Answered2 years ago

What are the current visa and business ownership requirements for starting a tour company in Thailand?

Thai visa requirements Investor visa Working visa Tourism business regulations Company registration in Thailand Foreign ownership laws

Ming ****

asked Nov 20, 2024

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Is there any foreign investor here? If I do not get an investor/elite visa, I intend to apply for a working visa as optional. From my understanding, If I want to start a tour company here, it appears that a local partnership with 51% ownership is required. The information I found online is quite out of date. Is this policy still in effect these days. Also, I discovered that there are numerous unregistered companies with no licenses operating tours in Thailand. (ex. [members only], [members only]/) Are the laws allowing this? They don't seem to be in any trouble. I'm looking for advice on starting a tour business in Thailand and I can't seek a clear information about it. What kind of visa and license do I need? I heard there is more than one license required. This is a little confusing.

Answer summary

The user seeks information on starting a tour company in Thailand and the necessary visas or licenses. They mention the 51% local ownership requirement and ask if this policy is still current, considering they have found outdated information. Comments highlight that all companies (except those under the Amity Treaty or BOI) must have 51% Thai ownership and that tour guiding is reserved for Thai nationals. There's also a note about recent enforcement against unlicensed foreign tour guides in Thailand.

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Bä ****

FAFO…..

2 years ago

Pui *****

In case you are Chinese ethnicity and/or targeting Chinese tourists, be particularly aware that the Thai government has specifically been cracking down on Chinese tours, as Chinese tour operators are frequent offenders.

2 years ago

Joseph *********

@Pui ****

Chinese are now banned from Vietnam

2 years ago

Ming ****

@Joseph ********

Wish they do the same in Thailand.

2 years ago

Ming ****

@Pui ****

I searched the article online, yeah I saw the reports. There are still many get away with this. Sometimes you can't tell whether he/she is a tourist or tour guide. From my personal experience, I saw some at the temples myself. The officers stationed there seem to be ignorance.

2 years ago

Pui *****

Sounds like you are planning to be one of the rule breakers, and unfortunately, like many Chinese, they think it is OK to not respect the law. This is why legit Chinese businessmen have to suffer because of too many Chinese in Thailand thinking the law doesn't apply to them.

2 years ago

Ming ****

@Pui ****

I am not planning to be a rule breaker otherwise I won't ask for the information. What I read online is really contradict to what is happening out there. I am really confusing what or not should I do. I have spoken with some locals, and they have no idea about the regulations.

2 years ago

Tony **********

Treaty of Amity is good advice. Since you went to UNLV, assuming you are probably American.

2 years ago

Brandon ************

Unless you're America and create an Amity Treaty company, or have a BOI company, all companies in Thailand must be 51% owned by Thai.

Also be aware that tour guide is a protected profession and only Thai citizens are allowed to perform this job. That doesn't mean a foreigner can't be part owner of a company that runs tours, it just means that foreigners cannot be the tour guides.

A lot of news articles recently about foreigners being arrested for giving tours.

Also a lot of news lately about crackdowns on Thai nominees, which is where Thai people are just found to be placeholders in a company but don't have any financial interest or otherwise in the company, which is illegal.

2 years ago

Ming ****

@Brandon ***********

Thanks for your input Brandon. I didn't know a foreigner cannot be the tour guide. I remembered I saw a Caucasian guy leading a group of German tourists around the city. It seems the law is making it hard for non-local to get into the tour industry. However, there are many are getting away with this restriction.

2 years ago