BOI Promotion Explained

The Board of Investment (BOI) is the government body that promotes investment in activities Thailand wants to encourage. A promoted company receives a set of incentives rather than a single benefit, and the incentives are tied to the promoted activity and the conditions of approval.

Promotion is available across a range of sectors: advanced manufacturing, agriculture and agri-processing, digital and creative industries, and targeted services. Each activity has its own criteria for capital, technology, employment and, in some cases, Thai content.

The core incentives include a corporate income tax holiday of up to eight years, reduced import duty on machinery and raw materials, permission for foreign majority or full ownership where the activity would otherwise be restricted, and the right to own land for the promoted activity.

Promoted companies also receive streamlined work permit and visa treatment. The quota for foreign staff is more generous, and the process is faster, which matters for businesses that need to bring in technical or managerial talent from abroad.

Promotion is not granted on request. The application must show that the activity meets the criteria, with a credible business plan, qualifying capital, and, in many categories, Thai employment or technology transfer. The BOI reviews the project, may attach conditions, and monitors compliance after approval.

The conditions matter. A promoted company that drifts from its approved activity, or that fails to meet the employment or investment targets, can lose the incentives. We prepare the application to match the real business, and we help maintain the conditions so the promotion is not put at risk.

BOI promotion is most valuable where the activity is restricted (so promotion unlocks ownership), where the tax savings are material, or where the business needs to bring in several foreign staff. For a small service business with no restricted activity and no foreign staff, the cost and conditions of promotion may not be justified.

The decision should be made on the numbers and the business plan, not on the appeal of a tax holiday alone. We assess whether promotion fits the specific business before recommending the application.