Foreign food vendors reveal costly sticker payment scheme in Thailand

[webfact]

 

At 11pm last night, a video clip from a local resident dining at a restaurant in Nonthaburi showed a Vietnamese squid vendor discussing the difficulties faced by foreign sellers in Thailand. The 35 year old vendor, Min, spoke about various fees and the sticker system, revealing that they incur high monthly costs.

 

Min, who has been selling squid for roughly a year, stated that he is required to pay several agencies, receiving stickers in return. Currently, he has two types of stickers, one with a chicken and another with a duck, affixed to the back of his mobile phone for easy reference.

 

The two stickers represent two different organisations, each demanding a payment of 800 baht (US$23) per month. In addition to these expenses, Min also needs to make payments to specific people he calls ‘brother officer.’

 

In the video, Min explained that he needs to sell at least 1,000 baht (US$29) of squid daily; otherwise, he cannot afford the nearly 6,000 baht (US$172) worth of fees he must pay to eight to nine agencies each month. He expressed his extreme exhaustion due to selling until 2am to 3am, at times making a small profit due to high costs, Sanook reported.

 

by Samantha Rose

PHOTO: Sanook

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/foreign-food-vendors-reveal-costly-sticker-payment-scheme-in-thailand

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-06-22

 

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[simon43]

Sorry if I misunderstand here...... but surely it is illegal for a non-Thai citizen to engage in this type of work.  Why doesn't he try selling his squid in Vietnam?

[FritsSikkink]

Make sure you have the right paper work and obey the rules about opening times. Then you don't have to pay anyone.

[Mr Meeseeks]

21 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Sorry if I misunderstand here...... but surely it is illegal for a non-Thai citizen to engage in this type of work.  Why doesn't he try selling his squid in Vietnam?

Burmese, Cambodians and Viets built Thailand, a bit like the Irish Navvys in the UK.

 

2 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Make sure you have the right paper work and obey the rules about opening times. Then you don't have to pay anyone.

That's not the way Thailand works mate.

 

 

[FritsSikkink]

58 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

That's not the way Thailand works mate.

 

It does if you know what you are doing. Know quite a few of businesspeople who don't do payoffs and can run their business without a problem. Been here for a long time.

[h90]

17 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

It does if you know what you are doing. Know quite a few of businesspeople who don't do payoffs and can run their business without a problem. Been here for a long time.

We had a Myanmar staff, who worked before in a construction company where we know the owner. He had the paperwork OK with immigration....no doggy fees. If everything correct all is good.

Only thing I noticed for his work permit with the medical certificate the overcharged him most probably. But not like crazy. Not enough to make a drama out of it.

[LivinLOS]

1 hour ago, FritsSikkink said:

It does if you know what you are doing. Know quite a few of businesspeople who don't do payoffs and can run their business without a problem. Been here for a long time.

Yeah they in the roadside squid selling game ?? 

[FritsSikkink]

20 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

Yeah they in the roadside squid selling game ?? 

No, that probably isn't a thing you can do with all the proper licenses.

[hotchilli]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

The two stickers represent two different organisations, each demanding a payment of 800 baht (US$23) per month. In addition to these expenses, Min also needs to make payments to specific people he calls ‘brother officer.’

What can you say... graft is absolutely everywhere, on the streets, in the various offices, at the station [you guess which one] in every company and in government.

To say it might be easier to name an un-corrupt agency would be much simpler and less time consuming.

[zzaa09]

Like everything here, it's based on rackateering. 

Whatta shame for everyday hard working folks.

[cncltd1973]

2 out of 3 thais agree corruption is OK if they benefit from it. no wonder Thailand is known as the hub of corruption 

[Gsxrnz]

What he's really saying is that the juice isn't worth the squeeze. Welcome to Thailand.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

What can you say... graft is absolutely everywhere, on the streets, in the various offices, at the station [you guess which one] in every company and in government.

To say it might be easier to name an un-corrupt agency would be much simpler and less time consuming.

Probably the most recognisable aspect of the culture they are so proud of.

[mikebell]

'Brother Officer' has set me wondering.

[glegolo18]

19 hours ago, simon43 said:

Sorry if I misunderstand here...... but surely it is illegal for a non-Thai citizen to engage in this type of work.  Why doesn't he try selling his squid in Vietnam?

ASEAN, I guess they can work without permit, where ever inside the organisation of ASEAN

[FritsSikkink]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

What can you say... graft is absolutely everywhere, on the streets, in the various offices, at the station [you guess which one] in every company and in government.

 

In every company is absolute nonsense. How many companies have you actually worked for or owned here? Loads of bar stool experts in this thread, who only know stories about bar businesses who have to pay because they stay open later then the permissible hours.

Edited June 23, 2023 by FritsSikkink

[Caldera]

19 hours ago, simon43 said:

Sorry if I misunderstand here...... but surely it is illegal for a non-Thai citizen to engage in this type of work.  Why doesn't he try selling his squid in Vietnam?

Yeah, sounds a lot like he's working illegally and complaining that he needs to pay bribes for the privilege. Mind-boggling sense of entitlement.

[brianthainess]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

he must pay to eight to nine agencies each month.

No wonder the cost of living is getting worse, i'm unable to open the linked story, but why has he not made vids or photos to oust these leeches on society.  

[h90]

50 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

In every company is absolute nonsense. How many companies have you actually worked for or owned here? Loads of bar stool experts in this thread, who only know stories about bar businesses who have to pay because they stay open later then the permissible hours.

I am working in a company (a real company that produce real things). And I would say we have zero corruption and the overhelming amount of our customer have no corruption.

But there are odd things....when FedEx offers 500 Baht gift cards from Central if the company send a certain amount of shipments to the girl in the office.....than this is clearly corruption. As not the cheapest shipping will be selected but that that gives money.

And we actually received 4x500 Baht gift cards in an envelope. That is the weirdest corruption I have seen so far....

Only that I do the FedEx shipments myself....

[KhunBENQ]

1 hour ago, Caldera said:

Yeah, sounds a lot like he's working illegally and complaining that he needs to pay bribes for the privilege. Mind-boggling sense of entitlement.

Illegals are an easy task for extortion.
Should be "happy" if he is not get caught:

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

11 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

In every company is absolute nonsense. How many companies have you actually worked for or owned here? Loads of bar stool experts in this thread, who only know stories about bar businesses who have to pay because they stay open later then the permissible hours.

I've worked with the Thai government and PTT on major oil and gas projects and own a company that employs many more Thais than you would believe in various industries.

 

Corruption is entrenched throughout the country and at the highest levels. We would not have got contracts without assistance from certain people. They wanted something for allowing us to operate, and they still get their cut. 

 

Many years ago, I worked for a well known company that used government connections to maintain a monopoly on their business, which is still going to this day I believe. 

 

The Thai modus operandi is preying on the weak to extort and bully. These people are the lowest on the food chain, so they are fair game for the bullies. 

[FritsSikkink]

13 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

I've worked with the Thai government and PTT on major oil and gas projects and own a company that employs many more Thais than you would believe in various industries.

 

Corruption is entrenched throughout the country and at the highest levels. We would not have got contracts without assistance from certain people. They wanted something for allowing us to operate, and they still get their cut. 

 

Many years ago, I worked for a well known company that used government connections to maintain a monopoly on their business, which is still going to this day I believe. 

 

The Thai modus operandi is preying on the weak to extort and bully. These people are the lowest on the food chain, so they are fair game for the bullies. 

Government is a problem and other companies too but there are many who do without.

"own a company that employs many more Thais than you would believe in various industries"

This statement says nothing really. How do you know what i believe, better quantify.

 

[chalawaan]

On 6/22/2023 at 1:44 PM, FritsSikkink said:

Make sure you have the right paper work and obey the rules about opening times. Then you don't have to pay anyone.

Hilarious! What version of Thailand are you living in?

[FritsSikkink]

6 minutes ago, chalawaan said:

Hilarious! What version of Thailand are you living in?

The corporate one. What bar stool are you occupying?

[chalawaan]

6 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

The corporate one. What bar stool are you occupying?

I no longer drink.

Unless you are the CEO you cannot know for certain what is going on in Coca-Cola Thailand, for example.

 

And is you are a CEO you wouldn't be on here trollposting your life away. 

 

All I've learned from this exchange with you is that fantasy dreamers don't necessarily all occupy barstools. There is absolutely no way your Corporation, if it exists, is 'running clean' in this country, none, nada, zero. 

 

Even Rolls Royce have been busted here! 

 

 

 

[h90]

14 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

I've worked with the Thai government and PTT on major oil and gas projects and own a company that employs many more Thais than you would believe in various industries.

 

Corruption is entrenched throughout the country and at the highest levels. We would not have got contracts without assistance from certain people. They wanted something for allowing us to operate, and they still get their cut. 

 

Many years ago, I worked for a well known company that used government connections to maintain a monopoly on their business, which is still going to this day I believe. 

 

The Thai modus operandi is preying on the weak to extort and bully. These people are the lowest on the food chain, so they are fair game for the bullies. 

PTT of course.....That you'll have in every country....A few years ago a friend tried to get listed in European supermarkets...lot of money under the table.

Or every military purchase....no matter in which country.

But we deliver some of the real big companies in Thailand as well as some medium and small size....and we never pay anything

[mokwit]

14 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

The Thai modus operandi is preying on the weak to extort and bully.

A saying translates out of Thai as: The big fish in the pond don't go after the other big fish.

[PremiumLane]

On 6/23/2023 at 8:49 AM, FritsSikkink said:

In every company is absolute nonsense. How many companies have you actually worked for or owned here? Loads of bar stool experts in this thread, who only know stories about bar businesses who have to pay because they stay open later then the permissible hours.

The Swedish company that imports parts for their manufacturing process, and they have to make under the counter payments to get things done smoothly. And we are talking a big company here.  Even the Thai employees complain about the corruption going on. 

[SoilSpoil]

On 6/23/2023 at 3:49 AM, FritsSikkink said:

In every company is absolute nonsense. How many companies have you actually worked for or owned here? Loads of bar stool experts in this thread, who only know stories about bar businesses who have to pay because they stay open later then the permissible hours.

I've done a bit of business in the past and there is no way you can avoid graft when dealing with authorities. Using the 'bar stool' reference is so lame and coukd as well be self reflective.

[FritsSikkink]

3 hours ago, SoilSpoil said:

I've done a bit of business in the past and there is no way you can avoid graft when dealing with authorities. Using the 'bar stool' reference is so lame and coukd as well be self reflective.

What sort of business?