Register a company in Thailand — built for foreign owners

Only in specific situations. The Foreign Business Act restricts many activities to majority Thai ownership unless you hold a Foreign Business Licence or Certificate, are promoted by the Board of Investment, or qualify under a treaty such as the US–Thai Treaty of Amity. Manufacturing and export-focused businesses are frequently able to be foreign-majority; retail, most services and land-related activities usually are not without a licence.

A private limited company currently requires a minimum of two promoters/shareholders and at least one director. Directors may be foreign nationals. Nominee shareholding purely to disguise foreign control is illegal, so the Thai shareholders in your structure must have genuine funds and a real role.

Capital is driven by what you need it to do, not by a single rule: two million baht of paid-up capital per foreign work permit is the standard Department of Employment benchmark, while the Foreign Business Act sets its own minimums for restricted activities. We size the capital against your hiring plan and licensing route before the memorandum is filed.

With a complete file — name reservation, memorandum, statutory meeting documents and directors' signatures — registration at the Department of Business Development is usually completed within a few working days. Adding VAT registration, social security registration and the corporate bank account extends the schedule, and bank onboarding is normally the slowest step.

Yes. Passports, corporate shareholder certificates, board resolutions and powers of attorney issued abroad must be presented in certified Thai translation, and corporate documents generally need an Apostille or embassy legalisation followed by Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs certification. We do the translation and legalisation in the same engagement.

Keep statutory accounts, file monthly withholding tax and VAT returns where applicable, submit social security contributions for employees, file the half-year and annual corporate income tax returns, hold an annual general meeting and lodge audited financial statements with the Department of Business Development. Missing these is the most common cause of problems at work permit renewal.

A limited company is a separate Thai legal entity and the usual choice for trading. A branch is an extension of the foreign parent and carries the parent's liability. A representative office may only conduct non-revenue activities such as sourcing, quality control and reporting to head office. The right form depends on whether you will invoice from Thailand.

We prepare the pack Thai banks ask for — company affidavit, shareholder list, objectives, director identification, office lease and a clear business description in Thai — and brief you for the branch interview. The account decision remains the bank's.