Category: Business in Thailand
Foreign Business Act: Consignment Sales in Thailand
The Foreign Business Act of 1999 is the fundamental law in Thailand that serves to restrict foreign investment and foreign business activity within the country. The Act designates specific industries or types of business activities in which foreigners are either strictly prohibited from engaging in or may only engage in after applying for permission. It […]
What is required to open a company in Thailand?
There are many reasons why a foreign national would like to open a business in Thailand. Establishing a Thai company may assist a foreigner to purchase property, live in Thailand, or work in Thailand. The Thai government would like the primary intent of forming a company to be the building of new businesses to earn […]
Government Fees for Representative Office in Thailand
The Thai government charges a fee for the issuance of a Foreign Business License (a permit required for foreigners to operate restricted businesses in Thailand) which vary depending on the type of business and on how the foreigner operates businesses. The government fee depends on the type of business that the foreigner will be engaging […]
International Trade Without Distribution in Thailand
Aside from being a place to do business, foreign companies are also choosing Thailand as a jurisdiction to locate their businesses perhaps without actually doing business there. The reasons why a foreign company may want to locate themselves in Thailand while engaging in business somewhere else are varied and complex; it may have to to […]
Contracts for Buying and Selling a Thai Business
In order to buy and sell a business in Thailand, the buyer and seller will have to sign an agreement regarding the transaction. Furthermore, the particularities of the contract will vary depending on how the business is registered and what the assets of the business include. In this article, we will review some necessary elements […]
Revised Board of Investment Policy
The Board of Investment (BOI) of Thailand has revised its investment policy in order to account for the changes in both the Thai and global economies. The BOI has announced a goal for its new policy which is based on promoting “investments offering value,” both within Thailand and for Thai investment overseas. The new policy […]
Foreign Business Act: Manufacturing For Hire
Manufacturing is generally not restricted by the Foreign Business Act of 1999 which means that foreigners are allowed to operate such businesses in Thailand without having to apply for a Foreign Business License. However, one unclear point regarding manufacturing is whether manufacturing products according to specific customer orders is restricted to foreigners under the Foreign […]
Thai-U.S. Treaty of Amity Frequently Asked Questions
The purpose of this article is to address a few questions that are frequently raised by clients regarding the Thai-U.S. Treaty of Amity, which allows U.S. citizens and companies to be exempted from most of the restrictions of the Foreign Business Act of 1999. Although the meaning of the Treaty of Amity itself is rather […]
Direct Selling under the Foreign Business Act
Direct sales or direct marketing generally refers to the the selling or marketing of goods and services by independent sales agent to consumers directly at their home or workplace. In Thailand, the Direct Sales and Marketing Act of B.E. 2545 (2002) defines the terms as follows: “Direct sales” refers to the marketing of goods or […]
Restrictions on Unfair Trade Practices in Franchise Businesses
Commissioner Santichai Santawanpas of the Office of Trade Competition Commission or OTCC announced last month that new guidelines on unfair trade practices of franchise businesses would be enforced starting February 4, 2020. He said that the change aims at ensuring good governance, establishing business practice standards, and protecting small-scale franchise holders from bigger ones. At […]