Dr. HFH

Indeed, d2. But under the rules, which news reports say are now being enforced aggressively, you have to be Thai to be a tour guide or operate a tour company/travel agency.

dsquared37

Oh, I am well aware of that. Otherwise I'd have engaged in the business years ago.

Dr. HFH

But in my book, you're almost Thai, anyway.

transpac

The Thai-U.S. Treaty of Amity (1833) allows Americans to own/operate 100% of businesses here, with some exceptions (banking, salt farming, telecomms, etc.).

I am no expert, but I believe a "Tour Company" would be acceptable, with the appropriate capital and a minimum of four Thai employees.

Dr. HFH

No, travel/tourism is one of the excluded industries.

transpac

Could be, like I said I'm no expert.

The only references I can find are all similar to the following:

except in the following six
areas: (1) communications; (2) transport;
(3) fiduciary functions; (4) banking
involving depository functions; (5) the
exploitation of land or other natural
resources; and (6) domestic trade in
indigenous agricultural products. And
Thai domestic legislation has been
enacted restricting foreign, including
U.S., ownership and participation in
these areas.


But maybe a tour guide service would fall under "transport" and/or "exploitation of land and other natural resources"?

Further, the Treaty of Amity has technically expired as it violated WTO agreements, but it seems to continue. As with most things, YMMV.

Dr. HFH

"Tourism" appears as item 18 on List 3, -- the businesses in which the government has determined that Thais are not yet able to compete on a level playing field with foreigners without some form of protectionism. Other types of businesses on that list include things like rice milling, forestry, production of lime, advertising. Foreigners can operate businesses on this list if they obtain special permission from the Director General of the Department of Business Development with the approval of the Committee of Foreign Business.