Most newcomers are surprised to learn Thailand has an inheritance tax at all — and then relieved to learn how little it touches. It only bites on the slice of an inheritance above 100 million baht from any one person, at 5% for children and parents or 10% for everyone else, with a spouse fully exempt. A companion gift tax stops people giving it all away while alive. This guide explains who is liable, which assets are caught, how foreigners with Thai property or bank accounts are treated, and how it sits beside a Thai will. Unbiased, never paid placement — general information, not tax or legal advice.
Thai inheritance tax only applies to the part of an inheritance over 100 million baht from a single person — 5% for a parent or child, 10% for anyone else, nil for a spouse. A separate gift tax (5% above generous annual limits) closes the give-it-away loophole. Foreigners are caught on Thai-situated assets — a condo, a Thai bank account — even when living abroad. Pair a Thai will with an understanding of these thresholds.
Thailand went without any death duty for decades. Two taxes arrived together under the 2015 legislation that took effect in February 2016, and they are designed to work as a pair:
The headline for almost everyone reading this: the thresholds are so high that the typical expat estate — a condo, a car, a bank account — pays nothing. The tax is aimed at substantial wealth. But the rules on which assets count and who is liable matter to any foreigner who owns property here, which is why they’re worth understanding even if you never cross the threshold.
The tax falls on the heir who receives, not on the estate as a whole, and only the slice above the threshold is taxed.
Residency for this purpose is a legal status — separate from your visa and from the 180-day income-tax residency test. The two “residency” ideas don’t automatically line up, so don’t assume one answers the other.
The rate on the taxable slice depends entirely on who the heir is to the deceased:
The spouse exemption is one reason marriage status and how assets are titled carry real weight in planning. But note a separate trap: a foreign spouse being tax-exempt does not mean they can freely keep inherited Thai land — foreigners generally can’t own land, so a foreign heir usually has a window to sell, a point covered in can foreigners own land. Tax and ownership are different questions.
Inheritance tax applies to defined categories of assets, not to everything a person owns:
Assets are valued using rules in the law — for property, broadly the official appraised value rather than the open-market price. Everyday personal effects, and assets a non-resident holds entirely outside Thailand, are generally outside the net. Because the categories and valuations are technical, an estate near the threshold should be reviewed professionally, not self-assessed.
Gift tax is collected through personal income tax, and the exemptions are deliberately generous so that ordinary family giving is untouched:
The point of the gift tax is to keep the inheritance tax honest: without it, anyone could give away an entire fortune the year before death and pay nothing. With it, large transfers are taxed whether they happen during life or at death. If you’re planning sizeable lifetime gifts — helping a child buy a condo, for example — check the current limits first.
A will and the tax answer two different questions, and you want both handled:
Estate work sits at the intersection of tax and law, so it usually pays to take advice from both sides — our tax & accounting directory and a Thai lawyer between them cover the ground.
The obligation sits with the heir, and the clock is shorter than people expect:
Deadlines, instalment terms and procedures change over time, so confirm the current rules with the Revenue Department or a Thai tax professional when an estate is actually being settled. For the related income taxes that touch foreigners, see tax for expats and personal income tax.
Pair a valid Thai will with a clear view of the tax thresholds — then use our tools and directory to line up the right advisers before anything is needed.
Primary and official sources are cited above. Government rules, fees and procedures in Thailand change over time and vary by office; always confirm current requirements with the relevant authority before relying on them. BAANLYY never takes paid placement in editorial content.
General information only — not tax, legal or financial advice. Thailand’s inheritance tax (effective 2016), the 100-million-baht threshold, the 5% and 10% rates, the spouse exemption, gift-tax limits, asset categories, valuations and filing deadlines change and depend on individual circumstances and the location of each asset. Confirm your own position with the Thai Revenue Department and a licensed Thai tax professional and lawyer. BAANLYY never takes paid placement.