Capital gains tax in Thailand 2026: what you pay and how to pay less

Last reviewed: November 2026 · Reviewed by Stéphane Gombauld, tax expert, technologist and digital nomad

You live in Thailand, or plan to, and you hold shares, ETFs, crypto or property somewhere in the world. You want to know what Thailand takes when you sell. This guide gives you the 2026 rules by asset, the resident versus non-resident split, the remittance rule and the legal ways to pay less.

Thailand capital gains tax in 2026: the key figures

What changed for 2026

• No new capital gains rules for 2026. The progressive scale, the SET exemption and the remittance rule are unchanged from 2025.
• Crypto relief runs through 2029. Gains on digital assets traded through legally licensed Thai exchanges, brokers and dealers are exempt from personal income tax from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2029 (PwC, reviewed August 2026).
• The 2024 remittance rule is now settled practice. Foreign income earned from 1 January 2024 is taxable whenever it is remitted, even in a later year.

Is this guide for you?

Read on if you…

• spend 180 days or more a year in Thailand and sell investments in 2026;
• hold foreign brokerage or crypto accounts and plan to move proceeds to a Thai bank;
• are a non-resident selling Thai shares or Thai property.

Probably not your case if you…

• sell assets through a company (see corporate income tax in Thailand);
• have never lived in Thailand and hold no Thai assets.

How does Thailand tax capital gains?

There is no capital gains tax as such. Section 40 of the Revenue Code lists eight categories of assessable income (income the law can tax). Gains land in one of them:

• Section 40(4)(g): gains on transferring shares, fund units or a partnership interest, to the extent the price exceeds the amount invested.
• Section 40(4)(i): gains on transferring cryptocurrency or digital tokens, above cost.
• Section 40(8): other income, which covers most other asset sales.

The gain joins your other income and is taxed at the progressive rates in the Revenue Department's rate schedule: 0% up to THB 150,000, then 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, and 35% above THB 5 million.

Residents and non-residents

You are tax resident if you spend 180 days or more in Thailand in a calendar year (s. 41 para 3). Your visa does not change this. The full test is in tax residency in Thailand.

• Residents pay on Thai-source gains and on foreign gains they bring into Thailand.
• Non-residents pay only on Thai-source gains, such as Thai unlisted shares or Thai property.

Under s. 41 para 1, income from property located in Thailand is taxable wherever it is paid. Selling a Bangkok condo while living in Lisbon is still Thai-taxed.

Which gains are tax-free in Thailand?

This is where Thailand becomes attractive for investors.

1. Shares sold on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). The Revenue Department's investor leaflet cites Ministerial Regulation No. 126, item 2(23), for individuals. The sale must go through the exchange.
2. Units in Thai mutual funds. Gains on selling investment units are exempt for individuals (PwC, secondary).
3. Crypto through licensed Thai operators. Exempt from 2025 to 2029, as described above.

Dividends are not covered. Thai dividends carry 10% withholding under s. 50(2)(e), and you may either treat it as final or declare the dividend and claim a credit.

Here's the catch for expats. Foreign shares and ETFs get no exemption, even if the company is also listed in Bangkok. What protects most expats is the remittance rule, not an exemption.

What is the remittance rule for foreign gains?

Section 41 para 2 taxes a resident's foreign-source income only when it is brought into Thailand. Revenue Department Orders Por. 161/2566 and Por. 162/2566 changed the practice for income remitted from 1 January 2024 (PwC, secondary).

The Revenue Department's guidance for foreigners sets three conditions. Foreign income is taxed if:

1. it was earned in a tax year starting from 1 January 2024;
2. you stayed in Thailand 180 days or more in the year you earned it;
3. you remit it to Thailand, wholly or partly, even in a later tax year.

Two consequences follow:

• Gains earned before 1 January 2024 can be remitted tax-free.
• Gains earned in a year when you were not resident are not taxed when remitted later.

Thailand does not tax a gain that stays abroad. Tax paid abroad on the same income can be credited if a double tax agreement allows it, capped at the Thai tax on that income. See tax treaties of Thailand.

In practice, the test is whether the money is brought into Thailand, not how it travels. Keep records that show which money is old capital and which is new gain.

How are crypto, unlisted shares and property taxed?

Crypto

Crypto gains are income under s. 40(4)(i). A 15% withholding tax applies where a Thai payer can apply it (PwC, secondary). Trades through legally licensed Thai exchanges, brokers and dealers are exempt from 2025 to 2029. Gains on foreign exchanges are foreign-source, so the remittance rule applies. More detail in cryptocurrency taxes in Thailand.

Unlisted shares

Gains on unlisted Thai or foreign shares are taxable for residents under s. 40(4)(g). For a non-resident, a gain on Thai unlisted shares is Thai-source. A double tax agreement may move the taxing right to your country of residence, so check the treaty before you sign.

Property

Individuals selling Thai real estate pay at the Land Office on transfer day. The Department of Lands fee schedule sets out:

1. Withholding income tax on the appraised value. The office deducts a standard expense percentage based on years held (50% from eight years). It spreads the net over the years held, capped at ten, applies the progressive scale and multiplies back. Inherited or gifted property gets a 50% deduction.
2. Specific business tax of 3.3% on the higher of appraised value or price if you sell within five years, unless you were registered in the house registration for at least one year (Royal Decree No. 342). Otherwise, 0.5% stamp duty.
3. A 2% registration fee on the appraised value, split as the parties agree.

The full set of property charges is in specific taxes of Thailand.

How do you pay less capital gains tax in Thailand, legally?

• Use the SET and Thai funds for the share of your portfolio you want tax-free in Thailand.
• Realise foreign gains in a non-resident year. Under the Revenue Department's guidance, gains earned in a year with fewer than 180 days in Thailand are not taxed on later remittance.
• Separate old and new money. Keep pre-2024 savings in a dedicated account, with a statement at 31 December 2023.
• Plan remittances. Bring in only what you need, and from the right account.
• Claim the treaty credit for foreign tax already paid on the same gain.
• Check the LTR visa. Some categories exempt remitted foreign income: see tax breaks for expatriates and digital nomads in Thailand.

There is no Thai exit tax on unrealised gains when you leave. Plan your departure with the guide to ceasing your tax residency in Thailand.

Common mistakes (and what they cost)

• Mixing pre-2024 savings and new gains in one account → you cannot prove which money is old, so the whole remittance risks tax at up to 35%.
• Assuming foreign ETFs are tax-free like SET shares → they are not; remitted gains earned in a resident year are taxed at progressive rates.
• Counting on losses to cut the bill → capital losses cannot be offset against capital gains, so a bad year elsewhere does not help.
• Trading crypto on an unlicensed platform → no 2025–2029 exemption; the gain is taxable, with 15% withholding where a Thai payer exists.
• Selling a Thai condo within five years without the house registration exception → 3.3% SBT instead of 0.5% stamp duty.

Frequently asked questions

Does Thailand have a capital gains tax rate in 2026?

No. Thailand taxes gains as ordinary income at the personal progressive rates, 0% to 35%, with the first THB 150,000 of net income at 0%. What makes Thailand attractive is the list of exemptions: shares sold on the SET, Thai mutual fund units, and, until 2029, crypto traded through licensed Thai operators.

Are gains on foreign shares taxed if I never bring the money to Thailand?

No. Under section 41 of the Revenue Code, a resident's foreign-source income is taxed only when remitted to Thailand. Keep the proceeds abroad and nothing is due. Once you remit gains earned from 2024 in a year you spent 180 days or more in Thailand, they are taxable, even years later.

Is there a holding period that lowers the tax?

Not for shares, funds or crypto. Thailand has no holding-period discount on these assets. For real estate, the Land Office withholding uses a standard deduction that depends on years held, and the 3.3% specific business tax disappears once you have owned the property for five years.

Do non-residents pay Thai tax on Thai shares?

Non-resident individuals pay nothing on shares sold on the SET, because the exemption applies to individuals generally. Gains on Thai unlisted shares are Thai-source income and taxable, unless a double tax agreement gives the taxing right to your home country. Thai dividends carry 10% withholding.

Can I offset capital losses in Thailand?

No. Capital losses may not be offset against capital gains for individuals. Each taxable gain is added to your income as it stands, and a loss on another asset does not reduce it. This makes the timing and location of each sale more important than in countries with loss relief.

Is there an exit tax when I leave Thailand?

No. Thailand does not tax unrealised gains when you stop being resident. Gains you realise in a year you are non-resident are outside the remittance rule, even if you bring the money in later. Thai property and Thai unlisted shares stay taxable as Thai-source income after you leave.

Related guides

• Tax residency in Thailand: the 180-day rule explained
• Cryptocurrency taxes in Thailand
• Personal income taxes in Thailand: rates and brackets
• Tax treaties of Thailand and foreign tax credits
• Your complete tax guide to Thailand
• Capital gains tax in Hong Kong: why most gains are untaxed
• Capital gains tax in Sri Lanka: rates and exemptions
• All country tax guides

Sources

• Revenue Code, sections 38–47 (Thai) – The Revenue Department of Thailand
• Personal income tax rate schedule (Thai) – The Revenue Department of Thailand
• How do foreigners living in Thailand pay tax? – The Revenue Department of Thailand
• Tax and investment in the stock market – The Revenue Department of Thailand
• Royal Decree No. 342 on sale of immovable property – The Revenue Department of Thailand
• Fees, taxes and duties on land registration – Department of Lands
• Thailand – Income determination – PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries (secondary)
• Thailand – Significant developments – PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries (secondary)

This guide is general information, not personalised tax advice. See how we research and review.