BOI Launches Support Measures for Songkhla Entrepreneurs Affected by Floods

The Board of Investment (BOI) has introduced measures to assist businesses in Songkhla, a key economic hub of southern Thailand, following severe flooding that caused significant damage to life, property, and local industries. The support programme aims to alleviate economic impacts and facilitate business recovery through tax incentives and operational relief.

BOI has activated the “Assistance Measures for Investment-Promoted Businesses Affected by Floods,” first announced in 2024. The measures include duty exemptions on imported replacement machinery, write-offs for damaged machinery and raw materials without tax liabilities, and approval for increased production capacity using newly purchased or replacement machinery. These measures are designed to enable rapid restoration of business operations and sustain economic activity in affected areas.

Detailed guidelines are available in BOI Notification No. 15/2567 and Office Announcement Pr.7/2568, which outline procedures for requesting amendments to investment projects, claiming tax benefits, writing off damaged assets, importing replacement machinery, and submitting evidence of damage. Businesses affected by flooding may contact the BOI headquarters for assistance via telephone at 02-553-8111, email at head@boi.go.th, or Line ID @boinews.

Songkhla serves as a major production base in southern Thailand, hosting 191 investment-promoted projects with a combined value exceeding 53 billion baht. Key industries include food processing, agricultural product and packaging manufacturing, aquaculture feed production, biomass-based power generation, and rubber processing. These sectors play a vital role in supporting regional economic development.

The support measures are available to businesses located within officially declared flood disaster zones. Requests for assistance must be submitted within six months from the end of the flooding, defined by the date on which the disaster area is officially declared safe or receives emergency flood relief status. Compliance with documentation and verification requirements is essential for receiving BOI benefits.

The initiative is intended to stabilise business operations, expedite recovery efforts, and maintain the economic contribution of Songkhla’s investment-promoted projects. The BOI’s proactive approach reflects a commitment to mitigating the impact of natural disasters on local industries and fostering long-term resilience in the southern economy.