Incorporating in Phuket — Office Address, Tourism, Villas and Sector Licences

Normally a copy of the house registration book for the premises, written landlord consent or the lease, and the owner's ID copy. The registered address must be genuinely contactable, because Revenue Department and Department of Employment officers may inspect the premises before approving VAT registration or a work permit.

At the Business Registration Division of the Phuket Provincial Commerce Office, or online through DBD e-Registration, which works nationwide. Online filing requires prior identity verification of the applicant; files involving original foreign documents are often easier to lodge in person at the provincial office.

Yes if the owner consents in writing and the lease does not prohibit business use. Two cautions: many condominium juristic persons prohibit business registration in residential units, and at work-permit stage officers ask for photographs of company signage and of a space that plainly looks like an office.

A tourism business licence from the Department of Tourism, which sets registered capital and security-deposit levels by licence type and Thai shareholding requirements under the Tourism Business and Guide Act. Tour-guide work is reserved for Thai nationals. Incorporation is only step one — plan the sector licence alongside it.

Daily-rate accommodation falls within the Hotel Act 2004 and requires a hotel licence, with the building meeting building-control and town-planning requirements. Leases of 30 days or more fall outside the hotel definition, which is why many projects use that structure. Check the Phuket town plan and the building's status before investing.

Navigation in Thai waters is regulated by the Marine Department; Thai-flagged vessels are subject to Thai-ownership requirements under Thai vessel legislation, and water transport is a restricted activity for foreigners. A common structure separates the vessel-owning entity from the service operator — which must be designed to comply genuinely, not through nominee holdings.

Most banks require a company certificate issued within one to three months, the memorandum of association, the shareholder list, a board resolution on account opening and signatories, ID or passports of all directors, and evidence of the office address. Foreign directors usually must attend the branch in person, and some banks want to see a work permit before granting online payment rights.

The law and the online filing are the same, but the registered address determines your Revenue Department area office and Department of Employment branch. Phuket officers are familiar with tourism, hotel, marine and property businesses, and physical premises inspections are common for companies sponsoring foreign work permits, so keep a genuine office with signage and a lease matching the registration.

You can register it if the property owner gives written consent with proof of ownership and the house registration. For a foreign work permit, however, officers expect photographs of premises that look like a real office with company signage, desks and staff. Many condominium regulations prohibit commercial use, so check the juristic person's rules first.

A move within the same province needs only a board resolution and an address amendment. Moving to a different province amends the memorandum clause on the location of the registered office, so it requires a special shareholders resolution filed together with the memorandum amendment. Prepare the lease or consent letter, a house registration copy for the new address and a map. Remember to amend the VAT certificate (PorPor 20) at the new revenue office and any work permit that states the place of work.