Bangkok: The cumulative number of new businesses established in the first eight months of 2026 surpassed 60,000, marking a noticeable trend in business development. Apparel retail, online businesses, and restaurants led the newly registered businesses in August, with a total of 7,913 new businesses registered, reflecting an increase of 401 businesses or 5.34% from July. This also represents a 3.56% rise compared to August 2025.
According to Thai News Agency, the Department of Business Development reported that the registered capital for August 2026 stood at 16,811 million baht, a significant decrease from July's 53,647 million baht, representing a drop of 68.66%. This also marks a 27.51% decline from the same period last year. Despite the decrease in registered capital, the first eight months of 2026 witnessed 60,198 new business establishments, a 1.70% increase from the same period in 2025. Cumulative registered capital during this period amounted to 181,658 million baht, a 6.53% decrease from 2025.
The growth analysis of new business establishments revealed that online retail businesses saw substantial growth with 1,766 new businesses, a 52.11% increase from the previous year, accompanied by a registered capital of 2,861 million baht. Restaurants and food businesses expanded by 21.40%, totaling 2,927 new entities with a capital of 4,721 million baht. Additionally, clothing retail businesses grew by 87.02%, with 735 new businesses and a registered capital of 1,001 million baht.
August 2026 also saw 2,244 business closures, a 4.28% increase from July and a 35.18% rise compared to August 2025. The registered capital of dissolved companies in August was 7,035 million baht, a slight increase from July but a 42.96% decrease from August 2025.
The first eight months of 2026 registered 11,420 business dissolutions, a 17.38% increase from the same period in 2025. The cumulative registered capital of businesses dissolved during this period was 112,668 million baht, a 78.74% increase from 2025. As of the end of August 2026, there were 2,110,274 registered legal entities with a registered capital of 32.78 trillion baht. Of these, 1,014,836 entities were actively operating, with limited companies representing the majority.
The service sector led with 552,830 registered entities and a capital of 14.22 trillion baht, followed by the wholesale/retail and manufacturing sectors, indicating the diverse areas of business activity in the region.