Business Set-up Consulting in Pattaya

• You want to open a restaurant, salon, tour-related business or other shop in Pattaya
• You are not sure whether you need a company or where to begin
• You are already trading and struggling with premises, staff or local contractors
• You want to sort out the issues in Japanese before seeing a lawyer or accountant

Opening a business in Thailand means company structure, which activities foreigners may run, permission to work, premises and licences all affect one another. From our experience living and working in Pattaya, we help you decide what to settle and in what order. We do not make legal or tax judgements, and we connect you with specialists when needed.

The table summarises information published by JETRO and others as of September 2026. Treatment varies with the activity and ownership structure, so please confirm with a specialist.

1. Decide the shape of the business: activity, size, shareholding and whether you will work in it yourself
2. Check foreign ownership rules and work permit prospects with a specialist: whether the activity is restricted and how you will obtain permission to work
3. Find premises that fit the use and licensing conditions, and check fit-out and signage rules before signing
4. Form the company and open a bank account: registration, corporate account and paying in capital
5. Fit-out and licence applications. Some activities are inspected once the fit-out is finished
6. Obtain your visa and work permit, recruit staff and register for tax
7. Run the business: bookkeeping, renewals and dealings with local suppliers

Getting the order wrong leads to setbacks such as premises that cannot be licensed, or a company that exists but no permission to work. It is safer to sign a lease and form the company only once licensing and work permit prospects are clear.

Business premises in Pattaya range from beachfront shops and shophouses (a shop below with living space above) to units inside malls. Choosing on rent alone can mean discovering later that the premises do not suit the business. Before signing, we check the following with the landlord or manager.

• Whether your type of business is permitted there, and whether the previous tenant ran the same kind of business
• The lease term, renewal conditions and what happens if you leave early
• How many months of advance rent and deposit are required, and whether you must restore the premises at the end
• Electrical capacity, water, drainage, ventilation and gas. These matter most for restaurants
• Rules on signage and permitted opening hours
• Whether the address can be used for company registration and licence applications

We join viewings and check these points with you through interpretation. Please have a lawyer review the lease itself.

• The activity and the products or services you will offer
• Planned investors, such as yourself, a Japanese company or a Thai partner
• Whether you will work in Thailand or only manage the business
• Preferred area and type of premises, such as size and street front or inside a mall
• When you want to open and your approximate budget for preparation
• Your current visa type and how long it has left

What we do

• Organise the issues and suggest an order of steps
• Help find premises, join viewings and interpret with landlords and building management
• Liaise with fit-out contractors and check and accompany you to licensing offices
• Help you find lawyers, accountants and other specialists, and sit in on meetings
• Handle dealings with local suppliers and contacts after opening

What we do not do

• Legal, tax or accounting judgements or advice, or legal review of contracts
• Company registration or tax filings on your behalf (these are for licensed professionals)
• Lend names or arrange nominee shareholders to get around the rules
• Promise business success or profits

• Using a Thai person's name while a foreigner actually runs the business breaches the Foreign Business Act and is subject to enforcement. The Thai nominee can be penalised too
• Serving customers or cooking in your own shop without a work permit. Even owners need permission to work
• Overlooking occupations closed to foreigners. Twenty-seven occupations, including Thai massage and tour guiding, are prohibited for foreign nationals nationwide (as of September 2026)
• Signing a lease too early. Some premises cannot be used for food or cannot take the ventilation and drainage work required
• Budgeting only for the opening. Allow for rent, staff costs and visa and permit renewals in the months after opening