What are the visa and investment requirements for starting a small business in Thailand as a foreigner?

Oct 24, 2022
2 years ago
Matthew ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hello everyone I have a few questions below if you could help me out

I’m looking to start a small business here in thailand

The business will be similar and small, like a coffee shop, ice cream shop, etc. but we’ll have our own twist. So just a small little shop. 

1) what is visa requirement to do this

2) what is the investment requirement by government standards

3) do I have to hire locals to work, or those there have to be a national with ownership in it as well?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Starting a small business in Thailand, such as a coffee or ice cream shop, involves specific visa and investment requirements. To work legally, you will need a Non-B visa and a work permit, which necessitates hiring at least four Thai employees for each work permit granted to a foreigner. The startup capital is generally set at a minimum of 2 million THB for registration, and you can only own up to 49% of your business, unless you qualify for an exception through a treaty or partnership with a Thai national.
Siddhartha *********
Any venture needs full homework and patience, can reach goals! You can have your twist and tactics:- eventually rules and requirements too have their own twists and turns but we need to comply them !

If you are working on site with remuneration than need work permit with visa B- having hire 4 locals on/off paper! 51% thai (nominee) you can 49% max and still have statutory signatory (owner)

Minimum 2 mil bhat capital company (does not need that amount in bank ) company gets registered
*****
k (other licenses and permits required)

To do all this you can on any visa., and then convert on right one in country!

Basically you will need business address for company+ local thai nominee on board of your company( not owners) to start with….

You can contact messenger we are business consultant and export company with thai and English representative

Good luck
Kool *******
Okay, let's start from the beginning, and get rid of lots of the misleading information you've got so far. Firstly, it is expensive to start a small business, and with any business dealing with the public you have job restrictions, jobs foreigners are banned from doing.

To set up a small business takes at least bt2million in registered capital, and you can only own 49% of your business. The other 51% is owned by Thai partners. For each work permit you must have the bt2million in registered capital, and hire four Thai employees. For two work permits all this would double. If you are married to a Thai these requirements are cut in half, bt1million registered capital, and two Thai employees. Your wife would be the 51% share holder. The Thai job restrictions for foreigners ban any form of retail sales. You can consult, but not sell to the public. You will be a simple small business so you won't qualify as a BOI registered company. Forget about setting up an NGO as that takes at least bt150nillion in registered capital, and government approval. You get your business set up legally then you can get your type B visa and work permit, or if you are married to a Thai, you can also work, and get the work permit with a type O visa extension based on Thai wife. These are the basics. There are other requirements depending on what type of business you start, but these are the basics. If you are an American you could set up a Treaty of Amity business, but all this does is eliminate your need for a work permit, and the Thai employees, but the financial requirement is the same. It just gives you a year to meet that requirement. It also costs from bt60,000-bt80,000 in attorney fees setting up the required corporation. My wife is a licensed accountant and deals with all this on a regular basis.
Craig ********
@Kool ******
if you are married to a thai woman can't you just put 100% in her name and skip all the complicated farang regs?
Bill *********
@Craig *******
if you do anything for the business make it behind the scenes such as going to the store for supplies, cleaning, landscaping the yard, repairs to the house, washing dishes, doing the books can be done in private, etc. You get the idea. Now, I have heard that as we age, farangs can help the spouse in the business due to old age. Maybe
@Kool ******
has heard this? I was told this by a farang that helps his wife in her business.
Craig ********
@Bill ********
Yes you would be an employee of the business but not an owner
Kool *******
@Craig *******
you can, but for you to do any kind of work she would still need to meet the requirements to sponsor your work permit. Because you are married, just bt1million in registered capital, and only two hired Thai employees in order to get you your work permit. Without that work permit you can not do any work of any kind. That's the catch, the required work permit.
Ste *******
Put it in a Thais name. Pay them something each month. Get a working visa 90 day renewable.
Paul ********
Carlsberg?? Tesco?? Body Shop

Up To You

Stay Sexy
Oliver ************************
Hello my people!!!

I just received my Tourist visa for 90 days

I would like to know the requirements upon arrive at the airport. What will the Thai immigration officer be asking for.

This is my first time coming to Thailand
John ********
Kofi Kwarteng-Bentil just make sure that you open the page with your 90 visa to show the immigration or they will just stamp your passport for 45 days
Oliver ************************
Mark **********
Hi Matthew, there is a Treaty of Amity with Thailand that permits American majority ownership of businesses in Thailand. The capitalization requirement is 2M THB, from which you can pay your salary, but equipment etc. If you don’t employ 4 Thai staff you will have to make 90 day border runs as your Non B one year extension would not be granted until you meet the staffing requirement. There are other options available to you. FB can give you some perspectives, but if you’re making Thailand home and are committed to starting a business I would recommend getting advice from counsel or someone who has been down this path. Best of luck to you. Mark
Matthew ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Mark *********
that you sir for this information. Blessings my friend
Shah *****
Registered your company almost 70k baht to 80k baht in which you get non B work permit and you allow hire two foringer peoples for your restaurant.if you have 300k to 400k baht enough start your little business.
Casey ******
@Shah ****
and someone told you about four employees. Why in the world are you talking about two people now?
Shah *****
@Casey *****
I watch the you tube vlog of lawyer.he tell in detail all about registered the company.how much cost and how much foringer you can hire.if 4 million baht registered the company then 2 foringer visa allow.if 2 million then one visa
Chris ********
@Shah ****
very wrong. It's much more complex than that.
Casey ******
@Shah ****
more importantly, you JUST asked this question one week ago on this very message board.
Shah *****
@Casey *****
dear I search lawyer there so he give me all information about it so I share it
Casey ******
@Shah ****
why does he need 300k you just said he needed 70k-80k. Also why did you say he needs to hire only 2 employees?

It’s wrong information and you’re confusing this guy who just wants advice.
Casey ******
@Shah ****
also can you cite the source that he needs to hire 2 people?

Anyone and everyone that should be posting advice here knows that number is actual four people, so of course we are all shocked to hear it’s now only two people. Can you cite the basis for the advice you gave?
Casey ******
@Shah ****
why does he need “300k to 400k” to “start his little business?”

You just said clearly the incorporation costs were 70k to 80k. Can you break down your knowledge of his venture and how you arrived at the additional 230k-330k?

Thanks!
Matthew ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Shah ****
thank you for that information.
Shah *****
@Matthew *****
welcome dear
Maple *********
Waiting for read the answer.
Matthew ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Maple ********
sorry I don't understand
Maple *********
@Matthew *****
I mean I interested too then wait for read another comment. Sorry
Matthew ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Maple ********
all ok. I hope you find out what is need as well
Sam *********
It can be done, while there is red tape involved, I think many people tend to overstate the difficulties, after all there are plenty of businesses that are at least partially expat run and managed all across the country. My advice would be to seek out advice from folks who have been down this path. Generally the advice on this page is great in terms visas in general, but as for the ins and outs of starting a business, I would recommend asking and consulting an expert..
Matthew ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Sam ********
thank you sir for that.
Matthew ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Yea I definitely agree
Sam *********
@Matthew *****
of course, good luck. Plenty of foreigners have started successful businesses in Thailand, please don’t let anyone tell you it can’t be done..
Jake *******
I have a vegan restaurant and health shop in Pai that we’re selling

that could be interesting for you.
Matthew ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
pm sent
Michael ********
Its not that expensive to start a business what gets expensive is having four thais fully paid, social security etc.

I dont think what you plan to do would be allowed either unless you just stayed behind the scene
Matthew ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
With that said is it hard to just setup up a NGO there instead of a business. We were just hoping that we could earn some money to cover some of our expense
Matthew ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Ok. Thank you for time and information
Michael ********
@Matthew *****
no idea sorry. The only person i knew who did that has passed on, but i remember took him a couple of years to set up legally but that was the Phuket gibbon rehabiltation center. So wildlife legaslation as well
Matthew ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Michael question, We're a Christian Ngo out of USA and the work were wanting to start a business to help cover some of cost to help do work in South East Asia .
Michael ********
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Brandon ************
It's very expensive to start a business and requires a large amount of capital. You also won't be able to work at all unless you have a non-B visa and work permit. You can only get 1 foreigner work permit for every 4 full time Thai employees you have.
Matthew ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
thank you sir. That’s what I was trying to find out
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