Published May 04, 2026
📅 Last updated: May 2026
Thailand doesn't have a separate capital-gains tax — but selling property still has tax consequences. What you actually pay when you sell that Patong condo or Rawai villa is a stack of fees: a flat transfer fee, a specific business tax (or stamp duty), and a withholding tax that functions as your income-tax pre-payment. The total is usually 4–7% of the assessed value, not the sale price. Here's what each component is, who pays it, and the planning tricks Phuket sellers use to keep the bill low.
And if the seller is also remitting the proceeds abroad — there's a separate question about whether the sale is income for Thai tax purposes, post-2024 rule. We'll get there.
Quick Facts
- Transfer fee: 2% of the Land Department's assessed value (split between buyer and seller, negotiable)
- Specific Business Tax (SBT): 3.3% on sale price if held under 5 years (companies always pay)
- Stamp duty: 0.5% on sale price if held 5+ years (and SBT not applicable)
- Withholding tax: Variable — calculated using progressive scale on assumed gain, depends on holding period
- Total typical cost (5+ year hold): Around 4–6% of sale value, paid mostly at Land Department
- CGT-equivalent for foreigners: No separate CGT — withholding is the de-facto income tax on the sale
There's No 'CGT' — But There's Withholding
Thailand doesn't have a US-style or UK-style capital-gains tax. Instead, when property is sold, the Land Department collects an upfront withholding tax that approximates income tax on the gain. The calculation is convoluted because it uses the Land Department's assessed value (not the actual sale price), the seller's holding period, and the progressive personal-income-tax scale.
The upshot: the longer you've held it, the lower the deemed gain, the lower the tax. After 8+ years, most of the gain is treated as 'principal recovery' rather than profit. The Land Department staff calculate this on the day of transfer and collect it before issuing the new title deed.
The Four Components of Sale-Side Tax
Every property sale in Thailand hits four tax-line items. They get split between buyer and seller in your sales contract — by default the seller pays withholding + SBT/stamp duty, but everything is negotiable.
1. Transfer Fee — 2% of assessed value. By tradition split 50/50, but contracts vary. The Land Department's assessed value is usually 50–80% of actual market price (lagging valuations).
2. Specific Business Tax (SBT) — 3.3% of sale price. Applies to: properties sold within 5 years of acquisition (held in personal name) AND properties owned by Thai companies regardless of holding period. Effectively a transaction tax targeting flippers and corporate owners.
3. Stamp Duty — 0.5% of sale price. Applies if SBT does NOT apply (i.e., personal-name ownership held 5+ years). It's an either-or with SBT.
4. Withholding Tax — calculated by the Land Department using a formula that simulates income tax on the gain. For most 5+ year holds in Phuket, this works out to 1–4% of sale value.
Total drag for a 5+ year personal-name hold: approximately 4–6% of sale value, all paid at the Land Department transfer.
Worked Example: Selling a Patong Condo
Suppose you bought a 1-bedroom Patong condo in 2019 for ฿4,500,000. You're selling in May 2026 (7-year hold) for ฿5,800,000. The Land Department's current assessed value is ฿4,200,000.
- Transfer fee: 2% × ฿4,200,000 (assessed) = ฿84,000 (split 50/50: ฿42,000 each)
- SBT or Stamp Duty: held 5+ years, so stamp duty: 0.5% × ฿5,800,000 = ฿29,000 (seller)
- Withholding tax: at 7 years, assumed gain ratio is ~50%, progressive rate applied = roughly ฿80,000–120,000 (seller)
Total seller cost: roughly ฿151,000–191,000 on a ฿5,800,000 sale (2.6–3.3% of sale price). Buyer's share: ฿42,000 (transfer fee). Combined transaction cost: ~3–4% of sale value.
If you'd sold this same condo in 2021 (2-year hold), SBT would replace stamp duty — 3.3% × ฿5,800,000 = ฿191,400. The withholding tax would also be higher at the shorter holding period. Total transaction cost ~7–8% — significantly more painful for short holds.
Foreign Seller Specifics
For foreign sellers (typically condo owners — foreigners can't own land), the process is the same but with two extra requirements:
- Foreign Currency Transfer Form (FCTF) — proof that the original purchase money was brought in from abroad in foreign currency. Required for foreigners to repatriate the sale proceeds.
- Tax clearance — most condo sales by foreigners require a Revenue Department tax clearance certificate before the transfer can register. Your accountant or lawyer obtains this; takes 1–2 weeks.
Without a valid FCTF from your original purchase, you can sell the condo for THB but can't easily convert and remit the proceeds abroad. The Bank of Thailand limits annual outbound foreign-currency conversion for foreigners. With FCTF, you can repatriate up to the original FCTF amount in matching foreign currency without restriction.
The 2024 Remittance Rule and Sale Proceeds
If you sell a property in Thailand and keep the THB proceeds in Thailand, no income-tax remittance question arises — the withholding tax already covers the Thai tax side. Done.
If you sell a foreign property and remit proceeds to Thailand, the 2024 remittance rule applies. The capital gain (sale minus original purchase price minus allowable costs) is foreign-source income, taxable in Thailand when remitted. Tax-treaty credits usually offset most or all of this if you've already paid CGT in your home country.
The clean planning move: if you're selling a UK or US property and want to bring proceeds to Thailand, sell BEFORE you become Thai tax resident (under 180 days in the year of sale), or document your home-country tax payment carefully to claim the Thai treaty credit on remittance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there capital-gains tax in Thailand? +
Not as a separate tax. The withholding tax collected at the Land Department on property transfer is effectively the income tax on the gain. It's calculated using a formula based on assessed value and holding period.
How is withholding tax calculated? +
It's a blended formula: assessed value × deemed-gain percentage (decreasing with holding period) × progressive personal income tax scale. Land Department staff calculate on the day. For a 7-year hold, the withholding is typically 1–4% of sale price.
Do I need a tax clearance to sell as a foreigner? +
For Thai condo sales by foreigners, yes — Revenue Department clearance is usually required for the Land Department to register the new title. Your lawyer obtains it; takes 1–2 weeks and ฿3,000–8,000 in fees.
Can I deduct improvement costs? +
Not in the way you might in the UK or US. The Thai withholding tax formula uses a fixed deemed-gain percentage based on holding period — no cost-basis deduction in the same way. Some specific renovation costs can be argued in special cases via the Revenue Department but rarely worth the complexity.
What if I'm selling to my Thai spouse? +
Inter-spouse transfers are generally exempt from gift tax up to ฿20M/year. Land Department transfer fees still apply unless documented as a gift (different process). Consult a Phuket lawyer for the cleanest path.
How long does the sale process take in Phuket? +
From signed contract to completed Land Department transfer: typically 30–60 days. Tax clearance for foreign sellers adds ~2 weeks. Ensure your lawyer schedules everything around Land Department appointment availability — peak season (Dec–Feb) backs up.
Related Guides
Plan the sale before you list
Property tax in Thailand is more about timing and structure than rate. A short consultation with a Phuket-licensed accountant or property lawyer often saves 1–3% of sale value — meaningful money on a ฿6M+ transaction.
Find a Phuket Tax Accountant →
Read About Property Costs →