Why Bodhi Counsel
The Advantages of Working With a Practice That Does One Thing Well
Foreign business licensing in Thailand is a procedural process with real consequences if mishandled. Bodhi Counsel focuses on this area alone — which shapes the quality and depth of advice we are able to provide.
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What Sets This Practice Apart
Undivided Focus
The practice does not offer a broad commercial law service. Every engagement relates to foreign business licensing under the FBA or Board of Investment promotion — which means our knowledge of these areas is maintained at depth.
Written Deliverables as Standard
Every engagement produces a written document. For eligibility mapping, this is an advisory note you can distribute to your board. For applications, it is the prepared submission package. Nothing rests on verbal communication.
Fixed, Transparent Fees
Each service carries a published fixed fee. Clients know the full cost before engaging. There are no time-based billing surprises, no conditional additions, and no charges for correspondence within the defined scope.
Direct Ministry Engagement
Application submissions and committee follow-up are handled directly by the practice. Clients do not need to attend Ministry of Commerce proceedings unless specifically required — we attend and report back in writing.
Dual-Track Capability
For investors whose activity may qualify for BOI promotion, we run FBL and BOI processes in coordination — which avoids duplication of effort and ensures the two applications present consistent descriptions of the same operation.
Accessible for Overseas Clients
The entire advisory process can be conducted remotely. Engagements begin with a brief description of the activity and proceed through correspondence and document exchange. Clients outside Thailand are able to use our services without visiting Bangkok.
Expertise Built From Sustained Engagement With the Act
Bodhi Counsel's advisers have worked on foreign business licensing matters for over a decade. This means familiarity not just with the statutory text but with how administrative interpretation has evolved over time — which committee questions recur, how activity descriptions in Annex 3 are read in practice, and what supporting documentation has historically been expected.
- Deep familiarity with FBA Annexes 1, 2, and 3 classification
- Ongoing monitoring of ministerial notifications and amendments
- Knowledge of BOI promoted activity categories and current incentive packages
A Process Designed Around the Regulatory Reality
The licensing process has a defined shape: eligibility assessment, application preparation, submission, committee review, and decision. Bodhi Counsel's engagements are structured to follow that shape precisely. We do not skip stages or conflate them. The result is that applications arrive at the Ministry in a state the committee expects — properly documented, coherently argued, and submitted at an appropriate time in the committee schedule.
- Staged engagement aligned to the regulatory process
- Committee scheduling awareness built into timeline guidance
- Applications prepared to the documentation standard the Ministry expects
Client Communication That Matches the Seriousness of the Subject
Market entry decisions are consequential. Clients engaging with the Foreign Business Act are typically at a significant stage of their business planning. Bodhi Counsel responds to enquiries and progress questions with substantive, written answers — not holding statements. If something has changed, you are told what it is and what it means for your engagement.
- Written responses to all substantive client queries
- Progress updates at each material procedural stage
- Immediate notification of any committee query or additional information request
Pricing That Reflects the Scope, Nothing More
Our fees are fixed and published. The ฿4,500 eligibility advisory, the ฿24,000 application engagement, and the ฿39,200 combined package reflect the work involved in each. There is no time-tracking and no billing for correspondence within the agreed scope. Clients who are cost-conscious can begin with the eligibility advisory and proceed to a full application engagement only if they choose to.
- No hourly billing — fixed fees for each defined scope
- Staged entry point for clients who want to assess before committing
- Full fee disclosed before any engagement commences
Outcomes Described Honestly Before Work Begins
We do not take on engagements where we believe the licensing prospect is poor without first telling the client why. Eligibility mapping exists precisely to answer the question before an application is drafted. Where an activity falls in a restricted category with a difficult licensing pathway, we describe that position accurately — so clients can consider whether to proceed, restructure, or explore a different market entry approach.
- Honest pre-engagement assessment of licensing prospects
- Written summary of likely conditions and requirements before application
- End-of-engagement memo documenting all conditions attached to approvals
The Difference
Bodhi Counsel vs Typical Advisory Approaches
| Feature | Typical Providers | Bodhi Counsel |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing-specific focus | ||
| Written advisory deliverable at eligibility stage | ||
| Fixed, published fees | ||
| Dual-track FBL and BOI coordination | Varies | |
| Committee attendance included in engagement | Extra fee | |
| Accessible for overseas clients | Varies | |
| End-of-engagement written memorandum |
Distinctive Features
What You Will Not Find Elsewhere
A Plain-Language FBA Note as the Starting Point
Most advisers move directly to application preparation. Bodhi Counsel offers a standalone advisory note — ฿4,500, delivered in writing — that describes your position under the Act before you commit to anything further. This note can be used in discussions with your investors, co-founders, or local partners.
Sub-Committee Attendance as Part of the Engagement
For the combined FBL and BOI package, attendance at sub-committee meetings is included in the engagement scope. Most firms charge separately for this. At Bodhi Counsel, it is part of what the fee covers.
A Closing Memorandum on Conditions
At the conclusion of a combined engagement, clients receive a written memorandum describing the conditions attached to each approval — what the licence permits, what ongoing obligations apply, and what restrictions remain. This document is often essential for corporate governance and shareholder reporting.
No General Practice Overhead
Bodhi Counsel does not carry the overhead of a general commercial law firm. There are no property law partners, no litigation teams, no sprawling corporate practices. This keeps fees proportionate and keeps the team's attention on the work clients are actually paying for.
Recognition
Milestones and Professional Standing
14+
Years in Practice
340+
Licensing Matters Advised
28
Countries of Origin Served
96%
Client Satisfaction Rate
Thailand Advisory Board
Member, Foreign Investment Advisory Panel — 2021 to present
Business Law Association
Accredited member, Thailand Business Law Association — since 2018
Market Entry Practice of the Year
Recognised by the ASEAN Business Advisory Council — 2023
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Put These Advantages to Work on Your Licensing Matter
Send a brief description of your intended business activity in Thailand. We will respond with an initial view on your position under the Foreign Business Act.
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