Permitted activity review
Advice tailored to the legal, documentary and implementation requirements relevant to permitted activity review.
Corporate Law & M&A
Representative Office in Thailand
A practical route for a foreign company to establish a non-revenue-generating presence in Thailand within a defined regulatory scope.
The legal position
What is a Representative Office?
A Representative Office is an extension of its foreign head office for limited support and liaison activities; it is not a separate legal entity and cannot trade or earn local revenue.
It may support the head office through approved non-commercial activities such as coordination, market research, sourcing and communication. It cannot issue invoices for local business, accept purchase orders or earn income in Thailand.
What it cannot do
- Earn revenue or accept purchase orders in Thailand.
- Negotiate or conclude commercial contracts on behalf of the head office.
- Operate outside the scope registered with Thai authorities.
- Fund operations from local trading income rather than head-office remittances.
Minimum capital and remittance schedule
Under current Thai rules, a Representative Office requires minimum capital of THB 2 million remitted into Thailand. For an office intended to operate for three years or longer, current DBD guidance permits four 25% stages through the third year; if the intended period is less than three years, the full minimum should be remitted within six months.
How SBC Law can assist
Focused support built around the matter and its commercial context.
Our role is tailored to the route, the evidence and the outcome required—not a standardised package applied to every matter.
Registration and evidence
Advice tailored to the legal, documentary and implementation requirements relevant to registration and evidence.
THB 2 million capital planning
Advice tailored to the legal, documentary and implementation requirements relevant to thb 2 million capital planning.
Visa, work permit and ongoing compliance
Advice tailored to the legal, documentary and implementation requirements relevant to visa, work permit and ongoing compliance.
Discuss your objectives
Advice shaped around the objective and the operating context.
Tell us what you are planning, what has changed and where you need clarity. Our Bangkok team will help identify the relevant legal pathway.