There are certain restrictions when foreign investors want to do business in Thailand. Thai government legislate Foreign Business Act (“FBA”), B.E. 2542 (1999) is to regulate business operations and activities involving foreign nationals and entities. According to FBA, for foreign investors who wish to set up a foreign company, needs to apply for foreign business license to conduct businesses. There are three procedures to obtain such licenses.
外國投資人想在泰國做生意有一定的限制。泰國政府制定佛曆2542年(1999年)《外國商業法》(FBA)，規範涉及外國人和外國實體的商業運營和活動。FBA規定外國投資人如開展外國人公司業務需要申請外商營業執照，可通過三種方式取得執照
1. engage in business indicated in List 2 or List 3. Or
從事第二類或第三類活動。或
2. a company has minimum capital of 100 million baht for each business, the company can operate a business without a license. However, the company must inform Foreign Business Department before conducting the business. Or
公司每項業務的最低資本為 1 億泰銖，公司可以在沒有執照的情況下營業，但是公司必須在開業之前通知國外商業部。
3. A company must submit a principal approval letter to the committee of foreign business department.
公司須向國外商業部委員會提交申請函。
Following are introduction of List 2 and List 3 Business:
以下是第二類及第三類活動的介紹：
List 2: Business Permitted to Foreigners under Conditions
第二類: 根據條件允許外國人從事的業務
Section 15 of the FBA provides that foreigner which is a juristic person may operate any business specified in List 2 only not less than forty percent of its shares are held by Thai nationals or juristic persons which are not foreigners under this Act.
FBA第15條規定，外國法人可以經營第二類業務規定的任何業務，但前提是不少於40%的股份由泰國公民或根據本法非外國人的法人持有。
Business activities fall under List 2 are those businesses related to national safety or security or having an impact on arts, culture, traditions, customs and folklore handicrafts or natural resources and the environment.
屬於第二類業務的商活動是指與國家安全或保障相關或對藝術、文化、傳統、習俗和民俗手工藝品或自然資源和環境有影響的商業活動。
List 3: Businesses in Respect of Which Thai Nationals Are Not Yet Ready to Compete with Foreigners
第三類:泰國公民尚未準備好與外國人競爭的業務
Activities stated in List 3 are designated as businesses in which Thai nationals are not yet ready to compete with foreigners. According to Section 8(3) of FBA, when foreigners engage in activities stated in List 3, foreign company must apply for and obtain a Foreign Business License prior to commencing the activity. Below are listed business activities:
第三類業務列出的活動被指定為泰國公民尚未準備好與外國人競爭的活動。依據FBA第8(3)條，當外國人從事第三類業務所列的活動，外國公司必須在開始活動之前提出申請並取得外商營業執照。下列業務活動如下：
1. Rice milling and production of flour from rice and economic plants;
稻穀和經濟植物的碾米和麵粉生產；
2. Fishery only in respect of the hatching and raising of aquatic animals;
僅涉及水生動物孵化和飼養的漁業；
3. Forestry from a grown forest;
生長林的林業；
4. Production of plywood, veneer wood, chipboards or hardboards;
生產膠合板、單板、刨花板或硬紙板；
5. Production of lime;
生產石灰；
6. Provision of accounting services;
提供會計服務；
7. Provision of legal services;
提供法律服務；
8. Provision of architectural services;
提供建築服務；
9. Provision of engineering services;
提供工程服務；
10. Construction, except for:
建築，除了：
1. Construction of structures for delivery of infrastructure public services in the sphere of public utilities or transportation requiring the use of special apparatuses, machines, technology, or expertise, with the minimum capital of five hundred million baht or upwards for foreigners;
需要使用特殊設備、機器、技術或專業知識的公用事業或交通領域的基礎設施公共服務結構的建設，外資最低資本為 5 億泰銖以上(含)；
2. Construction of other types as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulation
部長條例規定的其他類型的建築
11. Brokerage or agency businesses, except for:
經紀或代理業務，但以下情況除外：
A. being a broker or an agent in the sale or purchase of securities or in services related to futures trading of agricultural commodities or financing instruments or securities;
作為買賣證券或與農產品或融資工具或證券的期貨交易有關的服務的經紀人或代理人；
B. being a broker or an agent in the sale, purchase or procurement of goods or services necessary for the production or the provision of services amongst affiliated enterprises;
作為關聯企業之間生產或提供服務所必需的商品或服務的銷售、購買或採購的經紀人或代理人；
C. being a broker or an agent in the sale or purchase, procurement, distribution, or acquisition of domestic and foreign markets for the distribution of domestically manufactured or imported goods, which is in character the operation of international trade, with the minimum capital of one hundred million baht or upwards from foreigners:
作為經紀人或代理人在國內和國外市場銷售或購買、採購、分銷或收購國內製造或進口商品的分銷，具有國際貿易性質，外資最低資本為 1億泰銖(含)：
D. being a broker or an agent of other types as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulation.
成為部長條例規定的經紀人或其他類型的代理人。
12. Sale by auction, except for:
拍賣銷售，以下情況除外：
A. sale by auction which, in character, involves international bidding of items other than antiques, objects of antiquity or artistic objects that are artistic works or handicrafts or objects of antiquity of Thailand or of historical value of the country;
拍賣銷售，本質上涉及對古董、古代物品或藝術品以外的物品進行國際競標，這些物品是泰國的藝術作品或手工藝品或古代物品或具有該國歷史價值的物品；
B. sales by auction of other types as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulation.
部長條例第 20 條規定的其他類型的拍賣。
13. Internal trade related to traditional agricultural products or produce not yet prohibited by law, except for future agriculture trade in the Agricultural Future Exchange of Thailand without delivery or receive in Thailand;
與傳統農產品或法律尚未禁止的產品有關的內部貿易，但泰國農業期貨交易所的期貨農產品貿易除外，無需在泰國交付或接收；
14. Retail sale of goods of all types with the total minimum capital in the amount lower than one hundred million Baht or with the minimum capital of each store in the amount lower than twenty million baht;
總資本額低於1億泰銖或每家店最低資本額低於2千萬泰銖的各類商品零售業；
15. Wholesale of all types with the minimum capital of each store in the amount lower than one hundred million baht;
各品類批發，每店最低資本額低於1億泰銖；
16. Advertising business;
廣告業務；
17. Hotel business, with the exception of the hotel management service;
酒店業務，但酒店管理服務除外；
18. Tour Guide;
導遊；
19. Sale of food and beverages;
食品、飲料的銷售；
20. Cultivation, propagation, or development of plant varieties;
植物新品種的培育、繁殖、開發；
21. Other service businesses, except for service businesses as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulation.
其他服務業，部規規定的服務業除外。
License fees:
執照費：
(1) Business List 2: 10 Baht for each registered capital of 1,000 Baht with the minimum of 40,000 Baht and the maximum of 500,000 Baht.
第二類業務：每1,000泰銖註冊資本額10泰銖，最低40,000泰銖，最高500,000泰銖。
(2) Business List 3: 5 Baht for each registered capital of 1,000 Baht with the minimum
of 20,000 Baht and the maximum of 250,000 Baht.
第三類業務：每1,000泰銖註冊資本5泰銖，最低20,000泰銖，最高250,000泰銖。
Regarding the requested documents to submit for a foreign business license, please refer to our article “How to Apply Foreign Business License in Thailand” at https://0rz.tw/0w02G.
有關申請外商營業執照所需文件，請參考我們的文章“如何申請泰國外商營業執照”在https://0rz.tw/0w02G。
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