Despite Thailand boasting a top-rated airport and a flagship carrier ranked in the top 20 globally, the country’s aviation sector was hit in 2015 by a series of negative reviews and downgrades by a foreign regulator and an international aviation organisation. The assessments surprised the travelling public and gave rise to a number of practical concerns and considerations. While the downgrades had…
This chapter contains hotel listings for business and leisure visitors, phone numbers for foreign missions and local services as well as some useful cultural tips for first-time arrivals.…
This chapter examines the Thai legal code, focusing primarily on plans to attract investment, special economic zones, types of businesses that can be set up, and other key topics. It also contains a viewpoint from Yuthana Promsin, Partner and Co-founder of Jus Laws & Consult.…
This chapter summarizes the Thai tax system, focusing on corporate tax rates, rules and regulations, incentives for investors and other key areas. It also contains a viewpoint from Andrew Jackomos and Paul Ashburn, Senior Partners, BDO Advisory.…
The naturally fertile land central to Thailand’s Chao Phraya river basin, combined with increasingly well-developed infrastructure, serves as a strong foundation for what is a robust agricultural base. These advantages have propelled both small-scale farmers and larger agriculture companies from Thailand into the forefront of global agri-business, with the country ranking among the world’s leaders…
The government of Thailand is highly focused on reforming education and has made some decisive moves to achieve this end. The administration is also starting to lay the foundations for the long term, pushing initiatives that will help education move into the future. It is, for example, working to increase research and development spending, from 0.46% of GDP in 2015 to 1.0% in 2016. This is central…
Endless white sandy beaches, inexpensive accommodation, tasty cuisine, exotic jungle treks and friendly locals have all propelled Thailand to its reputation as a quintessential tropical tourism destination, not only within the region but across the globe. Marketing campaigns headed by the Thai government and private sector have helped cement the industy’s position as the fourth-biggest contributor…
The Thai telecom market is changing quickly. 4G has been introduced and a new player may now be competing, bringing the total number of major operators to four. In the short term, telecoms must pay for their spectrum, and going out they will be developing their networks and building their customer bases. This is sure to be a challenge in terms of fund-raising and profitability, and it seems that creative…
In 2015 the construction sector grew by 15.8%, a significant improvement over 0.1% in 2013 and 3.7% in 2014, and the industry contributed 2.8% to GDP. Residential projects accounted for 66% of total construction area permitted in 2015, while industrial projects made up 16% of the total. Continued economic expansion, rising demand for housing and, most importantly, renewed government investment levels…
