Thai govt improves business service quality to attract foreign investors

[webfact]

Govt improves business service quality to attract foreign investors

 

File photo

 

BANGKOK, 15 February 2018 (NNT) – The government is enhancing the quality of its business service to attract more foreign investors, said Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak. 

He said the government was constantly improving its business facilitations, making the country the second or third most attractive country for doing business and investment in the ASEAN community. 

Speaking during a conference on the enhancement of government services to facilitate businesses, he said the economic development of the ASEAN community has made the region interesting among international investors, and that regulations have been amended to lift obstructions to the investment process, alongside the investment promotion policy. 

Prime Minister's Office Minister Kobsak Pootrakool said Thailand currently has a complicated legal protocol which might obstruct the national development, thus the government will amend all laws related to inquiries at local administrative and central government levels. 

He said the amendment to the investment process, which will take a few-years time, will cut down the costs related to paperwork by up to 40-50 billion baht.

 

-- nnt 2018-02-15

[Genmai]

The amount of utter crap one has to go through to start a business here is made all the more repugnant by the fact that nearly everyone you have to deal with will have exactly the same soulless facial expression as this guy in the photo.

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

he said the economic development of the ASEAN community has made the region interesting among international investors

 

 

"Interesting" is certainly one of the many words I would use to describe my experience of coming here to set up a company. When my lawyers went to file the company registration they had to compile half a dozen copies of the application (together with the supporting documents) and take a change of clothes with them in their car. Why? "Because if the officer in charge is being difficult we have to go try submit at another province. And maybe another one, another one, etc". After that - from registering the actual business to getting a work permit for myself the time taken was approximately 1 year. That was 1 year of running around trying to justify to the government why they should give me permission to work at MY company (oops, 49%, almost forgot I don't actually own it) which was funded with MY money. Endless endless endless stacks of inane documents that I had to personally go to immigration to hand in. Live in Chiang Mai? Good luck. 5-7 business-related applicants processed per day. If you're doing it in 'winter' get ready to wait from midnight to 8am hoping for a que card. Then wait till 3pm to get processed. Immigration department updated the document because of a typo they themselves made? Have fun filling it out AGAIN and waiting in line AGAIN the next day. Lucky the immigration at Promenada are under a roof - the previous place by the airport you have to sit out in the parking lot. Bring a chair and hope it doesn't rain. Need something from the department relating to work permits? Enjoy your trip - it ain't in the same place as immigration because work permits (at least in Chiang Mai) are processed at a separate facility located at the back of an agricultural produce storage warehouse on the other side of town. Take the opportunity to admire the sacks of onions and thousands of queuing Cambodians that are a permanent fixture there. Got your work permit? Don't forget that your duties are limited by your job title. Mine says "Managing Director" which means that technically I am only allowed to sit at my computer and lord over my employees. If I do anything else besides sitting and pointing my finger and someone catches me carrying crates of potatoes - get ready for a visit from the boys in brown. How likely is this? Depends on how hungry your local police are.

 

Ok, so then you have your company, you have your work permit and you have your visa. Congratulations! Now you've entered a new hell called "Dealing with Thai employees". I will spare you the details here, suffice to say that you need to employ 4 Thais at all times. What's that? You're a small startup with low turnover and no need for 4 pencil-pushers? Tough s**t.

 

As things are now I advise everyone I meet to NOT invest in this country and instead to seek greener pastures where their money and presence is actually welcomed. Seriously, I applaud anyone who has a go at improving the completely utter nonsense that foreign entrepreneurs have to go through to do business here. But really, can any of us expect significant improvements within the next decade? No, I don't think so. If and when those improvements come around I and many others like me will have since long moved their operations to less "interesting" places like Vietnam.

 

[johng]

Very good post Genmai
[emoji106] [emoji120]

[Cadbury]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The government is enhancing the quality of its business service to attract more foreign investors

The Thai military government is also enhancing it's ability and use of Article 44 to steal businesses and assets of foreign investors. Even those businesses which were started up under the protection of a Trade Agreement. Just ask Kingsgate Mining what they think of doing business in Thailand.

[Thian]

4 hours ago, Genmai said:

The amount of utter crap one has to go through to start a business here is made all the more repugnant by the fact that nearly everyone you have to deal with will have exactly the same soulless facial expression as this guy in the photo.

 

 

 

"Interesting" is certainly one of the many words I would use to describe my experience of coming here to set up a company. When my lawyers went to file the company registration they had to compile half a dozen copies of the application (together with the supporting documents) and take a change of clothes with them in their car. Why? "Because if the officer in charge is being difficult we have to go try submit at another province. And maybe another one, another one, etc". After that - from registering the actual business to getting a work permit for myself the time taken was approximately 1 year. That was 1 year of running around trying to justify to the government why they should give me permission to work at MY company (oops, 49%, almost forgot I don't actually own it) which was funded with MY money. Endless endless endless stacks of inane documents that I had to personally go to immigration to hand in. Live in Chiang Mai? Good luck. 5-7 business-related applicants processed per day. If you're doing it in 'winter' get ready to wait from midnight to 8am hoping for a que card. Then wait till 3pm to get processed. Immigration department updated the document because of a typo they themselves made? Have fun filling it out AGAIN and waiting in line AGAIN the next day. Lucky the immigration at Promenada are under a roof - the previous place by the airport you have to sit out in the parking lot. Bring a chair and hope it doesn't rain. Need something from the department relating to work permits? Enjoy your trip - it ain't in the same place as immigration because work permits (at least in Chiang Mai) are processed at a separate facility located at the back of an agricultural produce storage warehouse on the other side of town. Take the opportunity to admire the sacks of onions and thousands of queuing Cambodians that are a permanent fixture there. Got your work permit? Don't forget that your duties are limited by your job title. Mine says "Managing Director" which means that technically I am only allowed to sit at my computer and lord over my employees. If I do anything else besides sitting and pointing my finger and someone catches me carrying crates of potatoes - get ready for a visit from the boys in brown. How likely is this? Depends on how hungry your local police are.

 

Ok, so then you have your company, you have your work permit and you have your visa. Congratulations! Now you've entered a new hell called "Dealing with Thai employees". I will spare you the details here, suffice to say that you need to employ 4 Thais at all times. What's that? You're a small startup with low turnover and no need for 4 pencil-pushers? Tough s**t.

 

As things are now I advise everyone I meet to NOT invest in this country and instead to seek greener pastures where their money and presence is actually welcomed. Seriously, I applaud anyone who has a go at improving the completely utter nonsense that foreign entrepreneurs have to go through to do business here. But really, can any of us expect significant improvements within the next decade? No, I don't think so. If and when those improvements come around I and many others like me will have since long moved their operations to less "interesting" places like Vietnam.

 

And on top of all that you have to pay something like 2 million baht to have a company here right? Is that for always or by year?

 

If i ever start a company in Asia it will be in a country where they at least use the ABC-alphabet so i can easy learn the language. I'm far from impressed by the Thenglish, even at the immigration they can't speak a word english so i won't start a company here since i can't stand that.

[English Engineer]

Yes I totally agree that whilst I like to live in Thailand. I would never do business here for the reasons given above. It is a crazy situation as many ex pats have many skills to offer which would be benificial to the country's development. 

[Retiredandhappyhere]

In the end, the story that the "Government improves business quality service" should read "will improve", since no effect will apparently be felt for several years.  No need to rush, then! 

 

All the thousands of entrepreneurs desperately keen to own 49% of their own business in Thailand while employing at least 4 Thais, can hold onto their cash meanwhile, or invest it in a more hospitable country.

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, English Engineer said:

Yes I totally agree that whilst I like to live in Thailand. I would never do business here for the reasons given above. It is a crazy situation as many ex pats have many skills to offer which would be benificial to the country's development. 

thais consider expats near dogs ; and the feeling gets mutual;

poll expats who have worked for thais here;

they will confirm my view

[YetAnother]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

The government is enhancing the quality of its business service to attract more foreign investors, said Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak. 

idle generalities; this guy is , doubtless, intelligent, yet feels like a 3 dollar bill

[Boss]

Genmai

 

Totally agree with your experience. Sounds exactly like my own. And after creating a healthy business i had to sell to Thais after 14 years as the corruption and bureaucracy became overwhelming .

[Thian]

I might write wrong info but i thought that in Malaysia a foreigner can buy a house and has many more rights than in Thailand. Their english is also a lot better, they use our alphabet, have nice food, don't cheat so much, have real police, safer roads, no soidogs...

 

 

[Destiny1990]

This might help

49%-51% change it in 100%-0%.

 

Edited February 15, 2018 by Destiny1990

[Destiny1990]

39 minutes ago, Thian said:

I might write wrong info but i thought that in Malaysia a foreigner can buy a house and has many more rights than in Thailand. Their english is also a lot better, they use our alphabet, have nice food, don't cheat so much, have real police, safer roads, no soidogs...

 

 

Malaysia honestly i never meet anyone who said they liked it there. Still i had to see it myself and of course it sucked totally. 

[YetAnother]

45 minutes ago, Thian said:

I might write wrong info but i thought that in Malaysia a foreigner can buy a house and has many more rights than in Thailand. Their english is also a lot better, they use our alphabet, have nice food, don't cheat so much, have real police, safer roads, no soidogs...

 

 

i , like many other expats, despite our ages, are seriously considering leaving here permanently; today's thailand has less and less attractiveness to expats, as exposed as it is in the remarkably enhanced prominence in our day-to-day expat banter;

quite clearly we are not wanted here and other spots seem , by all reports, more fertile;

a number of informed sources point to vietnam, specifically, north

[Nobbie49]

The amount of utter crap one has to go through to start a business here is made all the more repugnant by the fact that nearly everyone you have to deal with will have exactly the same soulless facial expression as this guy in the photo.
 
 
 
"Interesting" is certainly one of the many words I would use to describe my experience of coming here to set up a company. When my lawyers went to file the company registration they had to compile half a dozen copies of the application (together with the supporting documents) and take a change of clothes with them in their car. Why? "Because if the officer in charge is being difficult we have to go try submit at another province. And maybe another one, another one, etc". After that - from registering the actual business to getting a work permit for myself the time taken was approximately 1 year. That was 1 year of running around trying to justify to the government why they should give me permission to work at MY company (oops, 49%, almost forgot I don't actually own it) which was funded with MY money. Endless endless endless stacks of inane documents that I had to personally go to immigration to hand in. Live in Chiang Mai? Good luck. 5-7 business-related applicants processed per day. If you're doing it in 'winter' get ready to wait from midnight to 8am hoping for a que card. Then wait till 3pm to get processed. Immigration department updated the document because of a typo they themselves made? Have fun filling it out AGAIN and waiting in line AGAIN the next day. Lucky the immigration at Promenada are under a roof - the previous place by the airport you have to sit out in the parking lot. Bring a chair and hope it doesn't rain. Need something from the department relating to work permits? Enjoy your trip - it ain't in the same place as immigration because work permits (at least in Chiang Mai) are processed at a separate facility located at the back of an agricultural produce storage warehouse on the other side of town. Take the opportunity to admire the sacks of onions and thousands of queuing Cambodians that are a permanent fixture there. Got your work permit? Don't forget that your duties are limited by your job title. Mine says "Managing Director" which means that technically I am only allowed to sit at my computer and lord over my employees. If I do anything else besides sitting and pointing my finger and someone catches me carrying crates of potatoes - get ready for a visit from the boys in brown. How likely is this? Depends on how hungry your local police are.
 
Ok, so then you have your company, you have your work permit and you have your visa. Congratulations! Now you've entered a new hell called "Dealing with Thai employees". I will spare you the details here, suffice to say that you need to employ 4 Thais at all times. What's that? You're a small startup with low turnover and no need for 4 pencil-pushers? Tough s**t.
 
As things are now I advise everyone I meet to NOT invest in this country and instead to seek greener pastures where their money and presence is actually welcomed. Seriously, I applaud anyone who has a go at improving the completely utter nonsense that foreign entrepreneurs have to go through to do business here. But really, can any of us expect significant improvements within the next decade? No, I don't think so. If and when those improvements come around I and many others like me will have since long moved their operations to less "interesting" places like Vietnam.
 

Very true. The point is they don’t want SMEs from the likes of you and me here. They want TOYOTA HONDA APPLE SAMSUNG. Because They can and will be squeezed for serious bucks as opposed to pennies from you or me. We’re just an easy target to have some good old xenophobia thrown at. Makes em feel so superior.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[yellowboat]

If you do not need a presences inside the country, it is better to deal with Thailand from the outside. 

[Thian]

7 hours ago, Nobbie49 said:

They want TOYOTA HONDA APPLE SAMSUNG.

That's right, but i heard Toyota is considering of moving to Vietnam where it's cheaper for them and the employees work a lot harder.

[Chris Lawrence]

Just need to know where to pay the fee.

[Jonah Tenner]

On 15.2.2018 at 5:31 PM, YetAnother said:

a number of informed sources point to vietnam, specifically, north

Why the north?

[observer90210]

A good start would be to ease the immigration red tape and hassles for the quality expats who have invested in their property and wish to have long stay sojourns....