Is it actually possible for a foreigner to buy land and run a tourism business in Thailand

[DezLez]

21 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

You can buy a 49-51 business, but who is going to be your partner? 

In the ideal world you want two or three Thai partners who do not know each other!

EG; your wife/GF with 45% and 2 or 3 others who are not interested in profits and do not know each other as a shareholder/partner!

[ThreeCardMonte]

44 minutes ago, rikiderorck said:

I put advice like yours in its own category because deep down, I know there’s some truth to what you’re saying. It’s always interesting to hear different opinions. But I do wish you could share some context or examples, that will help me understand the details better and know what to expect. It wouldn’t just help me, but also anyone else who reads the forum. There will be many people in the same situation, whether in a day, a month, or a year. Imagine how all those shared experiences and examples could create a solid resource database for everyone. 

Many examples on various Thai forums of guys losing their money on business in Thailand.   For those who will actually admit they screwed up.🔝 

 

Not even mentioning the headaches on a daily basis.

 

Sure, there may be a few successes.  
 

Enjoy your Thai holiday or retirement but leave it at that.  Be prepared to grab your passport and depart when necessary without financial obligations or loss.

 

Better to “invest “ in your home country.

[rikiderorck]

10 minutes ago, ThreeCardMonte said:

Many examples on various Thai forums of guys losing their money on business in Thailand.   For those who will actually admit they screwed up.🔝 

Thanks for the detailed reply. When you mention there are many examples on various Thai forums, do you have any specific ones in mind? Could you share some forum names or topic keywords you remember? Even just a few would help me search and find those discussions to document further.

 

10 minutes ago, ThreeCardMonte said:

Sure, there may be a few successes.  

Of course, this is something important to consider and reflect on, not to be ignored or taken lightly.

[ThreeCardMonte]

14 minutes ago, rikiderorck said:

Thanks for the detailed reply. When you mention there are many examples on various Thai forums, do you have any specific ones in mind? Could you share some forum names or topic keywords you remember? Even just a few would help me search and find those discussions to document further.

 

Of course, this is something important to consider and reflect on, not to be ignored or taken lightly.

Have you ever been to Thailand or just a dreamer?

[scorecard]

22 hours ago, rikiderorck said:

@Celsius Thanks a lot for taking the time to answer me, genuinely grateful for that I appreciate it. That said, if you don’t mind, Im curious to hear your thoughts on the actual questions I asked in the post. That way I can get more insights.

 

My comment - back to the drawing board, you can't own Thai land and that ain't gunna change ever. 

[rikiderorck]

24 minutes ago, ThreeCardMonte said:

Have you ever been to Thailand or just a dreamer?

 

Been in Thailand since 2018. I’ve been to Phuket, Krabi, Bangkok, Pattaya, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Korat, and traveled around the south too. My time in Isan was especially eye-opening, it helped me understand the real lives of people who come to the city for work. I’m an artist with techincal background in IT, so I was there for documentation and digging deeper into the culture.

I can read Thai at a basic level and usually communicate with locals using mixed Thai-English words. Most of the time, they don’t fully get me but say my Thai is good just to save face hahah , You see the pattern repeat so you learn that.

I could share a lot about my experiences, but compared to some old-timers on the forum, mine might seem small. Still, I think I got a decent grasp of things. I haven’t mentioned all this before because I want to focus on my current plans, which are serious and business-focused, not the usual SEXpat stuff. 

I’m not some guy who went once and thought everything was easy or welcoming. I’m aware of the hustle and challenges that come with living in thailand long-term. For the first three years, I came  staying max two weeks each time. Then, near the end of COVID, I stayed six months straight, going back and forth to malaysia becayse of visa rules and I wasnt under the non-b visa, but was extending my tourist visa by 30 days... So I’ve dealt with locals and fake friends and know some of the realities, including that you are farang and what they care about is your money... So dont worry, I m really cautious of many aspects....  

 

Anyway, I’m going to stop answering to off-topic stuff, not trying to be rude, just feels unproductive.

 

[Yellowtail]

3 hours ago, DezLez said:

In the ideal world you want two or three Thai partners who do not know each other!

EG; your wife/GF with 45% and 2 or 3 others who are not interested in profits and do not know each other as a shareholder/partner!

Clearly you know even less about operating a business in Thailand than you do about the United States. 

[Yellowtail]

3 hours ago, rikiderorck said:

 

@Yellowtail
Just wanted to go back with an update after going over things more carefully. You were correct to challenge me on the BOI angle. When I first saw categories like “Tourism Promotion Services” and “Activities to Support Tourism” (section 10.8 / 10.9 in the BOI PDF), https://www.boi.go.th/upload/section4_en_wt_link.pdf  ......  I thought maybe I could fit under that category. But once I really broke it down, it became clear to me those categories are targeting much larger-scale projects , things like theme parks, convention centers, cultural museums, etc.

The model I had in mind is a lot leaner: renting land (not buying), building a few small units, and organizing direct experiences for guests who book from abroad , airport pickups, island tours, maybe some small events. basically No major real estate play, no massive capital injection as of course the funds I have cant allow that. From everything I now see, that kind of setup just doesn’t meet the scope or the scale that BOI  to be built for.

So yeah, thanks for pushing that point , it made me reassess the path more honestly. So a small recap, based on what I learned now, I’ll probably have to exclude the BOI route for what I want to do and start focusing more seriously on other setups , like lease + superficies, the 49/51 route (with the right legal structuring and all the other requirements), .. The  Nominee route, m not into those illegal gray routes , tbh.

Anyways, If you have any further thoughts on how others have navigated something similar, please consider sharing them , as you can see it really helps moving things on. I’m not looking to be stubborn , I’m just sharing the full breakdown here so that anyone else reading doesn’t walk away with the wrong idea about what qualifies for BOI. I’m only here to find the right, legal, and workable approach even if it takes time to get there.

 

You should have stated high seven figure savings in your original post. 

 

This is sounding more like a wind-up with each post. 

[DezLez]

32 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

Clearly you know even less about operating a business in Thailand than you do about the United States. 

A typical response from someone who knows nothing about the person he is responding to.

You have no idea regarding what/how many companies I have run in Thailand!

Please also note my use of the phrase "in the ideal world".  It will not always work but has for me on a number of occasions under the right circumstances.

Your stupid comment regarding the United States is just that; It is a stupid comment and nothing to do with the topic.

[DezLez]

13 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

You should have stated high seven figure savings in your original post. 

 

This is sounding more like a wind-up with each post. 

Just like your responses!

[Yellowtail]

33 minutes ago, DezLez said:

A typical response from someone who knows nothing about the person he is responding to.

You have no idea regarding what/how many companies I have run in Thailand!

Please also note my use of the phrase "in the ideal world".  It will not always work but has for me on a number of occasions under the right circumstances.

Your stupid comment regarding the United States is just that; It is a stupid comment and nothing to do with the topic.

I think I have a pretty good idea how many companies you have run in Thailand. 

[DezLez]

19 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I think I have a pretty good idea how many companies you have run in Thailand. 

How would you know that?

Troll!

[rikiderorck]

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

You should have stated high seven figure savings in your original post. 

 

This is sounding more like a wind-up with each post. 

@Yellowtail

Youv been pretty aggressive toward not just me, but others in this thread too. You also keep mixing people up , I’m OP, and I’m not @DezLez. We’re two different people. Just because we both responded to you doesn’t mean we’re the same. It’s honestly strange that you assume that without even checking, and the way you spoken to both of us has been aggressive and disrespectful from the start.

From the start, I’ve been respectful in every reply. I’ve shared my plans honestly, accepted when I was wrong, and updated my thinking based on real feedback , including yours. I even thanked you for pushing me to rethink the BOI angle.

But now you’re saying it sounds like a “wind-up”? That doesn’t really add up. If someone openly corrects themselves and keeps asking real questions, how is that trolling?

You don’t have to agree with me, and you’re free to doubt my plan. But the way you speak to people here, including me and others, is just not helpful. We’re here to learn and share, not to get talked down to or mocked.

If you’re dealing with stress or pressure in your own life, maybe take a step back or talk to someone about it. Nothing wrong with that. Just don’t bring that energy here and take it out on people trying to have a decent conversation. 

[DezLez]

Just now, rikiderorck said:

it’s honestly strange that you assume that without even checking.

Well said with your whole post of which I am only quoting one bit!

It does that with every post. Not just yours. 

Just look at it's totally uninformed responses to my posts and yours!

[Yellowtail]

4 minutes ago, rikiderorck said:

@Yellowtail

Youv been pretty aggressive toward not just me, but others in this thread too. You also keep mixing people up , I’m OP, and I’m not @DezLez. We’re two different people. Just because we both responded to you doesn’t mean we’re the same. It’s honestly strange that you assume that without even checking, and the way you spoken to both of us has been aggressive and disrespectful from the start.

From the start, I’ve been respectful in every reply. I’ve shared my plans honestly, accepted when I was wrong, and updated my thinking based on real feedback , including yours. I even thanked you for pushing me to rethink the BOI angle.

But now you’re saying it sounds like a “wind-up”? That doesn’t really add up. If someone openly corrects themselves and keeps asking real questions, how is that trolling?

You don’t have to agree with me, and you’re free to doubt my plan. But the way you speak to people here, including me and others, is just not helpful. We’re here to learn and share, not to get talked down to or mocked.

If you’re dealing with stress or pressure in your own life, maybe take a step back or talk to someone about it. Nothing wrong with that. Just don’t bring that energy here and take it out on people trying to have a decent conversation. 

How have I been disrespectful? I try to call them like I see them. 

 

The thread opens with you, in your first post ever claiming to know little about Thailand, and then all the sudden you've been here since 2018, you've never posted before, and you seem to seem to know nothing of the country.

 

 

 

 

[Yellowtail]

5 minutes ago, DezLez said:

Well said with your whole post of which I am only quoting one bit!

It does that with every post. Not just yours. 

Just look at it's totally uninformed responses to my posts and yours!

I remember you. You used to post under a different name until you got kicked off. I do not remember what the name was, but it will come to me.

[rikiderorck]

6 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

How have I been disrespectful? I try to call them like I see them. 

 

The thread opens with you, in your first post ever claiming to know little about Thailand, and then all the sudden you've been here since 2018, you've never posted before, and you seem to seem to know nothing of the country.

 

@Yellowtail

I never claimed to know everything about Thailand , in fact, I literally said I’m still learning and that I’m new to this business stuff. If I already knew it all, why would I even bother coming to a forum to ask questions? Think about that.

I also didn’t say Iv been living in Thailand nonstop since 2018. I clearly wrote that if you add up all my visits over the years, it’s about a year total. I gave that context honestly, not to pretend I’m an expert, but to explain where I’m coming from.

Now you’re just twisting my words and making things up, and honestly, it’s becoming ridiculous. I’m not answering you anymore ....  it’s not productive, and it’s not helping the discussion move forward. But if more and more people , including those who don’t even know you, start pointing out how you behave in here, maybe take a step back and really think about that. 

[pub2022]

 

Do not do it unless you have a long time Thai partner (wife) that you can trust.

[Hummin]

On 6/29/2025 at 2:44 PM, rikiderorck said:

Hi everyone
I’m a European with a solid six-figure amount saved and I’m planning to move to Phuket to start a small tourism business. The goal is to get my money out of Europe and invest it into something stable and long term in Thailand. What I have in mind is buying land, building some small accommodation units, and using that property as a base to offer guided tours and experience packages.

The business would start small but focused. Guests would stay on site and also take part in activities I organise directly. These could include renting out gear I own, as well as offering guided trips to nearby islands.

I’m also open to eventually hosting small music events, things like DJ nights or social gatherings. It’s not the core idea but something that could develop later if it makes sense. If anyone thinks that’s a bad move or has advice on that side of things, I’m open to hearing it.

At first I assumed I could simply buy land and go from there, but after digging into it more, it figured out that foreigners cannot legally own land in Thailand outright. What I understand so far is that a foreigner can own up to 49 percent of a Thai company, and that company can own land, while the remaining 51 percent must be Thai-owned. If anyone here knows the facts for sure or has gone through  this process, please confirm or correct that for me. I don’t want to rely on half-truths or secondhand assumptions.

 

I also started looking into different options like: Investment routes such as the Board of Investment (BOI), Setting up a Thai company under the 49/51 ownership rule, Leasing land long term (30 years, possibly renewable), Other legal structures I may  not be aware of yet

At the same time I see plenty of foreigners, especially Russians, running similar businesses in Phuket. So my honest question is :

how are they doing it ?

Are they managing through Thai companies where they hold 49 percent?
Are they leasing land and building on it?
Are they using nominee setups that are technically illegal but common?
Or is it that some are doing this legally through boi or another setup Im not aware of ?

Just to be clear, I’m not looking for shortcuts. I spent about a year in Thailand over the past seven years across multiple trips, so I’m not someone who just visited once and got carried away. This idea has been in the back of my mind for a long time, and now I’m doing proper research before making any commitments.

Getting my money out of Europe and investing in Thailand is the goal, but only if it’s legally and structurally done. I’m not going all in if there are still major gray areas.

 

So what advice would you give me based on your own experiences and knowledge in the matter ? 

 

 

I remembered his channel. Dig through his endless rants about Thailand, Im sure there is some gold there about running a business or two.

 

Now I see you are not the novise you first gave impression of in your first thread, and there is more to it. Anyway, Im sure there is more than you who have the same ideas, so could be productive for those with the pink glasses intact 

 

 

https://youtube.com/@danaboutthailand?si=Al7vW3Yciv42hkdU