Bangkok: The Ministry of Commerce has undertaken an investigation into legal entities across the nation, discovering that less than half of these entities are currently operational. The Ministry has issued a warning to investors, urging them to verify the status of entities before committing to investments to avoid potential scams.
According to Thai News Agency, the Department of Business Development has embarked on a comprehensive cleanup of its corporate database, identifying that 992,890 businesses are actively operating out of a total of over 2.08 million registered businesses. This equates to less than half of the total registered entities. The Department has cautioned both the public and investors to thoroughly verify the status of any legal entities before engaging in investments or transactions to minimize the risk of fraud.
Mr. Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, Director-General of the Department of Business Development, Ministry of Commerce, highlighted that May is a critical period for legal entities with accounting periods ending on December 31st to submit their annual financial statements. This year, 907,151 legal entities are required to make these submissions.
Concurrently, the Department has been updating the partnership and company database, which serves as a significant business repository for the country, to ensure the accuracy and currency of the information it contains.
As of May 4, 2026, the cumulative total of registered legal entities stands at 2,080,280, categorized into 9,941 general partnerships, 652,411 limited partnerships, 1,416,114 limited companies, and 1,814 public limited companies. Of these, 992,890 entities remain active, including 836 general partnerships, 198,118 limited partnerships, 792,424 limited companies, and 1,512 public limited companies. Additionally, 397,463 entities have been dissolved.
The Department has also eliminated 649,992 legal entities from the registry due to their classification as "dormant legal entities," which includes those failing to submit financial statements and showing no registration activity for three consecutive years. These entities are deemed non-existent under the law and are thereby prohibited from conducting business.
The Director-General emphasized the necessity for businesses and individuals engaging in transactions with legal entities to diligently verify information, including business status, financial statement submissions, shareholder structures, and business nature, to avert potential harm.
To facilitate this, the Department of Business Development has introduced the DBD DataWarehouse+ system, allowing the public to easily access corporate information through the website www.dbd.go.th. The system includes warning notes on certificates and annually lists corporations removed from the registry to aid in informed decision-making.
For additional information or guidance, individuals can reach out to the Department of Business Development, Ministry of Commerce, at Sanam Bin Nam, or visit any provincial commerce office nationwide, or call the hotline 1570. This initiative aims to bolster confidence in transactions and decrease the likelihood of fraud by individuals masquerading as legal entities.