Enter Southeast Asia with confidence. Explore insights on entity setup, tax structuring, compliance, and banking to build a solid foundation for regional growth.
Expanding into Southeast Asia is full of opportunity—but also complexity. From choosing the right market to structuring your entity, every decision impacts cost, compliance, and scalability. In this section, we explore practical strategies for entity setup, regional HQ structuring, and tax optimization. You’ll also find playbooks on banking, payroll, and vendor readiness to accelerate your first 90 days. Our insights go beyond checklists: they highlight local regulatory nuances, common pitfalls, and proven frameworks to help you launch efficiently. Whether you’re a startup opening your first subsidiary or a multinational expanding into new markets, these resources will help you reduce risk, shorten timelines, and build a foundation for growth.
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If speed is the priority, an Employer of Record (EOR) lets you legally hire staff and begin operations within weeks, without setting up a local company. This is ideal for testing the market or launching a small team quickly. Setting up an entity gives you more control and long-term flexibility, but takes longer (registration, director requirements, banking, compliance). Many firms start with an EOR, then transition to their own entity once operations stabilize.
In Singapore, with its streamlined processes, incorporation can be completed in 3–5 working days if documents are in order. In Thailand, timelines are longer—typically 4–6 weeks for company registration, followed by additional time for VAT, social security, and bank accounts. In both countries, delays often happen around director KYC, documentation, or banking approvals. Planning early for these steps avoids bottlenecks.
An EOR works well for market testing, hiring a small team, or bridging until incorporation. The right time to switch is when:
Headcount grows beyond 5–10 employees.
You need to issue invoices locally or hold local contracts.
You want access to BOI or government incentives.
Investors request a stronger legal presence for compliance and valuation.
At that stage, setting up an entity brings credibility, tax advantages, and cost efficiency compared to long-term EOR fees.
Banks in both Singapore and Thailand require strict Know Your Customer (KYC) checks. Challenges include:
In-person signatory requirements for directors.
Proof of local address and utility bills.
Business activity evidence (contracts, invoices, or website).
In Thailand, some banks require a Thai co-director or majority Thai staff before approval.
These hurdles often extend account opening to 4–8 weeks unless handled with local partners familiar with the process.
Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI) offers incentives like corporate income tax holidays (up to 8 years), reduced import duties, and foreign ownership flexibility. However, applying for BOI approval adds extra steps to the setup process, often 2–3 months of preparation and review. If approved, the payoff is significant—lower tax burden, easier work permits, and enhanced credibility. For companies in priority sectors (tech, health, manufacturing), BOI can be a decisive advantage.
