To start a coffee shop in Thailand, lock down compliance, location economics, and supply before you buy an espresso machine. Incorporate a Thai limited company with the DBD, secure a tax ID, and register VAT once revenue exceeds 1.8M THB; foreigners need a Thai-majority structure or a Foreign Business License, plus 2M THB registered capital and a 1:4 Thai-to-foreign staff ratio per work permit. Obtain a Food Shop License from your municipality, a signage permit (and sign tax), grease trap approval, fire extinguisher certification, and alcohol retail license if serving beer; fit-out plans must meet BMA or municipal health and fire codes. Choose a ground-floor site with 500–1,000 daily footfall, rent under 12% of projected sales, 3-phase power and a 32A line; target 200–300 cups/day to break even with COGS 30% and labor 20%. Source beans locally unless you hold an FDA import permit; install water filtration and a 3–5kW machine. Register staff for Social Security within 30 days and pay the statutory contributions; follow the current provincial minimum wage. Launch with Google Maps, Line OA, GrabFood, and PromptPay QR; collect reviews and run commuter bundles. Expect 60–90 days from lease to opening if permitting and build-out run in parallel.
