Annual Property Tax in Thailand: Rates and the Fine Print for Foreign Owners

Before the fine print — here's the actual math. The rate depends on the property's appraised value:

Most condominium units in Phuket fall in the first bracket — here's what that works out to in cash terms:

The formula for a specific property (while its value stays under THB 40 million): appraised value × 0.02%. But before paying a single baht, it's worth checking whether the property qualifies for the first-THB-50-million exemption — covered next.

Who pays, and on what

Thailand's annual Land and Building Tax is paid by the property's owner, regardless of nationality. For a foreigner who's bought a condominium unit, the same principle applies as for a Thai owner:

The tax is calculated on the property's appraised value (not the purchase price) and is paid annually to the local authority where the property is located.

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Rates for residential property

For residential property owned by an individual, the rates are progressive and rise with the appraised value:

If the value falls within the exemption threshold covered below, there may be no tax at all.

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The first THB 50 million exemption: the catch for a foreign owner

A separate exemption removes the first THB 50 million of a residential property's appraised value from tax entirely — but the wording ties it directly to whether the owner's name is listed in the household registration book:

Here's the practical detail: the exemption, by its own wording, hinges on the owner's name being entered in the household registration book as their primary residence as of a set date. For Thai nationals, that's the standard (blue) house registration book. A foreign condominium owner can, in principle, be entered into a separate house registration book for foreigners (the so-called "yellow" Tabien Baan) — but only if they actually live in the unit permanently, hold a long-term visa, and are the registered owner. The process for this and the exact tax-exempt threshold can differ from the scenario where the exemption is calculated for someone who owns both the land and the building — a foreigner who owns only the condo unit, without the underlying land, typically falls under a different calculation. In practice, this means the exact exempt threshold and whether it applies to a specific unit is worth confirming directly with the local land tax office — the tessaban (municipal) or Tambon Administrative Organization (TAO) office where the property is located — before factoring the exemption into an ownership budget.

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What happens if the property sits empty

A separate, steeper rate schedule under the Land and Building Tax law applies to property that isn't used as a residence and isn't rented out — vacant land and unused buildings in particular — with rates that climb faster than the residential schedule and increase further the longer the property sits idle. If a condo or villa isn't going to be owner-occupied or rented out, it's worth confirming with the local tax office in advance which category the specific property falls under — it can meaningfully change the annual tax bill.

Paying the tax itself, like paying for the purchase, may require transferring funds from abroad through a legal exchange channel — if it's more convenient to send the annual payment from abroad rather than pay locally, EXFM can help arrange that transfer and the baht conversion.

Further reading: the annual property tax rates in the original source — the thailand.go.th portal.