In Thailand, inheritance tax applies when an heir receives net taxable assets worth more than THB 100 million from a single deceased person. Only the amount above that threshold is taxed. A surviving spouse is exempt. For other heirs, the rate is 5% or 10% of the amount above the threshold.
Giving assets away during your lifetime follows different rules. Gifts of money, shares and other movable property may qualify for an annual exemption, but the relationship between giver and recipient matters. A transfer of land has its own income-tax rules and Land Office charges.
For families with assets in Thailand and abroad, the practical task is to establish who receives each asset, which country’s rules apply, and what must be paid when ownership changes. This guide explains the Thai thresholds, calculations and filing requirements for 2026.
The main rules at a glance
| Transfer | Main Thai tax rule |
|---|---|
| Inheritance from one deceased person | First THB 100 million of net taxable inheritance per recipient is exempt; 5% or 10% on the excess. |
| Inheritance received by a surviving spouse | Outside the Inheritance Tax Act, regardless of value. |
| Money or movable property from ascendants, descendants or a spouse | THB 20 million annual exemption per recipient, aggregated across qualifying givers. |
| Qualifying support or customary gifts from other people | THB 10 million annual exemption; an ordinary gift does not automatically qualify. |
| Land given to a legitimate child, excluding an adopted child | THB 20 million annual income-tax exemption per child for the parent making the gift. |
| Registration of inherited or gifted land | Registration fees are separate from inheritance tax and income tax. Other charges can apply to gifts. |
How inheritance tax is calculated
The threshold belongs to each recipient. It is not a single THB 100 million allowance for the whole estate, and it does not reset when the same inheritance arrives in instalments.
Add the taxable assets received from the deceased, subtract the inherited liabilities allowed under the Act, and deduct THB 100 million. Apply the relevant rate to any remaining amount. The Revenue Department’s calculation guide sets out this sequence.
| Recipient | Rate above THB 100 million |
|---|---|
| Ascendant or descendant, such as a parent, grandparent, child or grandchild | 5% |
| Other recipient, such as a sibling, nephew or friend | 10% |
| Surviving spouse | Exempt |
Example: the same inheritance, two different tax bills. A daughter receives a net taxable inheritance of THB 150 million from her father. After deducting the threshold, THB 50 million remains taxable. At 5%, her tax is THB 2.5 million. A nephew receiving the same amount from an uncle pays 10% of THB 50 million, or THB 5 million.
Different deceased persons are assessed separately. If a son inherits THB 90 million from his father and THB 90 million from his mother, neither inheritance exceeds the threshold. Combining those amounts into a THB 180 million tax base would be wrong.
The law also excludes inheritances from people who died before 1 February 2016. Certain religious, educational and public-benefit inheritances qualify for exemptions subject to the applicable regulations. See the Revenue Department’s exemption guidance.
Which assets count
The Act identifies five categories: immovable property, securities, bank deposits and similar claims, registered vehicles, and additional financial assets designated by Royal Decree. Land, houses, condominium units, shares and bank balances are therefore central to the calculation.
Physical gold, jewellery, artwork and cash held outside a deposit or similar arrangement are outside the listed categories. That does not mean every asset containing gold or linked to art is excluded: a security or financial product must be classified by its legal form. The official taxable-assets and valuation page explains the categories.
Valuation can change the result
The amount used for tax is not necessarily the price an heir expects to obtain on a sale. Thai land and buildings use official appraised values, with deductions for qualifying encumbrances under the regulations. SET-listed securities use their closing value on the date the inheritance is received.
Other assets have their own rules. Foreign real estate may require a local official value, an eligible appraisal or market value. Unlisted shares use a prescribed book-value method; deposits include the relevant accrued interest. The valuation regulations were amended in 2025, so an old company valuation should not be reused without checking the applicable accounting period. See the Ministerial Regulations under the Act.
What changes for foreign heirs
Nationality and immigration status determine the geographical scope of Thai inheritance tax. The deceased person’s nationality alone does not answer the question.
| Recipient’s status | Assets within the scope of Thai inheritance tax |
|---|---|
| Thai national | Taxable assets in Thailand and abroad |
| Foreign individual with residence in Thailand under immigration law | Taxable assets in Thailand and abroad |
| Other foreign recipient | Taxable assets situated in Thailand |
The Revenue Department’s liability guidance uses residence under immigration law. This is different from the 180-day test used for personal income tax. Living in Thailand for most of the year does not, by itself, settle your status under the Inheritance Tax Act.
For example, a Thai child inheriting overseas assets from a foreign parent can fall within the worldwide scope. A foreign heir outside the immigration-residence category is assessed on assets situated in Thailand. In both cases, the threshold and any applicable exemption still need to be considered.
Tax liability and the right to own an asset are separate questions. Paying tax does not give a foreign heir permission to retain Thai land. Condominium inheritance also involves ownership eligibility and statutory requirements, explained in our guide to inheriting a condominium in Thailand as a foreigner. Our guide to Thai wills and inheritance for foreigners covers the succession and property issues.
Receiving an inheritance from abroad
An inheritance is exempt from personal income tax under Section 42(10) of the Revenue Code. Remitting the inherited money to Thailand does not, by itself, turn it into taxable income. This income-tax exemption is separate from any liability under the Inheritance Tax Act.
Keep documents showing the source of the funds and distinguish the inherited capital from later interest, rent or investment gains. Income earned after the inheritance is received requires its own tax assessment.
Inheritance tax filing and payment
File Form Por Mor 60 (ภ.ม.60) and pay within 150 days of receiving the inheritance that creates the tax liability. If assets arrive in stages, record the dates and cumulative values rather than assuming the clock starts on the date of death. The official filing guidance explains the deadline and filing offices.
Por Mor 60 can also be filed online through the Revenue Department’s e-Filing service. The Department’s official announcement confirms that online filing and payment opened on 25 August 2026. Check the service’s current filing conditions before submitting a return.
An instalment arrangement can spread payment over up to five years, subject to the prescribed conditions and security. The statutory framework allows payment within two years without surcharge when the relevant conditions are met. Arrange this before relying on extra time to pay.
Missing the deadline can produce both a penalty and a surcharge. The ordinary late-filing penalty is equal to the tax due; an understated return can attract a penalty of 50% of the shortfall. Late-payment surcharge is 1.5% per month or part of a month, capped at the tax due. Separate fines and criminal provisions apply to certain failures and fraud under the Inheritance Tax Act.
If the recipient dies before filing, the obligation does not disappear. Sections 18–19 assign duties to the recipient’s estate administrator or heirs, with special deadlines and potential surcharges and penalties. The original deadline remains relevant.
Gift tax on money and movable property
Thailand handles gifts through the personal income-tax system. The main exemptions for money and other movable property depend on who gives the asset and, for some gifts, why it is given.
| Source or purpose of the gift | Annual exemption |
|---|---|
| Ascendant, descendant or spouse | THB 20 million in total per recipient |
| Another person: support under a moral duty, or a gift connected with a ceremony or customary occasion | THB 10 million in total per recipient |
| Religious, educational or public-benefit purpose | Exemption subject to the conditions prescribed by regulation |
Ascendants include parents and grandparents; descendants include children and grandchildren. Siblings, aunts, uncles and in-laws do not belong to either category. The tax year is the calendar year.
The THB 20 million limit is shared across qualifying gifts received in that year. A daughter who receives THB 15 million from her father and THB 10 million from her mother has received THB 25 million, leaving THB 5 million above the exemption. Choosing the separate 5% calculation produces tax of THB 250,000.
The THB 10 million allowance is not a general exemption for money received from anyone else. A customary wedding gift can qualify; an ordinary transfer from a friend that meets neither the customary-gift nor moral-duty condition does not qualify merely because it is described as a gift. Sections 42(27)–(29) of the Revenue Code set out these distinctions.
Adopted children and family definitions
The Revenue Department’s gift-tax FAQ includes adopted children and children born outside marriage who have been acknowledged by their father in its explanation of descendants. The special exemption for a parent’s gift of land expressly excludes adopted children. Do not carry one definition across every tax or registration rule.
The 5% option and tax returns
For gifts within the relevant statutory categories, the taxable excess can be calculated separately at 5%, or included with other income for the ordinary progressive calculation. The 5% option is not a universal rate for every taxable gift.
Taxable gifts received in January–June must be considered for the half-year P.N.D. 94 return, due by the end of September. The annual P.N.D. 90 return covers the full calendar year and is due by the end of March of the following year. Half-year tax is credited in the annual calculation. Check any applicable online-filing extension for the relevant return. The official gift-tax FAQ explains both returns.
Giving land or a building to a child
For a gift of real estate, the transferor can be the person liable for income tax even though no money changes hands. Section 41 bis of the Revenue Code establishes this treatment.
A parent giving land or a building to a legitimate child, excluding an adopted child, benefits from an exemption of THB 20 million per child per tax year. Tax is withheld at 5% on the amount above that exemption when the transfer is registered.
Example: a father gives his son land with an appraised value of THB 30 million. The exempt portion is THB 20 million. Withholding on the remaining THB 10 million is THB 500,000. Registration fees and any other applicable transfer charges are additional.
A gift to a spouse, parent, grandchild, sibling or adopted child does not receive this particular parent-to-child exemption. The transfer can instead require withholding under the ordinary real-estate transfer rules. A reduced registration fee does not create an income-tax exemption.
Land Office fees and other transfer charges
Before registering a transfer, separate the registration fee, income-tax withholding and any stamp duty or specific business tax. They use different rules. An inheritance below THB 100 million can still involve a registration fee.
| Registration category | Ordinary fee based on appraised value |
|---|---|
| Inheritance or gift between qualifying ascendants and descendants, or between spouses | 0.5% |
| Other inheritance or gift transfers | 2% |
These are the categories in the Department of Lands fee schedule. Confirm the relationship category with the Land Office, especially where adoption or another special family situation is involved. The gift-tax definition of a descendant should not be assumed to decide the registration fee.
Stamp duty can apply even without a payment
A gift of land can attract stamp duty. In ruling 0706/6085, the Revenue Department expressly addressed a registered land gift made without consideration. It treated the gift instrument as a receipt subject to duty at THB 1 per THB 200 or fraction thereof, equivalent to approximately 0.5%, unless an exemption applies.
Specific business tax, usually described as 3.3% including the municipal component, may also be relevant. The rules include exclusions for certain inheritance transfers and gifts to legitimate children other than adopted children. For other gifts, the holding period and other statutory conditions must be checked. Where the transfer is subject to SBT, the corresponding stamp-duty exemption must also be considered; do not simply add both charges. See the Department of Lands guidance on taxes and duties.
Ask the registering Land Office for a calculation using the actual title, appraised value, acquisition date and relationship documents. A single percentage cannot reliably describe the full cost of every family transfer.
What to prepare before making a transfer
Start with an asset list showing ownership, location and approximate value. Then identify the intended recipients and their legal relationship to the owner. This reveals where the inheritance threshold, gift exemptions and property-ownership restrictions need closer attention.
For lifetime gifts, keep a record of earlier gifts during the same tax year. For inheritances, retain evidence of receipt dates, valuations and inherited liabilities. Foreign transfers also need a clear documentary trail from the estate to the recipient’s account.
Compare the cost of giving an asset now with leaving it by will, including transfer charges and the owner’s need to retain control or income. A tax saving should be assessed alongside the practical consequences of transferring ownership.
Frequently asked questions
Does the THB 100 million inheritance threshold renew each year?
No. It applies to the total taxable inheritance received from the same deceased person. Receiving portions in different years does not create a fresh allowance.
Can each parent give me THB 20 million in cash tax-free in the same year?
The exemption for qualifying gifts of money and movable property is THB 20 million in total per recipient for the year. Gifts from both parents count towards that same limit.
Does being exempt from inheritance tax mean a land transfer is free?
No. Land Office registration fees are separate. The inheritance-tax threshold does not remove the registration fee.
Can a foreign heir keep inherited land after paying the tax?
Payment of tax does not establish a right to own Thai land. The inheritance and land-ownership requirements must be assessed separately.
Sources and further reading
The main legal provisions are the Inheritance Tax Act B.E. 2558 and Sections 41 bis, 42, 48, 50 and 56 bis of the Revenue Code. The Revenue Department publishes separate guidance on who is liable, taxable assets and valuation, rates and calculations, filing and payment and gift tax.
For property transfers, consult the Department of Lands fee and tax guidance and the Revenue Department’s ruling on stamp duty for land gifts. The Revenue Department’s official Por Mor 60 announcement confirms the availability of online filing and payment.
Discuss your Thai estate plan
If you are deciding how to pass on property or other assets in Thailand, AIM Bangkok can help you consider the will, inheritance and transfer arrangements together. Bring details of the assets, intended recipients and any existing wills to the consultation.
Disclaimer: This article was reviewed by our attorneys licensed in Thailand. It is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney–client relationship. Binding advice is available only as part of an individual engagement. While prepared with care, no warranty is made as to timeliness, completeness, or accuracy.