Common types of marketing businesses

Requirements for setting up a marketing business

Which type of legal entity to register?

• Thai Limited Liability Company (LLC): The most common entity for setting up foreign-owned marketing businesses. Foreign ownership is limited to 49%, therefore you will require Thai partners.
• BOI-promoted company: Digital and creative industries are promoted by the Thai Board of Investments (BOI). Once you have registered an LLC, you can apply to transition into a BOI company. This allows 100% foreign ownership and lower restrictions in terms of land ownership and foreign hiring.
• Foreign business License (FBL) holding company: If your operations involve the Thai market and are considered beneficial to improving it, the FBL classification allows you to work in restricted sectors (arts, culture, media) and exempts you from some foreign ownership restrictions

Is the Foreign Business License mandatory?

The FBL is required for operations that are restricted to foreigners under the Thai Foreign Business Act. Emerhub can help you determine if this license is necessary based on your business structure. For marketing agencies, an FBL is usually mandatory if you engage in advertising within the Thai market or work with local media services.

What are the minimum capital requirements?

Minimum capital is only required if your marketing business intends to employ international workers. If, for example, you are setting up a back-office marketing agency for an overseas company employing Thai talent, then there will be no capital requirements.

For hiring international employees, the minimum is THB 2 Million or approximately USD 56,180.00.

Key steps for starting a marketing agency in Thailand

Emerhub’s team of local advisors can help you navigate the key requirements for setting up your Thai marketing business. There are several important steps in the process: