Open Shipping Company in Thailand: How?
Opening a shipping company in Thailand can be a good idea as the kingdom is significantly known for import and export participant worldwide. Since the country is delimited by the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, the water transportation is quite a development, whereby making trading, both international and national smooth. Though starting any business in Thailand involves more or less similar procedure, you must ensure these when you are to start a shipping business;
• The permit to load and carry certain goods or products;
• The vessel permit;
• The harbor craft license (obtained after a ship examination);
• The port authorization permit;
• The certificate of the ship registration.
You must seek these licenses from the Maritime Department and the Port Authority of Thailand. If you are worried about the protection of the goods supplied, then for your information you must know that it is taken care by the Thai Vessel Act, the Multimodal Transport Act and the Carriage of Goods by the Sea Act in Thailand.
As for the process you have to go through the below mentioned only after you have chosen your desired business entity, including Sole Proprietorship, Partnership (Unregistered Ordinary Partnership, Registered Ordinary Partnership, Limited Partnership), Public Limited and Private Limited;
Step #1: Reservation of the Company’s Name
Step #2: Filing the MOA
Step #3: Arrange a Statutory Meeting
Step #4: Registering the Company
Step #5: Tax Registration
However, there are many restrictions too when it comes to importing of goods in Thailand. As a matter of fact, special licenses are required for goods such as, alcohol, appliances, computers, jewelry, tobacco or items that are more than 6 months old. Also, you cannot import items like weapons, narcotics or medical equipment. However, the export activities laws are permissive although certain conditions and taxes are applicable.
While we are there to help you with all the legal formalities of setting up a shipping company in Thailand, you will need to look into things like arranging a supplier, which can be a major challenge for you. When it comes to finding a supplier for the shipping business in Thailand you must look for those who have sufficient experience. Also, they must understand the importance of being on time. To ensure that you must check how long will it take to ship items plus know what mode of delivery they generally use.
You must ask them about the kind of control measures they undertake. Note that any type of quality issues may end up in a waste of time.