How much registered capital does a Thai company actually need?
Company law itself sets almost no floor: shares must have a par value of at least 5 baht, at least 25% of each share must be paid up, and two shareholders are enough, so a purely Thai company can register with a trivial amount. The real minimums come from what the company needs to do: 2 million baht paid up for a foreigner’s one year extension of stay, 2 or 3 million under the Foreign Business Act for a foreign operated business, and whatever a bank or licence asks to see.
Last reviewed 28 September 2026
The three numbers that get mixed together
Registered capital is the total par value of the shares the company has issued. Paid-up capital is the part shareholders have actually paid for, and the law requires at least 25% of every share to be paid before registration. The unpaid balance is not free money: each shareholder remains liable for it if the company ever needs to call it. Most of the confusion around minimums comes from quoting a figure without saying which of these it applies to.
| If you need | The floor | Where it is written |
|---|---|---|
| Just a Thai company | No practical minimum: par value at least 5 baht per share, 25% paid up, two shareholders. | Civil and Commercial Code, reflected in the DBD’s own registration guide. |
| A foreigner’s one year extension of stay on the back of the company | 2 million baht paid up. The order does not say "per foreigner", though it is widely applied that way in practice; the targeted industry and startup route runs on 1 million. | Immigration Bureau Order 12/2568, clause 2.1. The detail is here. |
| A foreign operated business under the Foreign Business Act | 2 million baht brought into Thailand, or 3 million for each business needing a licence. | Foreign Business Act, section 14. |
Why you should not inflate it either
Since 1 August 2026 the registrar checks that the capital is real whenever any foreigner holds shares or signs for the company: every Thai shareholder files bank statements covering the three months before the share payment, showing a withdrawal that matches what they paid. Capital you cannot evidence is no longer a cosmetic choice; it stops the registration. The mechanics, and the account the money has to land in, are in the registration manual.
Set the number from the visa file and the licence you will actually need, plus honest working capital, and stop there. A figure you picked for appearances has to be paid in, evidenced, and one day accounted for to an auditor.
What firms charge to set the structure up, government fees included, is on the company registration cost page, and three firms will quote on your actual plan.
Related questions
- The 51/49 rule: what does it actually restrict, and what does it not?
- The four Thai employees rule: when does it actually apply?
- How long does registering a Thai company really take, start to finish?
Sources
- DBD, guide to establishing a company limited (Thai, PDF)
- Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542, section 14 minimum capital (BOI, English translation)
- Immigration Bureau Order 12/2568 of 23 January 2025, criteria and documents annex (Thai)
- Ministerial Regulation on DBD registration fees B.E. 2563, Royal Gazette text (Thai, PDF)
- Order of the Central Partnership and Company Registration Office 2/2569, Royal Gazette 27 July 2026 (Thai, PDF)
This is general information about how a filing works, not accounting or tax advice for your company. Confirm anything that matters against the official notice or with your accountant. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.