Unrestricted business activity under the Foreign Business Act

At present, a foreign legal entity which was established under foreign law and will conduct an unrestricted business activity in Thailand under the Foreign Business Act, 2542 B.E. (1999), must submit a request to the head office of the Department of Business Development (“DBD”) for a corporate registration number on paper and notify the DBD of the place where the foreign entity will store its accounting and supporting documents.

Keywords: Mazars, Thailand, Legal, DBD, Foreign Business Act

8 July 2021

As part of the Thai government’s plan for a digital economy and society, the DBD has announced that there will be a new way for a foreign legal entity to request a corporate identification number effective 1 July 2021.

Under the new method, the foreign legal entity must submit a request for a corporate registration number online through the DBD’s website.

  • Step 1 - The person responsible for the operation of the foreign legal entity or his / her grantee applies for a username and password through the DBD’s website.
  • Step 2 - That person logs onto the DBD’s website using the username and password issued by the DBD.
  • Step 3 - That person fills in the information and submits the supporting documents required to request a corporate identification number.
  • Step 4 - Upon receipt of all required information and documents, the DBD will issue a corporate identification number to the foreign entity within one week.

Under this new online system, a foreign legal entity can submit applications regarding the following matters:

  1. Amendment of information about the foreign legal entity, such as changes in location, the name of the entity, or the person responsible for operations in Thailand.
  2. Cessation of doing business in Thailand.

References:

DBD’s announcement dated 7 June 2021

DBD’s announcement dated 27 May 2016

 

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