld
Tax the net figure on the progressive scale, then subtract any tax a company tenant already withheld. The result is either a balance to pay or a refund.
Holiday rentals
Airbnb income is still taxable, and may be treated differently.
Foreign platforms do not withhold Thai tax, so nothing is deducted at source. That does not make the income tax-free.
Rent or business income
Nightly lets with cleaning and guest services can look more like an accommodation business than a lease. The Revenue Department may then treat the income as business income, with different deduction rules. Ask an accountant which category fits your setup.
VAT
Residential leases are exempt from VAT. Hotel-type accommodation is not, and a VAT registration duty arises if annual turnover from the activity exceeds 1.8 million baht.
The Hotel Act is a separate question
Declaring income from short stays does not make them lawful. See our guides on the 30-day rule and the Hotel Act.
Around the edges
Three things foreign owners often miss.
Your home country
Thailand has double taxation agreements with many countries. Income from property is generally taxed where the property is, and your home country then gives a credit or an exemption. Declare it at home too, following your own country’s rules.
The 2024 remittance rule
Since 1 January 2024, Thai tax residents are taxed on foreign income brought into Thailand in the year it is remitted, whenever it was earned. It concerns foreign income of residents, not Thai rent, but owners who spend most of the year here should know about it.
Land and Building Tax
A separate annual local tax paid by the owner to the local administration, under the Land and Building Tax Act B.E. 2562 (2019). The rate depends on how the property is used.
Straight answers
What owners ask us about tax.
Do I pay tax in Thailand on rent from my Phuket condo if I live abroad?
What is the 15 percent withholding tax on rent?
Can I deduct 30 percent of my rental income?
Does Airbnb deduct Thai tax?
Do I need a Thai tax ID?
Will your monthly statement help with my return?
Sources
Where to check the rules yourself.
Revenue Code, section 40(5) (income from letting property) and the withholding provisions; Royal Decree on deductions for property income; Revenue Department guidance on personal income tax and Departmental Order Por. 161/2566 (foreign income remitted from 2024); Land and Building Tax Act B.E. 2562.
SilvainGeneral Director · Phuket Property Manager
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