Register a Company in Thailand 2026 — Thai Ltd, BOI & Treaty of Amity

Yes, but only through one of four routes: (1) BOI promotion for a qualifying A1–A4 activity, (2) US Treaty of Amity if all foreign shareholders are US citizens or US-incorporated entities, (3) a Foreign Business Licence from the Ministry of Commerce for restricted List 2/3 activities, or (4) the activity falls outside the Foreign Business Act restrictions altogether (most manufacturing and export). A standard Thai Limited otherwise requires at least 51% Thai shareholding. Nominee Thai shareholders are illegal under Section 36 of the FBA — we never set them up.

Legally 15 THB per shareholder. Practically: 2M THB fully paid-up per foreign work permit you intend to sponsor, 3M THB for a Branch or FBL, and the BOI sets its own minimum per activity (often 1M THB plus 25% equity). Capital does not need to be deposited in a Thai bank for Thai-majority companies; foreign-majority companies and FBLs require bank-certified remittance.

A Thai Limited can be registered in 3 working days if shareholders are in Thailand and documents are pre-signed; 7–14 working days is realistic for most clients. BOI promotion takes 60–120 days from filing to certificate. FBLs take 90–180 days and are discretionary. Bank account opening adds 1–10 days depending on ownership structure.

Yes — the DBD, Revenue Department, Social Security Office and bank all need a verifiable address with a lease and landlord consent letter. Virtual offices are accepted by the DBD for registration but rejected by the Revenue Department for VAT and by most banks for account opening. We recommend a real serviced office in Pattaya, Bangkok or Chonburi for any company that will trade, sponsor work permits or register for VAT.

Name reservation: free. MOA capital registration: 50 THB per 100,000 THB of capital, capped at 25,000 THB. Company registration: 5,500 THB. Stamp duty: ~200 THB. VAT registration: free. Tax ID: free. SSO registration: free. Bank account: 500–2,000 THB. Notary/translation (per page): 500–800 THB. Our all-in fee from 25,000 THB covers everything above plus drafting, filings, two company stamps and accompaniment.

Thai Limited if you have a Thai partner or your activity is unrestricted: cheapest, fastest, no ongoing reporting beyond standard accounting. BOI if your activity qualifies (tech, manufacturing, R&D, agribusiness, EEC): tax holidays and 100% ownership, but heavier reporting and a 1-year promotion review. Treaty of Amity if all shareholders are US: 100% ownership without BOI conditions, but excludes broadcasting, transport, banking, land and natural resources. FBL only if none of the above work. See our comparison table above.

Monthly: PND 1/3/53 withholding tax (by the 7th), PP30 VAT (by the 15th), SSO contributions (by the 15th). Annually: corporate tax (PND 50, within 150 days of year-end), audited financial statements lodged with the DBD (within 1 month of AGM), AGM (within 4 months of year-end). Late filing penalties start at 200 THB per form and escalate fast. We handle the full compliance package — see our Accounting service.

Yes — registration is permitted on any legal status. Trading and being employed by the company requires a work permit, which requires a Non-B visa and the company to first be capitalised at 2M THB per work permit with the 4:1 Thai staff ratio met. We sequence the visa conversion alongside registration.

If your business is on the Eastern Seaboard (Pattaya, Chonburi, Rayong, EEC) every filing — DBD Chonburi branch, Chonburi Revenue, Chonburi Social Security, Chonburi Immigration, EEC Office — is local to us. We file in person on the day of submission, not by courier, which cuts a week off most timelines and avoids the rejection-by-post loop that catches out remote agents.