Representative Office

Conditions to meet

• Activities are limited to: sourcing goods or services in Thailand for the head office; inspecting and controlling the quality of goods the head office buys; advising on the head office's products; disseminating information about new products or services; and reporting on business movements in Thailand to the head office.
• No income may be earned, no quotations or invoices issued, and no purchase orders accepted in its own name.
• All expenses must be funded by remittances from the head office, with minimum capital generally THB 3 million under the ministerial regulation.
• A representative-office manager resident in Thailand must be appointed.

Documents to prepare

• Head office affidavit, legalised and translated into Thai.
• Resolution appointing the representative-office manager and the power of attorney.
• Details of the intended activities, expense projections and the staffing plan.
• Office address documents with the consent letter for use of premises.

Step-by-step process

1. Confirm the scope stays strictly within the permitted support activities.
2. Legalise head-office documents and obtain certified Thai translations.
3. File with the DBD and receive the registration certificate.
4. Remit capital on schedule and handle withholding tax and social security for employees.

Common mistakes

• Exceeding the permitted scope — negotiating prices or taking orders — which counts as doing business and requires a licence.
• Assuming no tax filings apply, when withholding tax and social security obligations remain.
• Failing to remit the required capital on time.

Deciding authority

Department of Business Development, together with the Revenue Department and the Social Security Office.

Sources

• กรมพัฒนาธุรกิจการค้า
• กรมสรรพากร

Information current as of August 2026 — reconfirm the latest conditions with the authority before filing.

Other structures

More: Company registration FAQ · Work permit routes · Thai visa types