Getting a business licence in Thailand
Depending on the type of business you are running, you may or may not need to apply for a Thai business licence.
A business licence is a permit issued by the local authority allowing you to operate a particular type of business.
Some of the types of business licences available are listed below:
- Alcohol Licence
- Construction Licence
- E-Commerce Licence
- Hotel Licence
- Factory Licence
- Food Licence
- FDA Licence
- Import/Export LIcence
- Publishing LIcence
- Recruitment Licence
- School Licence
- TAT Licence
- Live Entertainment Licence
The alcohol licence covers both the import of alcohol to Thailand and the sale of alcohol in Thailand.
A construction licence covers the construction of new buildings or modification of existing buildings, destruction or movement of a building or changing the useage of a building.
An e-commerce licence covers any type of business which receives online payments and is governed by the Thailand Electronic Transactions Act.
A factory licence is issued by the Ministry of Industry and is dependant on the following factors: the size and quantity of each factory, the type, quality and source of raw materials, the type and quality of products to be manufactured and the type of energy to be used in the factory.
An FDA licence covers the production of food and drugs, It is issued by the Thai Food & Drug Administration who are responsible for the protection of the consumers health & safety.
A food licence needs to be applied for by any place of business who wishes to serve food in their establishment. There will usually be an onsite visit and the business owner should be present for this to explain any food making process. In addition to this every Thai employee will be required to attend a test at The City Hall to answer multiple choice questions about food hygiene.
The hotel licence application is one of the most time consuming business licences to apply for so it is recommended to work closely with an experienced professional. There are five different types of hotel licence,
- Hotel business only, for up to 50 rooms: application fee at 10,000 THB
- Hotel and restaurant business: application fee of 20,000 THB
- Hotel, restaurant and seminar rooms: application fee of 30,000 THB
- Hotel, restaurant, seminar rooms, entertainment business: application fee of 40,000 THB
In order to receive an import/export licence you will need to apply to the Customs Dept, the application process usually takes no more than one day.
In order to be issued with a publishing licence you need to be a Thai national and at least 20 years of age.
Obtaining a recruitment licence requires you to have an independent office of at least 16 square metres and must not be shared with any other businesses. The applicant for the recruitment licence must pay a guarantee of at least 100,000 THB and provide a copy of his/her criminal record.
The requirements for obtaining a school licence depend on the length and type of course being taught. The requirements are split between the type of building required and the qualifications of the teachers and staff.
Before engaging in the tourism business, companies and individuals need to apply for a tourism licence otherwise known as a TAT licence. Anyone applying for a TAT licence must be a Thai national of at least 20 years of age and resident in Thailand.
Typical Businesses that required licences and the types of licence they require are listed below:
Restaurants:
Most types of restaurant will usually require a food licence and an alcohol licence. If the restaurant owner wishes to have live bands perform at his establishment then he will need to apply for and be granted a Live Entertainment licence.
Hotels:
The most obvious type of licence that a hotel will need is a hotel licence. Although they may also require a Food Licence, Alcohol Licence and possibly a Live Entertainment or TAT Licence depending on the additional services offered at the hotel.
Schools:
Any type of establishment calling themselves a school need to have a school licence. It can also be a requirement that one of the school directors must have a Masters Degree in Education.
