Thailand relaxes foreign business rules for seven service sectors

Thailand has eased regulations governing foreign business operations by removing the requirement to seek approval for seven categories of service businesses under a new ministerial regulation issued by the Ministry of Commerce.

The Ministerial Regulation Prescribing Service Businesses Not Requiring Permission for Foreigners to Operate Businesses (No. 5), B.E. 2569 (2026) was published in the Royal Gazette, with Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun signing the regulation under powers granted by the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 (1999).

The amendment aims to update the regulatory framework and facilitate foreign investment by expanding the list of service businesses that do not require permission under the Foreign Business Act.

The seven service categories covered by the regulation are:

• Telecommunications services under Type One licence: Services provided by operators without their own telecommunications networks, where the service is liberalised under telecommunications laws.
• Treasury centre services: Financial management activities conducted in accordance with foreign exchange control regulations.
• Intra-group management services: Administrative, human resources and information technology services provided between affiliated companies that meet legal criteria on shareholding or board relationships.
• Rental services for space used to install automated machines: The leasing of areas for automated teller machines, financial service machines or vending machines for company employees’ convenience.

• Domestic debt guarantee services: Guarantees provided between affiliated legal entities within the same corporate group, subject to conditions prescribed by law.
• Petroleum drilling services: Services provided by contractors directly engaged under contracts with concession holders, production sharing contract holders or service contract holders under petroleum laws.
• Additional financial and derivatives-related services: Including lending for securities purchases, securities transactions with repurchase agreements, and roles involving derivatives dealers, advisers or fund managers, as well as transactions linked to foreign exchange rates and interest rates.

The regulation replaces previous provisions that required permission for certain foreign business activities, including advance sales contract-related services and other services specified under earlier ministerial regulations.