Registering a company in Thailand is more straightforward than many foreign entrepreneurs expect, but getting the details right from the start saves time and money. Here’s a practical step-by-step guide to incorporating your Thai limited company.
Step 1: Choose Your Company Structure
Most foreign entrepreneurs choose between three main structures:
- Thai-majority company – 51% Thai / 49% foreign ownership
- BOI-promoted company – 100% foreign ownership with tax incentives
- Treaty of Amity company – 100% US ownership under the US-Thai treaty
Each has different capital requirements, permitted activities, and regulatory implications.
Step 2: Reserve Your Company Name
Submit three name choices to the Department of Business Development (DBD). The name must be unique and not similar to existing registered companies. Name reservation typically takes 1-2 business days and remains valid for 30 days.
Step 3: Prepare Founding Documents
Draft the Memorandum of Association listing the company name, registered office address, business objectives, registered capital, and founding shareholders (minimum 3 for a limited company). All shareholders must sign and the document must be filed with the DBD.
Step 4: Hold the Statutory Meeting
The founding shareholders hold a statutory meeting to adopt the company’s articles of association, appoint directors, approve share allocation, and authorize the directors to register the company. Minutes must be properly recorded and filed.
Step 5: Register with the DBD
File the registration application with the DBD along with all required documents. Once approved, you’ll receive a company registration certificate and a 13-digit taxpayer identification number. The entire DBD process typically takes 1-3 business days.
Step 6: Post-Registration Setup
After registration, you’ll need to:
- Register for VAT if your turnover will exceed 1.8 million baht
- Register for social security if you’ll have employees
- Open a corporate bank account
- Set up your accounting system (we use Xero for real-time visibility)
Timeline and Cost
The full registration process typically takes 2-4 weeks from name reservation to bank account opening. At DDES, our company registration service costs 25,000 baht and includes everything from incorporation through tax ID registration.
Contact us to get started with your company registration in Thailand.