Branch Office
A Branch Office is a form of investment in Thailand that allows foreign companies to conduct business activities without establishing a new legal entity. A Branch Office in Thailand is considered an extension of the parent company abroad, without separate legal status. This means the parent company has direct legal responsibility for the Branch Office’s operations.
Regional Office
A Regional Office is a popular investment format in Thailand for multinational companies seeking to establish operational bases in Southeast Asia. Regional Offices in Thailand cannot generate direct revenue within Thailand but serve as coordination centers overseeing company operations in various countries throughout the region.
Regional Offices receive special benefits from the Thai government, including exemptions from certain foreign business restrictions and special privileges for visas and work permits for foreign employees.
US Treaty of Amity
The Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations between Thailand and the United States of America is a bilateral agreement signed in 1966 with the objective of promoting economic relations between the two countries.
This treaty grants special privileges to American companies and American citizens conducting business in Thailand, exempting them from many restrictions under the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 (1999) that normally apply to other foreign nationals.
Representative Office
A Representative Office is one of the investment formats for foreign companies in Thailand that is permitted to conduct certain activities to support the parent company abroad without generating revenue in Thailand. A Representative Office does not have a separate legal entity status in Thailand but is considered a part of the foreign parent company.
Representative Offices are suitable for foreign companies looking to explore the Thai market or wanting to have a representative in Thailand to coordinate with customers or distributors, but not yet ready for a higher level of investment.