Thailand Country Profile

Passport
For more details visit Thailand Passport Ranking
  • Passport Grade
    C-
  • Passport Ranking
    104/198
  • Passport Score
    62.8/198
  • Visa-free Countries
    76
  • Visa-required Countries
    122
  • Access to the World's GDP
    20%
  • Access to the World's Surface Area
    41%
  • Access to the World's Population
    27%
  • Access to the Unesco Sites
    27%
Citizenship and Naturalization
Birthright citizenship (Jus Soli)
  • Birthright citizenship (Jus Soli)
    No
    No provisions
Naturalization - Standard Conditions
  • Minimum residency period
    5 years
    Reportedly, successful naturalzations are rare. To qualify, must also score 50 out of 100 points based on your age, education, income, language proficiency, etc.
  • Physical presence requirement
  • Language test
    Yes, Thai
  • Need to renounce original citizenship?
    Yes, but no proof is required
  • Can minor children naturalize?
  • Can naturalized parents pass citizenship to a child born abroad?
  • Can you lose naturalization due to prolonged absence/ naturalization elsewhere?
Naturalization - Your Spouse is a Citizen
  • Living IN the country: Residency/marriage requirement
    3 years / 3 years
    Must be both married and reside in the country for 3 years. Females married to Thai nationals may apply immediately after marriage.
  • Living ABROAD: Marriage requirement
  • Language test
    Yes, Thai
  • Need to renounce original citizenship?
    Yes, but no proof is required.
Naturalization - Other Beneficial Provisions
  • Your child is a citizen
    1 year
    Male spouses of Thai wifes with a common child may apply after both residing in Thailand and being married for 1 year. (Female applicants may apply immediately.)
  • Citizens of specific countries
"–": The provision has not been analysed.
Visas and Residencies
Visas and Residencies
Taxation
For more details visit Cost of Living
  • Taxation Type
    Residence-based
A tax resident of a country with a RESIDENCE-BASED tax system pays taxes on their WORLDWIDE income. However, if you lose tax residency status there (e.g., by moving out), the country will generally stop taxing you.

Non-Thai income of foreign residents will ONLY be taxed if remitted to Thailand in the same year when it was earned.
Schiff Sovereign's Take on Thailand
Thailand is an amazing place. So unsurprisingly, many Sovereign Man subscribers have lived there over the years.

And that’s because Thailand really ticks a lot of boxes.

The beaches are pristine and beautiful. The tropical climate is agreeable. The culture is fascinating, and there’s always something to do. (Or not do – you can just chill out on the beach if that’s your preference.) 

The local cuisine is also phenomenal.

Retirees love Thailand because of the (relatively) low cost of living, the natural beauty, and the easy access to excellent, affordable healthcare.

Medical costs in Thailand are at least half of what they are in Singapore (where care is also high quality and inexpensive), three times cheaper than in Hong Kong, and perhaps ten times cheaper than in the USA.

And the Thai medical centers, with their leather couches, warm lighting and modern decor feel more like business hotels than cold, harshly lit hospitals. (We consider Thailand to be one of the world's top medical tourism destinations.)

Digital nomads love Thailand, too. It would be fair to say that prior to the pandemic, Chiang Mai served as the unofficial capital of digital nomadism.

But that changed during the pandemic as Thailand, like most countries in Southeast Asia, enacted some of the harshest lockdowns, and imposed severe entry restrictions on tourists. Things are slowly going back to normal now, however. 

Today, you can also obtain residency in the country with relative ease.

But keep in mind that there are downsides to Thailand, too. There is corruption that you will likely feel if you try to accomplish something more complicated than ordering a meal at the restaurant.

And there is continuous political calamity. The country seems to have a military-led coup d’etat every five years or so. At the same time, however, if you are not into politics, you are not likely to even notice this.

Sovereign Global Explorer

Benefiting from over a decade of our team’s boots-on-the-ground experience, Global Explorer is where your international journey begins.
Thailand Overview
  • Region
    Asia
  • Capital City
    Bangkok
  • Largest City
    Bangkok
  • Currency
    Thai baht
  • Languages
    Thai
  • Population
    66.9 million (22nd)
  • Life Expectancy
    77.7 years (82nd)
  • GDP (Nominal)
    $534.8 billion (27th)
  • GDP/Capita
    $7,999 (98th)
Useful Data
For more details visit Cost of Living
  • Cost of Living
    Very cheap (2/7)
  • Climate
    Average (3/5)
  • Safety
    Safe (3/7)
  • Pollution
    Polluted (4/5)
  • English Proficiency
    Low (4/5)

Sovereign Global Explorer

Benefiting from over a decade of our team’s boots-on-the-ground experience, Global Explorer is where your international journey begins.

Articles featuring Thailand

Trends & News

This special treaty gives Americans preferential treatment in Thailand

March 3, 2015 Bangkok, Thailand Those who have traveled will understand me when I say that you can instantly feel what local people’s attitudes towards you are just from the way they look at you. It’s hard to describe specifically what the differences are… you just feel it. As a traveler this can have a […]

Trends & News

Living like a Hollywood king in Bangkok, Thailand

The first time I met Steven Seagal, it was in the lobby of a posh hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. He came downstairs sharply dressed, complete with his yellow-tinged ‘Tony Stark’ sunglasses, ready to hit the nightclubs for the evening. My friend Adam introduced us. Steven bowed to me, and, slightly puzzled, I bowed back, unsure […]

Trends & News

Thailand: “same same, but different”

The King of Thailand died yesterday, and the military junta running the country has declared an entire year of mourning. I saw a quick headline from The Economist which screamed, “The death of the Thai king throws the country into turmoil.” Really? This must be a different country from the one I know. I’ve been […]

Second Residency

Thailand Elite Visa Program 2023: What are the Pros and Cons?

Thailand, for decades, has been a bucket list destination for backpackers, retirees and long-term travelers. Yet in terms of its long-term visa options, the choices used to be limited. Fortunately, the arrival of the Thailand Elite visa program in 2003 changed all of that. Let’s have a look at the program’s pros and cons below… […]

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