On 12 May 2026, the Thai Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, approved in principle two draft instruments that will materially reduce the licensing burden on foreign investors operating in Thailand. The amendments target to remove the foreign business license requirement under the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 (1999) (the “FBA“) from the nine categories of business. The reform responds to long-standing concerns that the FBA imposes a duplicative regulatory layer on businesses that are already subject to rigorous oversight under sector-specific legislation and dedicated regulatory agencies, creating unnecessary cost, delay, and complexity for foreign investors without providing a commensurate regulatory benefit.
The two draft instruments consist of (i) a Draft Royal Decree amending the business category list annexed to the FBA and (ii) a Draft Ministerial Regulation specifying businesses that do not require a foreign business license. Both have been referred to the Council of State for legal review and are expected to be gazetted within the coming months. Neither instrument requires Parliamentary approval, as both derive their authority directly from the FBA itself.
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