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UnionSPACE
Foreign-owned export company advisory · Thailand

Use Thailand as your export base—with the right foreign-owned structure.

Planning to source, manufacture, process or add value in Thailand and sell to overseas customers? UnionSPACE helps foreign investors assess which legitimate ownership and operating pathway may fit the business before they incorporate, lease premises or commit to a supply chain.

  • 100% foreign ownership potential
  • Export-focused structuring
  • Customs & tax support
  • Local operating support
Independent private-sector advisory. UnionSPACE is not a Thai government authority and does not issue company registrations, Foreign Business Licences or Certificates, tax registrations, customs permissions or other official approvals.
Thailand export company advisory, sourcing and operations support by UnionSPACE
Bangkok-Based TeamLocal corporate & operating support
Since 2018Supporting businesses in Thailand
Multilingual SupportEnglish · 中文 · ไทย + more
One Local TeamCompany · Tax · Office · Compliance
Quick fit check

Could this structure work for your business?

The useful starting point is not the label “export-only company.” It is the real transaction flow: what your Thai company will buy, make, process or store; who owns the goods; where customers are located; and how revenue is earned.

  • Buy goods from Thai suppliers and export them overseas
  • Import raw materials and manufacture or process in Thailand
  • Manufacture or add value locally for overseas customers
  • Use Thailand as part of a regional sourcing or supply chain
  • Prefer majority or 100% foreign ownership where legally available

Tell us what you plan to buy, make and sell. We can identify the ownership and regulatory questions worth resolving before you commit.

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Common business models

Which best describes your Thailand plan?

Source & Export

Buy finished goods or components from Thai suppliers and sell them to customers outside Thailand.

Check this model →

Import + Manufacture

Bring raw materials or components into Thailand, manufacture or process locally and export the finished goods.

Check this model →

Manufacture in Thailand

Operate production, assembly or other qualifying manufacturing activity in Thailand for overseas customers.

Check this model →

Regional Export Hub

Use Thailand for sourcing, processing, packing, quality control or export coordination within an international supply chain.

Discuss my structure →
Why investors consider Thailand

Build an export operation—not merely a company registration.

Where the proposed activities and legal pathway permit it, an export-focused Thailand operation can combine foreign ownership with local sourcing, production and ongoing business infrastructure.

Foreign Ownership Potential

We assess whether the actual activities may support majority or full foreign ownership, or whether another permitted pathway is more appropriate.

Buy From Thai Suppliers

Structure procurement and title flow around the products, suppliers and overseas sales model.

Manufacture & Add Value

Where relevant, assess manufacturing, assembly, processing, packing and premises requirements together.

Export Internationally

Build the company around overseas sales while identifying any local activity that could change the regulatory analysis.

Potential Input VAT Credit

A VAT-registered exporter may be able to credit or recover qualifying input VAT, subject to tax invoices, Revenue Department rules and review.

Local Operating Support

Accounting, customs, office, warehouse, payroll and compliance support can continue after incorporation.

Important structuring point

100% foreign ownership is a pathway question—not a marketing label.

Thailand has several legitimate pathways that may allow foreign investors to operate certain export, manufacturing or promoted activities with majority or full foreign ownership. The correct route depends on the complete activity, supply chain, location, permissions and any business restricted under the Foreign Business Act.

We therefore do not assume that overseas revenue automatically creates an exemption or that a Foreign Business Licence is never required. A qualifying business may instead fall outside a restricted category, use a Foreign Business Certificate route, investment promotion, treaty route or another permitted structure depending on the facts.

Don't choose the company structure until the transaction flow is clear.

Compare My Options
What we assess

The business model must work legally and commercially.

Products

Product type, regulatory status, origin, destination markets and storage or handling requirements.

Sourcing

Thai purchasing, imported inputs, contract manufacturing, own manufacturing and when title passes.

Revenue

Export sales, commissions, services, royalties and any revenue linked to Thai customers or activities.

Operations

Employees, premises, inventory, quality control, packing, manufacturing, logistics and customer support.

Ownership Pathway

Whether the activities appear unrestricted or require BOI, treaty, Foreign Business Certificate/Licence or another analysis.

Tax & Compliance

VAT, corporate tax, customs, payroll, transfer pricing, product controls and annual company obligations.

How it works

Four steps from business model to operating company.

01

Tell us what you want to do

We document what the company will buy, manufacture, process, store and export; where customers are located; and how the Thailand team will operate.

02

We assess the ownership pathway

We review the activities, revenue flow, premises, products and supply chain against the proposed foreign-ownership structure and likely regulatory route.

03

Form & register the company

If the structure is suitable and you proceed, UnionSPACE coordinates the agreed company, tax, customs and related preparation under a written scope.

04

Start operating

Optional accounting, tax, payroll, office, warehouse and ongoing compliance support can continue with the same local team.

Choose the right route

Export company, manufacturing company or BOI?

“Export company” is sometimes only the starting description. We compare the actual plan so you do not force a business into the wrong legal structure.

Export-Focused Structure

Worth assessing where the company is built primarily around overseas sales and permitted sourcing or operating activities.

Manufacturing Structure

May be suitable where substantive manufacturing or production is the principal Thailand activity.

Free Zone / Customs Structure

Worth considering for businesses focused on imports, processing, storage, re-export or customs efficiency.

BOI-Promoted Company

Potentially suitable for qualifying investment projects seeking foreign ownership together with tax or non-tax incentives.

Not sure which one fits? Send us your transaction flow and we can compare the main structuring questions.

Compare My Options
After incorporation

From company setup to an operating export business.

UnionSPACE can continue supporting the Thailand operation rather than stopping when the company is registered.

Accounting & Tax

Bookkeeping, VAT, withholding tax, payroll and year-end compliance.

Customs & Import / Export

Registration and operational coordination appropriate to the agreed scope.

Office & Workspace

Registered-office, serviced-office and operating-space options where suitable.

Warehouse & Storage

Storage and mini-warehouse options depending on product and operating requirements.

Visa & Work Permit

Support for eligible foreign directors and employees under the applicable requirements.

Corporate Compliance

Ongoing company changes, filings and secretarial support.

Common questions

Questions foreign exporters usually ask first

Can a Thailand export company be 100% foreign owned?
Potentially. The answer depends on the company's actual activities and the legal pathway that applies. We review sourcing, manufacturing, revenue, supporting services and any Thai domestic activity before recommending a structure.
Does an export-focused company automatically avoid a Foreign Business Licence?
No automatic conclusion should be drawn. The correct treatment depends on the actual activities. A business may fall outside a restricted category or may require a Foreign Business Certificate, Licence, BOI, treaty or another permitted pathway.
Can the company buy Thai products and export them?
This can be part of an export-focused model, subject to the exact trading flow, product rules, customs arrangements, tax treatment and any regulated activity.
Can the company sell to customers in Thailand?
Domestic sales should be assessed separately before they begin. Wholesale, retail, services or regulated products can introduce different foreign-ownership or licensing considerations.
Can the company recover VAT paid to Thai suppliers?
A VAT-registered exporter may be able to credit or recover qualifying input VAT, subject to Revenue Department rules, valid tax invoices, filing position and review. It should not be treated as an automatic refund of every VAT payment.
Can products receive a Thai Certificate of Origin?
Potentially, where the goods meet the applicable origin criteria. Company incorporation alone does not make a product Thai-origin. Product composition and production processes must satisfy the relevant rules.
Do I need a factory, industrial estate or warehouse?
It depends on the activity and legal pathway. A company manufacturing, processing or storing goods may require different premises and permissions from a company coordinating exports without holding inventory. We include the planned location in the structure assessment.
Check your structure

Tell us what you plan to buy, make and export.

A useful enquiry only needs the basics: what the Thailand company will do, where the goods come from, where the customers are, whether you will manufacture or hold inventory, and your preferred ownership.

For a faster assessment, include:
1. Product or industry
2. Sourcing / manufacturing model
3. Customer countries
4. Any Thailand sales
5. Preferred ownership
6. Target start date

Call (+66) 02 036 0600 · Monday–Friday, 9:00–18:00 Bangkok time.

Private-sector advisory: official registrations, licences, certificates, tax determinations, customs classifications and approvals remain with the responsible authorities.

Contact Our Multilingual Team in Thailand

Our team speaks English, Chinese (Mandarin), Russian, Kazakh, Burmese, Thai, and Indonesian — Monday to Friday, 9AM–6PM Bangkok time.

Get in Touch

Leave us a message and a UnionSPACE representative will contact you within 12 hours.

Location

Suite 201 - Level 2, 29 Sukhumvit Soi 39, Phrom Phong, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

Open Hours

Local Team. Regional Reach. One Accountable Partner

Free Initial Consultation Available

Tell us what the business will do, who will own it and how you plan to operate in Thailand. Our Bangkok advisory team will identify the lawful structures available and explain the practical cost and consequences of each.

  • A written structural recommendation
  • Consultation fee confirmed before booking
  • Advice available in seven languages
Arrange a consultation Email the advisory team

Prefer to speak directly? Call (+66) 02 1188 988
Monday–Friday, 9:00–18:00 Bangkok time.

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