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BOI Promotion • Phuket + Bangkok

BOI Application (Thailand Board of Investment) — Full-Stack Filing

The Thailand Board of Investment grants 100% foreign ownership, 3-8 year corporate tax holidays, machinery import duty exemption, and unlimited work permits — if your business fits one of the promoted categories.

094-895-8999 LINE @THAINOTARY Contact@thainotary.co.th
TL;DR

BOI (Board of Investment) promotion is Thailand's premium incentive scheme. Benefits: (1) 100% foreign ownership even in normally-restricted sectors, (2) corporate income tax holiday 3-8 years (Category A1/A2/A3), (3) machinery + raw material import duty exemption, (4) land ownership right, (5) expedited work permits via One-Stop Service, (6) SMART Visa access for staff. Application takes 90-120 days. Requires minimum THB 1M investment (some categories 3M+), a compliant Business Plan, and the right activity code. We handle the full stack: activity code selection, financial modelling, BOI dossier, hearing preparation, and post-approval compliance (BOI Section 22 report, income tax exemption certificate).

Pricing
฿120,000 – ฿380,000
per application (Category dependent)
Turnaround
90-120 days to Investment Certificate
Foreign Ownership
100% allowed
Tax Holiday
3-8 years (Category A)
Machinery Duty
0% import duty
Work Permits
Unlimited via BOI OSS
Minimum Investment
THB 1M base (most categories)

BOI Categories A1-A4 + B1-B2 — Read This Before Filing

BOI promoted activities are organised into 6 tiers. The tier decides your tax holiday length, machinery duty, and land ownership right. Misclassifying is the most expensive mistake in BOI filing.

  • A1: 8-year CIT exemption + no cap on exempted amount — knowledge-based industries (R&D, biotech, aerospace, AI)
  • A2: 8-year CIT exemption capped at investment — high-tech manufacturing, alternative energy, advanced materials
  • A3: 5-year CIT exemption — supporting industries, cold storage, digital services (software, e-commerce enabler)
  • A4: 3-year CIT exemption — general manufacturing with technology upgrade, some services
  • B1/B2: No CIT exemption but keeps 100% foreign ownership + machinery duty exemption + work permit benefits
  • IPO (International Business Center) and TISO (Trade & Investment Support Office) sit outside A-B and cover holding, treasury, and regional HQ

Digital Services — What Actually Gets Approved in 2026

The digital economy category (5.7 and 5.8) is where 80% of Phuket-based tech founders apply. BOI has quietly tightened the standards in 2025.

  • Software Development (5.7): Requires min. 3 Thai software engineers within 24 months + BOM (Bill of Materials) proving software is developed in Thailand, not resold
  • E-Commerce Enabler (5.8): Marketplace/SaaS platform, not a shopfront — must show recurring revenue model + Thai server hosting or Thai CDN partner
  • Digital Content: Games, animation, VFX — requires evidence of IP creation in Thailand + royalty stream
  • Data Centre / Cloud: Category 5.9 — very tight, requires environmental impact assessment and MOU with a Thai university
  • Fintech: Handled outside pure BOI via BOT sandbox — BOI supports infrastructure only, not the regulated activity

Post-Approval — Where BOI Companies Actually Fail Compliance

Getting the Investment Certificate is 60% of the work. Maintaining it is where most single-shareholder BOI companies fail Year 3 audits.

  • Section 22 Report: Filed annually — describes progress against the promoted project. Late = suspension warning
  • Machinery Master List: Every imported machine must be on the pre-approved list. Post-import additions require an amendment
  • Debt-to-Equity ratio: Cannot exceed 3:1 for A-tier projects; audits check this against the annual financial statement
  • Sales-of-promoted-vs-non-promoted ratio: Non-promoted revenue in a promoted vehicle can trigger partial CIT clawback
  • Employment ratio: Must hit the promised Thai staffing within 24 months of first commercial operation

Phuket-Specific — Special Economic Zones + Sandbox

Phuket sits inside multiple BOI-favoured zones. Filing from here (not Bangkok) can add 1-3 years of tax holiday if you match the zone criteria.

  • Phuket Smart City Sandbox: Digital businesses inside the sandbox get +1 year CIT exemption
  • SEZ Andaman: Extended to Phuket for tourism-tech and medical tourism — adds 2 years CIT and 50% CIT reduction for years 6-10
  • IHQ / IBC: Regional HQ setup in Phuket qualifies for 8% flat CIT on qualifying income — great for family offices
  • Medical Hub: Hospitals + wellness centres get 5-year exemption + 90% duty exemption on medical equipment

Documents you'll need

Company documents
  • DBD certificate + shareholder list (if company already exists)
  • Draft MOA + Articles of Association (if new-co)
  • 3-year financial projection (P&L + balance sheet + cash flow)
  • Detailed business plan (English, 40-60 pages)
  • Machinery + technology list with supplier quotes
Shareholder documents
  • Passport copies of all foreign shareholders
  • Certificate of Incorporation for corporate shareholders + apostille
  • Source-of-funds evidence (bank statement + audit letter)
  • CV of directors + technical staff
Technical documents (category-dependent)
  • Patent / IP evidence (for A1/A2)
  • Software architecture diagram (Category 5.7)
  • Environmental impact statement (for 5.9 data centres)
  • R&D commitment letter with % of revenue

How it works

  1. 1

    Category screening + eligibility check

    3-5 days

    Match your business to the A1-B2 tier and quantify the benefits vs alternative structures (US Treaty, IEAT, standard Ltd).

  2. 2

    Business plan + financial model

    3-4 weeks

    Build the 40-60 page BOI-compliant plan with 3-year projection.

  3. 3

    BOI submission + fees

    1 day

    File dossier at BOI (or OSOS Phuket), pay THB 5k application fee.

  4. 4

    BOI hearing (Board Meeting)

    60-90 days from filing

    Attend the sub-committee hearing in Bangkok, defend the projections.

  5. 5

    Approval letter + acceptance

    1-2 weeks

    Sign the acceptance letter within 30 days, pay incorporation fees.

  6. 6

    Investment Certificate + post-approval setup

    2-4 weeks

    Receive the certificate, register the company as BOI, apply for OSS work permits.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the tax holiday?+

3 to 8 years depending on category. A1: 8 years uncapped. A2: 8 years capped at investment. A3: 5 years. A4: 3 years. B1/B2: no CIT holiday but keep 100% foreign ownership.

Can I own land as a BOI company?+

Yes — BOI companies can own land for their approved business operations. This is one of the most valuable non-tax benefits, especially in Phuket where foreign land ownership is otherwise forbidden.

Do I need Thai directors?+

No — 100% foreign directors and shareholders are allowed. But you still need a Thai auditor and a Thai secretary for filings.

What if my business doesn't fit a BOI category?+

Consider adjacent structures: US Treaty of Amity (US citizens only, no tax break but 100% ownership), FBL (Foreign Business Licence, longer approval), or IEAT industrial estate promotion.

How fast can I get work permits after approval?+

1-2 weeks via BOI One-Stop Service Center (OSOS). Unlimited work permits with no THB 2M-per-foreigner capital rule and no 4-Thai-per-foreigner headcount rule.

Can I convert an existing Ltd to BOI?+

Yes — file BOI application with the existing DBD certificate. Approval retroactively grants BOI status; unrelated pre-BOI revenue does not qualify for exemption.

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Ready to file for BOI promotion? Send us a 1-paragraph business description + shareholder nationality mix to LINE @thainotary — we return a category recommendation (A1-B2) and estimated tax-holiday value within 2 business days.

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