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Thailand Restaurant Guide

How to Open a Restaurant in Thailand

Launch your F&B business in the Land of Smiles — a global food destination with 40M+ annual tourists

Thailand Restaurant Market Overview

฿850 billion (~US$24B)

Market Size

7.2%

Annual Growth

350,000+

Restaurants

25,000+

New/Year

฿2.4 million/year

Avg Revenue

3.6 million

Employed

Startup Costs in Thailand

Estimated investment ranges based on restaurant size and concept (in THB)

Small

฿300,000 - ฿1,500,000

Street food cart, small noodle shop or cafe

Medium - Most Popular

฿1,500,000 - ฿5,000,000

Casual dining restaurant (30-80 seats)

Large

฿5,000,000 - ฿20,000,000

Fine dining or hotel restaurant (80+ seats)

Required Licenses & Permits

Essential permits you'll need to legally operate a restaurant in Thailand

Company Registration

Authority: Department of Business Development (DBD)

฿5,500 - ฿7,000

7-14 days

Food Establishment Licence

Required for any restaurant under Public Health Act

Authority: BMA / Local Municipality (เทศบาล)

฿1,000 - ฿3,000/year

2-4 weeks

Food Hygiene Certificate (สุขลักษณะ)

Sanitation and hygiene approval for premises and staff

Authority: Department of Health

฿500 - ฿2,000

2-4 weeks

Alcohol Licence (สุรา)

Required to sell beer, wine, or spirits

Authority: Excise Department (กรมสรรพสามิต)

฿1,650 - ฿110,000/year (by type)

4-8 weeks

Tobacco Licence

Optional, required only if selling cigarettes

Authority: Excise Department

฿1,000/year

2 weeks

Entertainment Permit

Required if offering live music or after-midnight operation

Authority: Local Police / Ministry of Interior

฿5,000 - ฿20,000/year

4-8 weeks

Foreign Business Licence (FBL)

Required for foreign-majority ownership (or use Thai partner)

Authority: Ministry of Commerce

฿20,000+ (legal fees)

2-6 months

Typical Operating Costs

Rent฿20,000 - ฿250,000/month (Bangkok CBD highest)

Labour Cost20-28% of revenue

Food Cost30-38% of revenue

Utilities฿10,000 - ฿50,000/month

Insurance฿15,000 - ฿60,000/year

Tax Information

Sales Tax / VAT

VAT: 7% (mandatory if revenue > ฿1.8M/year)

Corporate Tax

20% (SME: 0% first ฿300k, 15% next ฿2.7M)

Employment Tax

Social Security: 5% employer + 5% employee

Key Regulations to Know

Important compliance requirements for restaurant operators in Thailand

Food Act B.E. 2522 (1979)

Public Health Act B.E. 2535 (1992)

Foreign Business Act (FBA) — restricts non-Thai ownership

Alcohol Beverage Control Act (no sale 14:00-17:00, after midnight)

Labour Protection Act (minimum wage ฿353-400/day by province)

PDPA (Personal Data Protection Act 2019)

Halal certification optional via CICOT

Market Opportunities

40M+ annual tourists (food tourism)
Strong cafe & dessert culture
Booming delivery (LINE MAN, GrabFood, foodpanda, Robinhood)
BOI incentives for innovative F&B
Growing health & plant-based segment
Michelin Guide presence boosts fine dining

Key Challenges

Foreign ownership restrictions (FBA)
Alcohol sale time restrictions
High Bangkok rents in prime areas
Seasonal tourism dependency
Visa & work permit complexity

🍽️Popular Cuisines in Thailand

Thai (Royal/Street)

Isaan/Northeastern

Northern (Lanna)

Japanese

Korean

Italian

Cafe & Bakery

Boba/Bubble Tea

Top Locations to Consider

Bangkok (Sukhumvit, Thonglor, Ekkamai, Sathorn, Siam)

Phuket (Patong, Kata)

Chiang Mai (Nimman)

Pattaya

Hua Hin

Koh Samui

Official Resources

Government and industry resources to help you get started in Thailand

DBD Thailand

Department of Business Development

BOI Thailand

Board of Investment (foreign incentives)

Excise Department

Alcohol & tobacco licensing

Thai Restaurant Association

Industry association (TRA)

Tourism Authority of Thailand

Tourism F&B promotion

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