Silom Council Passes Revised Business Licensing Fees Ordinance, Aligning Charges With Peer Municipalities

The Silom City Council approved the Revised Business Licensing Fees Ordinance at its July 7 meeting by a 9-2 vote. The measure resets charges for retail outlets, food stalls and professional offices according to premises size and type. It directly covers the 1,800 registered businesses along Silom Road and adjacent lanes.

The ordinance responds to a national directive issued in March that urged local governments to standardise licensing schedules within two years. Silom had last updated its schedule in 2019, leaving its rates below those collected in the six neighbouring municipalities that completed revisions last year.

Effects on Daily Operations

A 40-square-metre convenience store will now pay 18,500 local currency units annually instead of the current 12,000. A 120-square-metre restaurant faces a rise from 28,000 to 42,000 units. These amounts are calculated from the same per-square-metre table used in the adjacent districts of Bang Rak and Sathon.

Policy analysts note that the new schedule removes the previous flat-rate option for businesses under 50 square metres. Owners previously eligible for that option must now submit floor plans by 30 November to avoid late-registration penalties set at 15 percent of the base fee.

Revenue and Implementation Timeline

The city finance department estimates the changes will generate an additional 8.4 million units in the coming fiscal year, according to the resolution attached to the July 7 minutes. That figure equals roughly 3 percent of the council's projected licensing income for 2027.

Staff will begin issuing renewed licences under the new rates on 1 January 2027. Businesses that complete registration before 15 December receive a 5 percent discount on the first-year payment. The council will review compliance data after six months and report findings at the January 2028 meeting.