I am interested in purchasing a small restaurant under the Thai-US Treaty of Amity. Not purchasing the land or building only the furnishings and lease. Is there a minimum amount to qualify for the Treaty of Amity? By that I mean does the restaurant have to have a minimum purchase value? The restaurant I am looking at is only 750,000 Baht.

The answer is that you must register at least 2,000,000 baht in capital to be eligble to apply for an Alien Business Certficate under Amity Treaty provisions. How you spend that amount is entirely up to you. You will be applying for a Certificate to pursue the activity of "Selling food or beverages" - List Three, Activity#19

Cheers!

Steve Sykes

Managing Director

Indo-Siam Group

Bangkok

www.thaistartup.com

I've heard that applications for registration of new businesses under the Treaty of Amity are not currently being accepted pending negotiation of the Thai - US FTA.

From a message sent to me on March 7, 2006, from the US Embassy staff office reponsible for Amity Treaty applications:

Please see below message from our Commercial Counselor regarding the Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations:

"As of March 6, the Ministry of Commerce resumed the processing of registrations under the Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations. The Commercial Section of the Embassy is therefore accepting registration processing as well. The agreement with the MOC is renewable in three month increments, so we strongly advise anyone who wants to register under the Treaty to do so with that in mind. Contact the Commercial Section of the US Embassy at 02-XXX-XXXX with any questions."

Cheers!

Steve

Indo-Siam

www.thaistartup.com

I am interested in purchasing a small restaurant under the Thai-US Treaty of Amity. Not purchasing the land or building only the furnishings and lease. Is there a minimum amount to qualify for the Treaty of Amity? By that I mean does the restaurant have to have a minimum purchase value? The restaurant I am looking at is only 750,000 Baht.

Even though the purchase price is 750,000 Baht, this can be applied towards the register paid up capital. You can do this when the company is being formed ( in the by-laws) or after the company is formed, put the cash in the corp. bank account and then pay for the restaurant and get a bill of sale.

By the way, in August 2009, all Amity treaty companies will need to have 3 million Baht register paid up capital, now their is no minimum other than 35 baht. That is the minimum capital now for the Amity treaty as Americans have the same rights as Thais. If you as the MD are located outside Thailand and not working in Thailand , then it canbe just 35 Baht. ( as the government fees are the same for 35 Baht and 1 million, most Americans would apt for 1 million Baht register capital)

However, if you as the MD will be working in Thailand. If you are, the Labor dept has different requirements, the minimum register company then is 2 million Baht ( even if you are married to a Thai, in this case it is a alien company )

www.lawyer.th.com