Many people may think that an “association” is simply a gathering of individuals with a common purpose, such as those in the same profession, public activity groups, or non-profit groups. In reality, however, establishing an association legally under Thai law requires going through the “association registration” process, which has specific requirements and necessitates readiness in terms of members, documentation, premises, and objectives.

This article will help you gain a better understanding of how to register an association, including the procedures and requirements involved. And if you wish to minimize risks and reduce complicated steps, we, as experts in corporate registration and licensing consulting, are ready to guide you through every step of the process.

An association is not just an ordinary gathering — it must be properly registered!

Reasons Why an Association Must Be Properly Registered According to the Law

What is an Association?

According to the Civil and Commercial Code, Sections 78–109, an Association refers to a group of 10 or more individuals who come together to carry out activities without seeking profit for its members or founders. An association obtains the status of a “juristic person” once it is officially registered with the Registrar of Associations under the Ministry of Interior. Examples include sports associations, professional associations, volunteer associations, and business associations.

Clarifying the Differences: How is an “Association” Different from a “Foundation”?

A frequently asked question is, “What is the difference between an Association and a Foundation?” While both are non-profit organizations and share similar social objectives in certain aspects, under Thai law, Associations and Foundations are distinctly different in several ways, which can be summarized as follows:

Advantages and Precautions in Establishing an Association

• It has the status of a juristic person under the law. With this status, an “association” can enter into contracts, own property, and carry out legal activities.
• Enhances credibility when applying for funding from the government or international organizations
• Able to open a bank account in the name of the association
• Enables operations to be systematic and transparent, with clear administrative regulations, thereby reducing internal conflicts within the group.
• Entitled to legal benefits, such as registering for withholding tax or applying for certain tax exemptions (if eligible).

Precautions to Be Aware of When Establishing an Association

• Prohibited from engaging in any political activities without authorization
• The association’s use of funds must be transparent and subject to audit.
• An association must submit its annual financial statements to the relevant authorities as required by law.
• If activities are similar to business operations, they must be clearly separated.

Basic Conditions for Registering an Association

Before starting the association registration process, the founders must prepare in accordance with the following conditions:

An association has the following characteristics:

• A gathering of a group of individuals
• Formed to carry out activities on a continuous basis, not just temporarily and then dissolved.
• It must have bylaws as operational guidelines that do not conflict with the law. 
• It must be properly registered as a juristic person, with at least three members submitting the application at the District Office in Bangkok or at the District Office in other provinces where the association’s headquarters is established. 

1. Number of founding members

• There must be at least 10 founding members, and each must be at least 20 years of age.
• They must be individuals residing in Thailand. 

2. Objectives of the Association

• The objectives must not conflict with the law, morality, or public order.
  They must be clearly stated, such as promoting sports, education, arts and culture, or charitable activities.

3. Location of the Association’s Office

• There must be a fixed and verifiable location, along with a sketch map of the association’s premises.
• There must be documents showing the right to use the premises, such as a lease agreement or a consent letter from the property owner, as well as any other relevant documents, if applicable.

4. Bylaws of the Association

• Bylaws must be prepared specifying the operational details of the association, such as member meetings, board elections, management, finances, and dissolution of the association.

Expert Advice from FDI on Proper Association Registration from the Start“Consulting with Experts”is the Right Solution.

Although registering an association is not as complex as registering a company, there are still many details that new founders may overlook, such as the format of the bylaws, the details in the application, or specific supporting documents.

If you want to save time, minimize risks, and gain confidence that your documents will be approved in one go, our team — with over 30 years of experience in corporate registration and licensing — is ready to provide guidance at every step.

We can assist you with the documentation process as follows: 

• Verify the accuracy of documents before submission
• Draft the association’s bylaws in compliance with legal standards
• Coordinate with the District Office or District Authority
• Assist in preparing for interviews with the authorities
• Monitor the application progress until the certificate of registration is issued.
• Provide consulting and services with efficiency and reasonable pricing by a team of experts.

Contact Us

• Facebook : FDI Group – Business Consulting
• @fdigroup
• Phone : 02-642-6866, 02-642-6869, 02-642-6895
• E-mail : infojob@fdi.co.th
• Website : www.fdi.co.th