New Business Registrations Surge Past 60,000 in Eight Months
Thailand recorded over 60,000 new business registrations in the first eight months of 2025, with online retail, restaurants, and clothing shops leading growth despite a significant rise in business closures.
New business registrations exceeded 60,000 during the first eight months of 2025, with clothing retail emerging as the fastest-growing sector. Poonpong Nayanapakarana, director-general of the Department of Business Development under the Commerce Ministry, reported that August 2025 recorded 7,913 new business registrations, representing a 3.56% increase compared to August 2024, though registered capital decreased 27.51% to 16.8 billion baht. For the eight-month period from January through August 2025, registrations reached 60,198 businesses—up 1.70%—with cumulative registered capital at 181.66 billion baht, down 6.53%.
Three business categories demonstrated strong expansion during this period: online retail sales recorded 1,766 new registrations, up 52.11% with registered capital of 2.86 billion baht; restaurants and food services registered 2,927 businesses, up 21.40% with capital of 4.72 billion baht; and clothing retail shops registered 735 businesses, surging 87.02% with capital of 1.00 billion baht.
Meanwhile, business closures in August 2025 totaled 2,244 registrations, up 35.18%, with closed business capital at 7.04 billion baht, down 42.96%. Over the eight-month period, 11,420 businesses closed, up 17.38%, with cumulative closed capital at 112.67 billion baht, up 78.74%. As of August 31, 2025, Thailand had 2,110,274 registered businesses with combined capital of 32.78 trillion baht. Of these, 1,014,836 businesses remained actively operating with 24.13 trillion baht in capital.
The service sector led in active business registrations with 552,830 businesses and 14.22 trillion baht in capital, followed by wholesale and retail trade with 332,791 businesses and 2.60 trillion baht, and manufacturing with 129,215 businesses and 7.31 trillion baht, representing 54.48%, 32.79%, and 12.73% of all operating registered businesses respectively.
