Hey guys,

After giving it a lot of thought and going over some early ideas I have for business in Thailand, I started to feel that the most practical path forward would be to rent a place rather than buy. What I’m looking to do is set up a small tourism-related operation where I will be working with foreigners from my home country.

The idea is that I’ll have an office (rented, not owned) in Thailand which will serve as a base for the business. The clients would pay for the service packages abroad, and once they arrive in Thailand, I would provide everything included, airport pickup, hotel coordination, tours, maybe some small events depending on what’s arranged. It’s a very lean model, no land ownership, no major real estate commitments, just running things locally for people who already paid for the experience before arriving.

 

So here’s where I wanna know. Has anyone here done something like this before guys? If that's the case could you provide me some insights on this matter?

I imagine my two main options are either operating through a foreign company or registering a Thai company locally. Since the money would be collected abroad, I feel like having the company registered outside Thailand will make more sense, doesn’t it? But in that case, can I legally run such a business on Thai land while renting an office and organizing activities? What would be the requirements, permits, or limitations I need to be aware of?

Of course, I can search and read legal guides, but I wanted to post here to see if anyone with firsthand experience could share real-world info , which is often way more helpful than just relying on Google.

Then there’s the second route, opening a Thai company. From what I understand, I will be limited to 49% ownership as a foreigner. Is that still the case today? And are there people here who went that route and could speak to how it worked out, especially for a small tourism operation?

This project is still in the early idea phase, and I’m not rushing into anything. Just trying to gather information and learn from people who have done it before or know the process well. I really want to make the right moves from the beginning and avoid problems down the line, even though Im pretty sure I cant know everything in advance no matter how much I prepare.

 

Btw, initially what I had in mind was to invest my savings directly into something bigger, like land or a more developed setup. But after talking with a few people and thinking through the risks, I realized I might not have enough capital to do that securely. There’s also the real possibility of losing everything if things don’t go as planned. That’s why I started leaning toward this leaner rental-based model, at least for the first couple of years. If things go well and the setup proves sustainable, I can always scale later. So if any of you think I’m being unrealistic or see any major issues with this approach, please let me know. That kind of feedback will really help me make better decisions.

Not really. Invest your money into an index fund and get a better return. 

 

Come to thailand relax and live peacefully. You'll go through too many headaches otherwise. 

28 minutes ago, blaze master said:

Not really. Invest your money into an index fund and get a better return. 

 

Come to thailand relax and live peacefully. You'll go through too many headaches otherwise. 

Thanks.

I’m pretty sure an Israeli guy in Phuket was just arrested for doing exactly what you are proposing.

It’s illegal for foreigners to work as guides in Thailand, plus there’s the rule about 4 Thais for every one employee. Plus they’re cracking down on “nominees” for the millionth time. Plus a bunch of other rules.

13 minutes ago, Everyman said:

It’s illegal for foreigners to work as guides in Thailand,

need to set it up in a thai partner's name

So like luxuryescapes.com ?

If yes, that could be who you are competing with.

I saw lean travel and thought it was going to be about travel with a nutritionist...