The Board of Investment
Under the investment Promotion Act of B.E.2520(1977), the Board of Investment is authorized to grant incentives and privileges to qualified investments. An investor entitled to investment incentives from the BOI ndation or cooperative organized must be a limited company,founder Thai law.
To relax the limitation of foreign shareholding in manufacturing activities and to facilitate investors on their investment, the following criteria are used by the BOI.
1.For a project in agriculture animal husbandry,fishery,mineral exploration and mining and service businesses under Schedule 1 of the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 (1999), Thai nationals must hold not less than 51% of the registered capital.
2. For manufacturing projects, foreign investors may hold a majority or all of the shares in promoted projects.
3.The BOI may specifically fix the shareholding of foreign investors in promoted projects when it is deemed appropriate.
The BOI provides tax and non-tax incentives as well as various guarantees and protection measures, which vary with project locations(BOI Zone), priority activities and other criteria.
The following tax incentives may be granted to investors
1. Exemption from or reduction of import duties on imported machinery.
2.A reduction of up to 90% of import duties on raw or essential materials imported for manufacturing for domestic sale.
3.Exemption from corporate income tax equal to the amount of the investment,excluding the cost of land and working capital,for up to eight years depending on the promoted activity and the location.
4.Dividends derived by a shareholder from promoted enterprises are exempt from tax including withholding tax on dividends,during the period of corporate income tax exemption.
5.Exemption from import duties on raw or essential materials imported for manufacturing for export.