Starting A Business In Thailand

[wineguy]

I am thinking of starting a business in Thailand ( Bangkok) . It will involve light manufacturing and the hiring of some employees . The business will sell product in Thailand as well as exporting to other countries. I would need to rent or lease approximately 1500 sq. ft. in a commercial area or possibly an industrial park of some sort,I don't know if there is a Thai equivalent to our industrial parks in Canada. This is day one for research so I am asking for any help, comments or suggestions regarding setting up a business (from permits visas required and or licences) Perhaps some insight in operating a business in Thailand. Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks

[ThaiGoon]

This website should have a lot of information you need:

Thailand Board of Investment

http://www.boi.go.th/english/

Good luck.

[Sunbelt Asia]

I am thinking of starting a business in Thailand ( Bangkok) . It will involve light manufacturing and the hiring of some employees . The business will sell product in Thailand as well as exporting to other countries. I would need to rent or lease approximately 1500 sq. ft. in a commercial area or possibly an industrial park of some sort,I don't know if there is a Thai equivalent to our industrial parks in Canada. This is day one for research so I am asking for any help, comments or suggestions regarding setting up a business (from permits visas required and or licences) Perhaps some insight in operating a business in Thailand. Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks

The good news is you can own this business 100% as a foreigner. You will need a factory license. If you or other foreigners are working in the company, you will need a work permit. If you do not have BOI approval, the registered capital is 2 million Baht per work permit.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[wineguy]

I am thinking of starting a business in Thailand ( Bangkok) . It will involve light manufacturing and the hiring of some employees . The business will sell product in Thailand as well as exporting to other countries. I would need to rent or lease approximately 1500 sq. ft. in a commercial area or possibly an industrial park of some sort,I don't know if there is a Thai equivalent to our industrial parks in Canada. This is day one for research so I am asking for any help, comments or suggestions regarding setting up a business (from permits visas required and or licences) Perhaps some insight in operating a business in Thailand. Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks

The good news is you can own this business 100% as a foreigner. You will need a factory license. If you or other foreigners are working in the company, you will need a work permit. If you do not have BOI approval, the registered capital is 2 million Baht per work permit.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

Thank you for your reply. Could you please elaborate on the following; What does a factory licence entail and cost and what is a BOI approval? Also , if I am only in a supervisor or managerial role do I still need a work permit?

[Martin_F]

I am thinking of starting a business in Thailand ( Bangkok) . It will involve light manufacturing and the hiring of some employees . The business will sell product in Thailand as well as exporting to other countries. I would need to rent or lease approximately 1500 sq. ft. in a commercial area or possibly an industrial park of some sort,I don't know if there is a Thai equivalent to our industrial parks in Canada. This is day one for research so I am asking for any help, comments or suggestions regarding setting up a business (from permits visas required and or licences) Perhaps some insight in operating a business in Thailand. Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks

The good news is you can own this business 100% as a foreigner. You will need a factory license. If you or other foreigners are working in the company, you will need a work permit. If you do not have BOI approval, the registered capital is 2 million Baht per work permit.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

Thank you for your reply. Could you please elaborate on the following; What does a factory licence entail and cost and what is a BOI approval? Also , if I am only in a supervisor or managerial role do I still need a work permit?

You will need a work permit to do any work in Thailand ie a supervisor or even if you are the janitor (for which you would not get a wp).

If you were a silent investor no work permit required but you would have problems with a visa (and also control of your investment).

The licences vary dependig on the business:

According to the BOI site:

Under the Factory Act B.E. 2535 (1992), factories are separated into three groups according to the gravity of impact of the factory operations on the public or the environment, as follows:

• Group 1 - Factories that can operate immediately without prior government permission.
  
• Group 2 - Factories that require prior notification of the pertinent government authority before the business starts operations.
  
• Group 3 - Factories that require the application for a factory license before the establishment of the factory.
  

Before the construction of a factory classified under Group 3, the operator must obtain a factory license from the Department of Industrial Works, Ministry of Industry. Application for a license entails completing an official form, submitting drawings and particulars of the factory, machinery, and acceptable effluent treatment system, and attaching a set of documents stipulated on the form. These additional documents include statements of the amount of investment in factory construction and operation, number and grades of factory employees, details of production, construction period for the factory, and the blueprints of the structures and the machinery that will be installed. The factory must be constructed in accordance with the approved plan and specifications.

The operator of a Group 3 factory must notify the competent authority at least 15 days before a factory test-run commences, and again 15 days before actual manufacturing operations start.

The factory license is valid up to the last day of the fifth calendar year from the year of commencement and is renewable. An application for renewal of the factory license must be filed to the authority prior to the expiration of that license.

Licensees must also obtain prior permission from the Ministry of Industry for any factory expansion, transfer of machinery to other sites, or transfer of factory site. Permission is likewise required in order to transfer, lease, assign, or sell a factory operation.

The cost of the licence is between THB500.00 to THB60,000.00.

[captcraig]

Whew....I think I'd do the beer bar gig if I were you!