Start Business in Thailand as Expat : Complete Legal Process Guide 2026

Turn Your Thailand Idea into a Legal Business – With Clear Numbers for 2026

Foreigners can absolutely run real businesses in Thailand in 2026: cafés, agencies, SaaS, trading companies, dive shops, consulting, you name it. The difference between “dream” and “disaster” is not the idea but the structure: capital, company type, bank account, accountant, employer taxes, visas and work permits all have to line up. If you know the process and the realistic costs at each stage, Thailand becomes a serious, predictable place to build something – not just a legal maze.

This guide goes beyond theory and gives you concrete 2026 numbers: typical government and legal fees for company registration, how much capital to plan if you want foreign work permits, how corporate tax brackets work, what you pay for an accountant and annual audit, how to open a corporate bank account as a foreigner, and exactly what it costs every month to put salaries on payroll (social security, new Employee Welfare Fund, etc.). Use it to build a business plan that actually matches Thailand’s rules.

Table of Contents 🌶️

• Big Picture 2026: What Foreign Founders Are Dealing With
• Main Company Structures & Ownership Logic
• Realistic Cost Overview: Setup, Bank, Accountant, Payroll
• Step-by-Step Legal Process (with Price Ranges)
• Corporate Tax, Social Security & Employer Payroll Costs
• 🔥 Hot Revelation: “Cheap Setup” vs Full-Year Cost
• Aligning Company, Visa and Work Permit in 2026
• Use Pickeenoo Around Each Stage of Your Setup
• 📊 Article Information

Big Picture 2026: What Foreign Founders Are Dealing With

In 2026, Thailand company registration is fully digital and much more transparent than ten years ago. Government fee schedules for Thai private limited companies are published and capped by registered capital, and typical government fees to register a limited company sit in the 5,500–10,000 THB range depending on capital and items like the Memorandum of Association and registration fee.[web:297][web:300] For most expat setups, however, the real cost is not the government fee but the combination of capital, professional services and first‑year compliance.

Guides aimed at foreign employers in 2026 show that pure government registration fees are often under 10,000 THB, while legal services for a standard limited company tend to fall in the 10,000–25,000 THB range for basic packages and around 30,000–60,000 THB for more full‑service incorporation handled by established law or accounting firms.[web:296][web:297] For BOI applications and high‑touch structures, advisory fees can jump into the 150,000–300,000 THB bracket and beyond.[web:297] This is why an honest budget for “starting a company” should include both capital and professional fees, not just the DBD invoice.

Main Company Structures & Ownership Logic

For most expats, three structures matter in practice: the standard Thai limited company, the BOI‑promoted company and, for larger players, a branch or representative office of a foreign company.[web:274][web:273][web:306]

Thai Limited Company (Most Common)

A Thai limited company needs at least two shareholders, at least one director and a registered Thai address.[web:274][web:272] For small Thai‑owned businesses with no foreign work permits, registered capital can be as low as 50,000 THB, although many advisors recommend more realistic levels to reflect your activity.[web:274] Once the company is meant to employ foreign staff (including you as founder), registered capital becomes critical: you generally need 2,000,000 THB per foreign work permit (1,000,000 THB if the foreigner is married to a Thai), unless you have specific exemptions.[web:274][web:272]

Foreign ownership in restricted sectors (many services, trade and hospitality) is normally capped at 49.99%, with the Foreign Business Act requiring either Thai majority ownership or a Foreign Business License/other exemption for majority‑foreign companies.[web:273] This is why many small expat businesses are either structured with a real Thai majority partner, focused on activities outside restricted lists, or built inside a BOI structure.

BOI-Promoted Company

BOI promotion is a special status for projects in targeted sectors (software, digital platforms, advanced services, manufacturing, R&D, etc.) that can grant 100% foreign ownership, corporate tax incentives and more flexible work‑permit rules.[web:279][web:270] BOI application support is a specialist service: legal and consulting firms routinely quote 150,000–300,000 THB or more for end‑to‑end BOI advisory, on top of normal incorporation costs.[web:297] When successful, however, BOI can remove the standard 49% foreign‑ownership cap and relax the 2,000,000 THB per work‑permit rule, which is often worth the upfront expense for tech and export‑oriented businesses.

Branch & Representative Offices

Branch offices of foreign companies must meet minimum capital investment of around 3,000,000 THB per business category and comply with specific activity limits; they are often described as capital‑heavy but operationally limited.[web:306][web:295] Representative offices cannot earn revenue in Thailand and serve mainly for market research, sourcing or quality control for an overseas head office.[web:295] These structures are more suited to existing foreign companies expanding into Thailand than to solo founders starting from scratch.

Realistic Cost Overview: Setup, Bank, Accountant, Payroll

To turn your idea into a functioning Thai company in 2026, you should budget across four blocks: registration, professional services, banking/office and ongoing accounting/payroll.[web:296][web:297][web:295]

1. Registration & Legal Setup (One-Off)

• Government registration fees: roughly 5,500–10,000 THB for a standard private limited company, including MOA fee and registration fee; fees are capped based on capital.[web:297][web:300]
• Legal/incorporation services: about 10,000–25,000 THB for basic support, 30,000–60,000 THB for a reputable firm doing full documentation and filings.[web:296][web:297]
• Notary & translation (if needed): typically 2,000–5,000 THB per set of documents.[web:296][web:297]
• Company stamp: usually 300–500 THB.[web:297]
• BOI advisory (only if relevant): often 150,000–300,000+ THB.[web:297]

2. Registered Address & Nominee Director Services (If Used)

Every company needs a Thai address. If you don’t have your own office yet, you may use a virtual office or registered address service.[web:297]

• Registered/virtual office address: around 15,000–25,000 THB per year for a basic registration address in Bangkok.[web:297]
• Professional nominee director services: where legally appropriate (not as fake “nominee” shareholders), some firms quote 30,000–60,000 THB per year for a local director assisting with banking and admin.[web:297]

3. Corporate Bank Account Opening

Opening a corporate account itself usually does not carry large bank fees, but you need the right documents, and some banks insist on director presence and clear KYC. Consultants who assist with bank‑account opening often bundle it into incorporation packages rather than charging separately.[web:296][web:297]

• Bank administrative fees: typically low (account opening and monthly maintenance may be tens to a few hundred baht per month depending on bank and package).
• Consultant support for account opening: often included in the 30,000–60,000 THB incorporation service band.[web:297]

4. Accountant, Monthly Accounting & Annual Audit

Thai companies must keep accounts and file annual financial statements and tax returns; audits are mandatory for most registered companies regardless of size.[web:297]

• Monthly accounting services: commonly 4,000–10,000 THB per month for small companies, depending on transaction volume and complexity.[web:297]
• Annual audit: about 15,000–40,000+ THB per year, again depending on size and complexity.[web:297]

Cost scenarios from consulting firms suggest that a small tech startup with two foreign founders might spend around 80,000 THB on first‑year accounting and audit, whereas a more complex BOI manufacturing project could spend around 120,000 THB in the first year just on accounting and audit services.[web:297]

Step-by-Step Company Setup Process (with Price Ranges)

Here’s a practical 2026 process flow with indicative costs at each step.

Step 1: Plan Business Activity, Ownership & Capital

• Identify your exact business activities and check if they fall under restricted categories for foreign ownership.
• Decide on structure: standard Thai company, BOI, or branch/rep office.
• Plan capital: 50,000 THB+ for a Thai‑only small company, 2,000,000 THB per foreign work permit under normal rules, 1,000,000 THB if married to a Thai, or higher for FBL/branch setups.[web:274][web:272][web:306]

Direct cost: usually zero in government fees; you may pay for an initial legal consult (often 3,000–10,000 THB) but many firms credit this against incorporation fees.

Step 2: Name Reservation & Founding Documents

• Reserve company name with the Department of Business Development.
• Draft Memorandum of Association (MOA) and Articles of Association.
• Prepare list of promoters/shareholders and director details.

Direct costs:

• MOA fee: around 500 THB.[web:297]
• Legal drafting support: usually part of a 10,000–25,000 THB or 30,000–60,000 THB package.[web:296][web:297]

Step 3: Company Registration

• Submit documents digitally to DBD, pay registration fee, obtain company number.
• Order company seal (stamp).

Direct costs:

• Government registration fees: typically 5,500+ THB for private limited companies, capped by capital.[web:297][web:300]
• Company stamp: 300–500 THB.[web:297]
• Notary/translation if directors or documents require: 1,000–5,000 THB.[web:296][web:297]

Step 4: Registered Address & Corporate Bank Account

• Secure a registered office address (real office or virtual office service).
• Open a corporate bank account with your chosen bank.

Direct costs (typical ranges):

• Registered/virtual office: 15,000–25,000 THB per year for a basic address.[web:297]
• Bank account: opening itself is low cost; ongoing bank fees depend on the package (often a few hundred baht per month or less).

Step 5: Tax Registration & Optional VAT

• Obtain corporate tax ID from the Revenue Department.
• Register for VAT if revenue and model require it (mandatory from certain turnover thresholds; voluntary for some B2B models).[web:296][web:271]

Direct costs: government filing fees are modest; often included in your accountant or legal firm’s setup service. Many firms bundle initial tax registration into their incorporation fee band.

Step 6: Ongoing Accounting, Audit & Compliance

• Hire an accountant or outsource bookkeeping and tax filings.
• Prepare annual financial statements and arrange mandatory audit.
• File corporate tax returns and any VAT or withholding tax returns.

Recurring costs (for a small company):

• Monthly accounting: 4,000–10,000 THB per month.[web:297]
• Annual audit: 15,000–40,000+ THB per year.[web:297]

Step 7: Hiring Staff, Payroll Setup & Social Contributions

• Register as an employer with Social Security Office (SSO).
• Set up payroll: salary, withholding tax, social security and Employee Welfare Fund contributions.

Key 2026 numbers for payroll compliance:

• Social Security contributions remain at 5% of wages from both employer and employee, but from 1 January 2026 the maximum wage ceiling increases from 15,000 THB to 17,500 THB per month.[web:298][web:305] That means the maximum monthly contribution per side rises from 750 THB to 875 THB.[web:298]
• The Employee Welfare Fund requires an additional employer contribution of 0.25% of wages from 2025 to 2030 (then 0.5% after 2030).[web:299][web:302]

So, in 2026, if you pay an employee 17,500 THB or more per month, your maximum statutory monthly contributions look roughly like this (per employee):

• Social Security (employer): 875 THB.
• Employee Welfare Fund (employer): about 44 THB (0.25% of 17,500 THB).[web:299][web:302]

In total, for salaries at or above the ceiling, your employer social contributions per employee are just under 920 THB/month in 2026, plus your share of personal income tax withholding administration.

Corporate Tax, Social Security & Employer Payroll Costs

Beyond setup, you need a clear picture of ongoing taxes so you don’t build a model that dies under its own overhead.

Corporate Income Tax in 2026

Thailand’s standard corporate income tax rate remains 20% on net profits for most companies.[web:304][web:307] However, qualifying SMEs benefit from progressive rates: 0% on the first 300,000 THB of net profit, 15% on profit between 300,001 THB and 3,000,000 THB, and 20% only on profit above 3,000,000 THB, provided paid‑up capital is under 5,000,000 THB and annual revenue below 30,000,000 THB.[web:304][web:307]

That means small, profitable foreign‑led companies can enjoy lower effective tax rates on the first layers of profit, especially in the early years when profits are modest, as long as they meet SME criteria.

Employer Social Contributions & New Limits (2026 Onwards)

From January 2026, the wage base for calculating Social Security contributions increases in phases: Phase 1 (2026–2028) raises the ceiling from 15,000 THB to 17,500 THB, with a 5% employer and 5% employee rate still applying.[web:298][web:305] That pushes the maximum employer and employee contributions to 875 THB each, an increase of 17%.[web:298]

In parallel, the Employee Welfare Fund requires an employer contribution of 0.25% of wages from 2025 to 2030.[web:299][web:302] Payroll compliance overviews for Thailand confirm this 0.25% employer and 0.25% employee rate in the 2025–2030 period for the fund.[web:302] Taken together, this means your true employer burden on wages (excluding personal income tax, which is borne by employees but withheld by you) is slightly higher in 2026 than in prior years but still moderate by OECD standards.

🔥 Hot Revelation: “Cheap Setup” vs Full-Year Cost

The real trick is not to find the cheapest possible registration package; it’s to design a structure whose ongoing costs match your realistic revenue timeline – especially if you need foreign work permits from Day One.

Aligning Company, Visa and Work Permit in 2026

Finally, none of this matters if you cannot legally live and work in Thailand through the company you created. Legal and immigration guides for 2026 emphasise treating company structure and immigration planning as a single project, not two separate tracks.[web:275][web:272]

• Classic route: Non‑Immigrant “B” visa + work permit + annual extension tied to company capital, Thai staff ratios and clean accounts.[web:272][web:275]
• BOI route: BOI‑promoted companies can sponsor work permits with more flexible ratios and sometimes less capital, particularly attractive for tech projects and export‑oriented services.[web:270][web:279]
• LTR & other special visas: Long‑Term Resident categories for “Work from Thailand professionals” and similar profiles can provide digital work permits and relax company capital constraints for qualifying foreigners.[web:274][web:275]

The key is to choose a combination where your day‑to‑day work for the company matches what your visa and work permit actually allow you to do – and where your company’s capital and staffing plans make those permits sustainable beyond Year One.

Use Pickeenoo Around Each Stage of Your Setup

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📊 Article Information

• Estimated Reading Time: ~12–14 minutes
• Article Length: ~2,400–2,700 words
• Last Updated: February 2026 | Category: Business & Legal – Thailand
• Hashtags: #StartBusinessThailand #CompanySetupCosts #ExpatEntrepreneur #ThaiCompanyRegistration #CorporateTaxThailand #SocialSecurity2026 #BOIThailand #LTRVisa #Thailand2026 #PickeenooBusiness