Bangkok · Thailand · Foreign Investment Law

Considered Guidance
for Foreign Investors
in Thailand

chakricoas advises on the structures, permissions, and regulatory pathways that determine how foreign capital takes root in Thai-registered enterprises. Our work is deliberate and document-based.

Request Counsel Our Services

+66 2 671 4283 [email protected] Ratchadamri Rd, Bangkok

Our Practice Areas

Three Focused Services

Each engagement is scoped carefully so that the advice delivered is suited to the decision at hand, not a template applied to a situation it was not designed for.

BOI Promotion Application & Project Structuring

Eligibility assessment, project plan preparation, and BOI presentation — with continued involvement through post-approval milestones. Suited to manufacturing, technology, and target-industry investors.

Investment promotion category review
Financial modeling for BOI documentation
Post-certificate operational milestones

฿34,500 Enquire

Foreign Business License Advisory

A measured review of activities restricted under the Foreign Business Act and the structures available — FBL, BOI promotion, U.S.-Thai Treaty of Amity, or Thai majority shareholding — with clear discussion of the practical realities of each.

Foreign Business Act category analysis
Treaty of Amity pathway assessment
Comparative pathway review

฿16,500 Enquire

Cross-Border Holding Structure Memorandum

A focused written memorandum on a proposed cross-border holding structure — covering home jurisdiction options, dividend repatriation, tax treaty considerations, and substance requirements under current international standards.

Home jurisdiction options analysis
Dividend repatriation pathways
Executive summary for board reading

฿4,950 Enquire

Why chakricoas

What Distinguishes Our Practice

Scoped Engagements

Work is defined before it begins. Each service has a clear deliverable and a fixed fee, so neither party is uncertain about what has been agreed.

Document-Based Advice

Opinions are delivered in writing, with the legal basis stated. Verbal summaries are useful, but a written memorandum is what boards and lenders can act on.

Thailand-Specific Focus

The practice does not cover general commercial matters. Concentrating on foreign investment law means the advice reflects how the BOI and Ministry of Commerce operate in practice.

Realistic Timelines

BOI applications and licensing processes run on regulatory schedules, not client schedules. We state timelines accurately, including the aspects that depend on government processing.

Regulatory Relationships

Familiarity with BOI staff processes and Ministry of Commerce filing requirements is built over years of submission, follow-up, and amendment work — not assumed from reading the statute alone.

Client Paced Approach

Investment decisions of multi-year consequence are not made under artificial urgency. We work at a pace that allows clients to understand the path before committing to it.

Begin an Inquiry

Is Your Investment Structure
Suited to Thai Law?

A short conversation about your situation — the planned activity, the ownership arrangement, and the timeframe — will indicate which of our services fits and what that service will produce.

Request Counsel

+66 2 671 4283 [email protected]

Common Questions

Frequently Asked

What is the Foreign Business Act and which activities does it restrict?

The Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 (1999) classifies certain business activities into three lists. Activities on List One are closed to foreign-majority entities without exception. Lists Two and Three can be accessed through a Foreign Business License or, in some cases, BOI promotion or Treaty of Amity entitlement. Whether a particular activity falls under one of the lists requires careful reading of both the statute and the BOI's current promotion categories.

How long does a BOI promotion application typically take?

The BOI's published processing target is around 40 business days from submission of a complete application. In practice, the timeline depends on the complexity of the proposed project, whether additional information is requested during review, and the current workload of the relevant sector division. Projects in priority categories can sometimes move more quickly. We discuss realistic timelines at the outset of each engagement.

What does the U.S.-Thai Treaty of Amity allow U.S. investors to do?

Under the 1966 Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations, U.S.-majority companies are entitled to engage in certain business activities on the same basis as Thai nationals, even where those activities would otherwise require a Foreign Business License. The Treaty does not cover all activities — banking, communications, transport, and some other sectors are excluded. Obtaining a Foreign Business Certificate under the Treaty is a separate administrative process from the BOI application.

What is included in the Cross-Border Holding Structure Memorandum?

The memorandum addresses the home jurisdiction options most often considered by investors with Thai operating companies — covering the double tax treaty network, dividend withholding rates, substance requirements under BEPS standards, and the practical implications of each structure. It is delivered with a short executive summary written for board or investor reading, followed by the detailed analysis. The memorandum does not constitute a tax opinion in the home jurisdiction; we state clearly what is within scope.

Do you advise on Thai majority shareholding structures used to hold restricted activities?

Our Foreign Business License Advisory covers Thai majority shareholding as one of the pathways available, but we discuss it in the context of the legal requirements that such structures must satisfy. Arrangements that do not reflect genuine Thai ownership may constitute nominee shareholding, which the Foreign Business Act prohibits. We present the practical realities of each pathway without recommending structures that do not comply with Thai law.

What are the fees for your services and how is payment structured?

Fees are fixed per service: ฿34,500 for BOI Promotion Application & Project Structuring, ฿16,500 for Foreign Business License Advisory, and ฿4,950 for the Cross-Border Holding Structure Memorandum. Fees are stated inclusive of the work described in the service scope. We discuss payment terms — typically a portion on engagement confirmation and the remainder on delivery — during the initial conversation.

Find Our Office

Our Location in Bangkok

47 Ratchadamri Road, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330

Get in Touch

Begin a Conversation

Describe your situation briefly — the planned activity in Thailand, your ownership arrangement, and the timeframe you are working toward. We will respond within one business day.

Contact Details

Telephone

+66 2 671 4283

[email protected]

Address

47 Ratchadamri Road
Lumphini, Pathum Wan
Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Office Hours

Monday – Friday: 9:00 – 18:00
Saturday: 10:00 – 14:00 (by arrangement)
Sunday & Public Holidays: Closed

Considered Guidancefor Foreign Investorsin Thailand