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The Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) is the government agency that promotes investment in Thailand. A company whose project is approved for BOI promotion can receive tax holidays, import duty exemptions and non-tax rights — including the right to own land, bring in foreign experts and, in many activities, hold a majority of the shares as a foreign investor. This guide explains how BOI promotion works, who can apply, what it costs to qualify, how to apply and what changed in 2026.
New measures for 2026–2027. In January 2026, the BOI announced a package of measures, most of them open to applications until the last working day of 2027. They include an expanded relocation measure for companies that move production to Thailand together with an international business center (an extra 3 years of corporate income tax exemption, or 5 years with an R&D center, within an overall cap of 8 years), incentives to upgrade the automotive industry, and support for Thai–foreign joint ventures making auto parts. A stimulus measure for projects that invest at least 2 billion baht within 12 months of their promotion certificate — offering an extra 50% tax reduction for 5 years after the exemption ends — is open only to applications made during 2026.
Stricter rules for foreign staff. BOI rules on hiring foreign employees set minimum monthly salaries (for example, 150,000 baht for executives and 50,000 baht for operational staff) and, for manufacturers with more than 100 employees, require at least 70% of staff to be Thai. They have applied since October 1, 2025 to certificates issued from June 5, 2025, and since January 1, 2026 to earlier certificates.
“BOI to IPO” and FastPass. In September 2026, the BOI announced extra tax incentives for promoted companies that list on the Stock Exchange of Thailand or the mai, and added a third group of projects to FastPass, its fast-track service for strategic investments.
The BOI operates under the Investment Promotion Act B.E. 2520 (1977), as amended. Its current five-year investment promotion strategy runs from 2023 to 2027 and focuses on new-economy industries. Promotion isn’t automatic and isn’t limited to factories: the BOI publishes a list of eligible activities, covering areas such as agriculture and food, medical industries, automotive and electronics, and digital and other high-value services. A project must fall within one of these activities and meet its conditions. The BOI also considers what the project brings to Thailand, such as technology, skills and its location.
Each eligible activity is placed in a group that decides its basic corporate income tax (CIT) exemption:
| Group | CIT exemption | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| A1+ | 10–13 years | No cap |
| A1 | 8 years | No cap |
| A2 | 8 years | Capped at the investment amount |
| A3 | 5 years | Capped at the investment amount |
| A4 | 3 years | Capped at the investment amount |
| B | No CIT exemption | — |
Note for large multinational groups: since fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, Thailand applies a top-up tax where a large multinational group’s effective tax rate in Thailand is below 15% (groups with consolidated revenue of at least €750 million). This can reduce the value of a BOI tax holiday, so check its effect before relying on one.
If you’re setting up a new company for the project, see our guide to company registration in Thailand. US citizens and companies can also consider the Treaty of Amity, which offers another route to majority ownership in many activities.
Applying to the BOI is free. The official procedure is:
The promotion certificate is the document that confirms your rights. It sets out the company’s details, the promoted activity and project, the tax and non-tax incentives granted and the conditions the company must meet to keep them — for example, deadlines for importing machinery and starting operations. Promoted companies must report regularly to the BOI, and failing to meet the conditions can put the incentives at risk.
BOI promotion doesn’t replace other licenses. A manufacturing project still needs to comply with zoning and land-use rules and may need a factory license. See our guide to the Thai factory license.
Often, yes. BOI promotion can allow full foreign ownership in many activities, but activities in List One of the Foreign Business Act require at least 51% Thai shareholding, and some activities set their own Thai shareholding conditions.
1 million baht, excluding land and working capital, unless the activity sets a different amount. Qualifying Thai-majority SMEs can apply with 500,000 baht.
The BOI’s evaluation period is 40, 60 or 90 working days, depending on the size of the project, counted from receipt of complete documents. Accepting the promotion and obtaining the certificate take additional time.
No. The eligible activities also include services, such as digital and other high-value services. Each activity has its own conditions.
Yes, for its promoted activity and as approved by the BOI (Section 27 of the Investment Promotion Act). The land must be disposed of within one year if a foreign promoted company stops or transfers the activity.
Yes. BOI promotion makes it easier to bring in foreign experts and skilled workers, but they still need work permits, and the BOI’s salary and Thai-staff rules apply.
A well-prepared application — the right activity, a realistic investment plan and complete documents — makes approval faster and protects your incentives later. For advice on your project, contact our business team. Our office is on the 22nd floor of the Interchange 21 Building, 399 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok, and you can call us on +66 2 611 2881.
About the author
This article was written by Valentin Declercq, CEO of G.A.M. Legal Alliance, who holds a Master’s degree in Law (LLM) from the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) in Belgium. G.A.M. Legal Alliance, founded in 2011, is based in Bangkok and provides individuals with expert legal support for issues related to immigration, litigation, property purchases and many other areas.
Last updated: October 2026. This article provides general information about Thai law and does not constitute legal advice. For advice on your situation, please contact us.
