BOI Investment Promotion Certificate Thailand: A Complete Guide for SMEs

gentlelawlawfirm
Aug 30
3 min read

BOI Investment Promotion Certificate Thailand: A Complete Guide for SMEs

For foreign-owned SMEs entering Thailand, BOI investment promotion can unlock tax and non-tax benefits, smoother hiring of foreign experts, and in some cases land ownership for business use. This guide by GENTLE LAW IBL explains what the BOI Investment Promotion Certificate is, who qualifies, the step-by-step application process, and how to keep your project compliant after approval. We cite the Investment Promotion Act B.E. 2520 and the BOI Investment Promotion Guide 2025 so you can rely on accurate, up-to-date rules.

What is a BOI Investment Promotion Certificate?

A BOI Investment Promotion Certificate is an approval issued under the Investment Promotion Act B.E. 2520 to a “promoted person,” granting rights and benefits set out in the Act and BOI announcements. These include non-tax benefits such as visa and work-permit facilitation and the ability to own land necessary for the project, and tax incentives such as corporate income tax (CIT) exemptions based on activity.

Key legal bases

Visa and work-permit facilitation for promoted projects appears in the Act’s rights and benefits chapter.
Land ownership for business use by a promoted person is permitted subject to BOI approval and conditions.
Tax incentives, including CIT exemptions, are provided under the tax benefits chapter.

Who qualifies for BOI promotion?

BOI targets specific activities and industries. For eligible projects, foreign shareholding may be allowed up to 100 percent except for activities falling under List One of the Foreign Business Act. The BOI also lists non-tax incentives such as land rights and streamlined visa and work-permit services through the Single Window system.

Focus keyword used here for context: BOI Investment Promotion Certificate Thailand.

Rights and benefits at a glance

Foreign shareholding: Up to 100 percent for eligible activities except those in FBA List One, per BOI criteria.
Land ownership: A promoted company may be permitted to own land necessary for the project, subject to BOI approval and conditions under the Act.
Visa and work-permit facilitation: BOI-promoted persons can access dedicated procedures to bring in skilled experts and executives.
Tax incentives: Activity-based incentives that can include CIT exemption; durations and caps depend on activity. The BOI Guide details CIT exemption frameworks and caps for technology-intensive projects.

Important: Actual incentive packages and conditions are set in the BOI resolution and the certificate for each project. Always implement exactly what your certificate specifies.

BOI Investment Promotion Certificate Thailand: Application steps

Confirm eligibility and the correct activity category Map your business to BOI targeted activities and check foreign shareholding rules against the Foreign Business Act lists noted in the BOI Guide.
Prepare the application dossier on BOI’s e-Investment system Eligible applicants submit applications and required documents via the e-Investment Promotion system. The Guide lists the standard forms and evidence and explains where paper applications are still used by exception.
Project evaluation and BOI resolution The BOI evaluates the project. Consideration time depends on the size of investment and completeness of documents. Resolutions are notified to applicants and then formally accepted through the Promotion Certificate System.
Promotion acceptance and certificate issuance After you accept the resolution, submit the Promotion Certificate application and supporting evidence. As per the Guide, the Office issues the certificate after receiving complete acceptance and documents within the stated administrative time frame.
Implement and maintain compliance Bring in machinery and experts according to the approved plan, comply with reporting, and meet milestone timelines as specified in your certificate and BOI announcements.

Core documents and evidence

Company information and financials (audited statements where available)
Project details, production or service flow, and key machinery or platforms
Utility and manpower plan
Evidence of inward fund transfers for foreign investment as applicable These items are set out in the BOI Guide’s procedures and required documents section.

How BOI assesses projects

BOI looks at alignment with targeted activities and overall benefits to Thailand such as technology transfer, job creation, and competitiveness. The Investment Promotion Guide 2025 explains non-tax incentives, foreign shareholding criteria, and the evaluation and consideration workflow.

Compliance tips for SMEs

Match your actual operations to the approved scope in the certificate at all times.
Keep visa and work-permit files consistent with your manpower plan and the BOI Single Window records.
Track every incentive condition and deadline in the certificate, including any cap and period for CIT exemptions per your activity group.

How GENTLE LAW IBL helps

Eligibility and activity classification under current BOI frameworks
BOI e-Investment filing support and interviews
Post-promotion compliance including land permission requests, visa and work-permit facilitation, and reporting
Legal-tech workflows that keep every BOI condition tracked to avoid benefit forfeiture

Ready to pursue BOI Investment Promotion Certificate Thailand for your project? Book a BOI investment readiness review with GENTLE LAW IBL: gentlelawibl.com