Tat Licence

[ruds]

Im looking to set up a travel agency but I know I require a TAT licence, ive looked all over the TAT website and googled it but I cant find anything.

Any help would be much appreciated

Ruds

[H2oDunc]

A friend was looking to do the same but changed his mnd when they wanted 100,000 baht for license. Seemed a little steep to me, maybe it wa just a rip off attempt and someone who knows for sure can let you know

[ruds]

I think 100,000 is pretty standard when looking to get a government licence, thats what I had to pay for a my recruitment licence anyway. However it isnt a fee as such but more to put to one side incase any funny business goes on, I can get it back if we went out of business say

[Tod]

Hi ruds,

I have a travel agency, and I only paid 10'000 baht to get my license. But I put it on the name of my thai wife. I'm almost sure that you can't get a TAT license if you are not Thai. However if you just do travel agency it should'nt be more than 10000 baht. It's only if you have a company that organizes tours in Thailand that you have to pay 100'000 and if you go outside thailand (cambodia, Lao...) you have to pay 200'000 baht.

[ruds]

Thanks for your reply. How did you go about getting the license? Did you go through a lawyer? or did you go through the process yourself? who did you contact?

Thank you in advance

Ruds

[Tod]

Thanks for your reply. How did you go about getting the license? Did you go through a lawyer? or did you go through the process yourself? who did you contact?

Thank you in advance

Ruds

No, you really dont need a lawyer to do that.

You just go to the main TAT office in Bangkok. I dont remember the exact adress but it's on the same street than Pantip plaza, near Pratunam. My girlfriend gave 2 copies of her ID card and birth certificate( I think it was a birth certificate) 2 copies of the ID card of the landlord that rents the place to us and a copy of the rental contract. Then she filled in a paper form with her name, adress in Thailand, name of the shop, adress of the shop.You also have to take 4 pictures of your shop with you . Its important that you give your correct adress because they gonna send a letter at this adress to tell you when you can come get your license. You are going to wait about 2 or 3 weeks and fill all sorts of papers that they give you. Then after about 2 weeks (in my case)they send you a letter saying that you have 1 month to come get your license in Bangkok. You go back to the TAT office with all the forms filled in and pay a 10'000 baht deposit. And they give you your license.

But then again i'm almost 100% sure that you can't get a license in your name if you're not thai. I think you gonna need a thai to do that for you.It does'nt matter if the license is not in your name it just has to be in the name of your shop.

I'll try to find the direct phone number of the TAT department that takes care of licenses for you.

If you have anymore questions feel free to ask me.

By the way, in what part of Thailand do you want to set your travel agency?

[keestha]

I experienced it is extremely complicated to get a TAT licence in the name of a company limited. The TAT branch I dealt with also told me a company which does not have a Thai director who is authorized to sign on behalf of the company, cannot be given a licence. To get a licence on the name of a Thai national is fairly simple. He/she will have to register the business at the appropriate provincial office (obatoh changwat). You will need photos of the travel agency or the tour counter. The required deposit is only 10.000 Baht if you are only retailing tours which are organized by other persons or companies. Two persons/companies whose tours you are selling, will also have to sign and stamp a paper stating that you are selling their tours. Just consult your local TAT office, their requirements might be different than those applied by the office I was dealing with. Good luck.

[Tod]

I experienced it is extremely complicated to get a TAT licence in the name of a company limited. The TAT branch I dealt with also told me a company which does not have a Thai director who is authorized to sign on behalf of the company, cannot be given a licence. To get a licence on the name of a Thai national is fairly simple. He/she will have to register the business at the appropriate provincial office (obatoh changwat). You will need photos of the travel agency or the tour counter. The required deposit is only 10.000 Baht if you are only retailing tours which are organized by other persons or companies. Two persons/companies whose tours you are selling, will also have to sign and stamp a paper stating that you are selling their tours. Just consult your local TAT office, their requirements might be different than those applied by the office I was dealing with. Good luck.

Actually you don't necessarily need to have 2 tours compagnies to garanty your travel agency, you can also go to the police, they will make a paper and take your fingerprints that you will give to the TAT office.

We personnaly did'nt need to register our business at any provincial office.

[kodai]

hi i have paid 200,000 to open a travel agency in pattaya. however now that i want to close it, there seems to be a problem in getting my 200,000 baht back...

i have called all tat's numbers, but difficult to understand where to go to get the money back.

can anybody suggest what should i do please ?

thank you

[cmsally]

Go to the TAT office where you got the license.

They keep your bond in a bank acct. You just ask then for the paperwork to close the company and when it is finished you can withdraw your money.

[kodai]

Go to the TAT office where you got the license.

They keep your bond in a bank acct. You just ask then for the paperwork to close the company and when it is finished you can withdraw your money.

the lawyer did all for me, and now she is nowhere to be found....

i should go to Tat office in Bangkok ?

how long does it take ?

do i have to show all receipts of payments ?

thanks for help

[cmsally]

Go to the TAT office where you got the license.

They keep your bond in a bank acct. You just ask then for the paperwork to close the company and when it is finished you can withdraw your money.

the lawyer did all for me, and now she is nowhere to be found....

i should go to Tat office in Bangkok ?

how long does it take ?

do i have to show all receipts of payments ?

thanks for help

You need to take your license as well as any receipts you have for bond deposit when first registering.

It will be easier to take it to the same TAT office where you did the first registration as they should have all the records.

You fill out the paper work and if I remember correctly it takes about 2 weeks to be able to access your money.

[FlashG]

Hi Ruds,

Did you manage to obtain your TAT licence?

Reason is I am also looking at getting the same for my Travel company.

Thanks and appreciate any advise.

Cheers

FlashG

Im looking to set up a travel agency but I know I require a TAT licence, ive looked all over the TAT website and googled it but I cant find anything.

Any help would be much appreciated

Ruds

[WorldwideALOHA]

Update:

New rules for new licenses and renewals:

If you have an English Language website you are required to obtain the INBOUND license (100,000 baht deposit).

If your website is in Thai language ONLY DOMESTIC license (50,000 baht deposit).

All licences are now to be displayed as OTD lic. no. **/***** NOT - TAT Lic. No. **/*****

Aloha

[keestha]

And another update. For those using the search function it is good if all the info is in just one thread, so I decided to revive this thread instead of opening a new one.

Today I was annoyed to notice that if you have to extend your 2 years licence to retail tours organized by third parties ( the typical tour counter licence), you have to submit ALL the paperwork again, it is like applying for the licence for the first time.

If the tourcounter is registered in the name of a Thai natural person, what he/she will need is

1) a lot of filled out forms you have to download, link below

2) registration paper of the business (tabbian bouk koun tammada, obtainable at the orbortor changwat)

3) the about to expire licence, not a copy but the original

4) copy of the ID of the owner

6) and his/her house registration book

7) photos of the shop

8) and a map how to get there

9) rent contract

10) stamped forms to be filled out by 2 tour operators whose tours you are retailing

11) copy of the bankbook with the 10,000 Baht deposit

Hope the list is complete.

So be warned, it is not like for instance renewing licences to sell alcoholic beverages, just filling out a form and paying the fee.

Disclaimer: different TAT agencies might have different requirements.

All the info, and the downloadable forms can be found on the Thai language website tourismcentre.go.th