Starting Up My Own Recruitment Firm.

[curiouspasserby]

Hi all,

I have been working in recruitment firms for about a year or so in Southeast Asia and have a fairly good understanding of the industry. I am thinking of starting up my own agency in Thailand. Anything I should know about? Would there be any legal complications?

Thanks

[watchoutfarang]

If you are thinking of opening in Thailand legaly, to gain your own personal work permit, you need to employ 4 Thais. Low barriers to entry- if you are working the SE Asia market, you can fly via busget airlines to HKK and Singapore relatively cheaply - which I would assume would be your largest markets? Alternatively, you could get clients to pay you offshore and get a Multiple 'O' entry visa . Technically you are then not working in Thailand and can work from a bedroom or an apartment.

[curiouspasserby]

Hrm 4 Thais to get my own work permit eh. I had in mine to go solo first and renting a small office. I guess I can't get a legal work permit if that's the case? I don't mind doing Visa runs initially. I will be targeting the Thai market as well as the foreign companies.

Edited June 15, 2008 by curiouspasserby

[Prudent_rabbit]

Hrm 4 Thais to get my own work permit eh. I had in mine to go solo first and renting a small office. I guess I can't get a legal work permit if that's the case? I don't mind doing Visa runs initially. I will be targeting the Thai market as well as the foreign companies.

As well as the Four Thais, you need to apply for a Recruitment License, this can only be for a Thai National, also you will then have to register with the Dept of Labour and get individual Licenses, these are very easy to obtain and are available to everyone, also dont forget that the Dept of Labour will require all job advertisements to be passed to them for approval before you can advertise them (this is only for agencies, not Clients doing there own advertising) turn around is anywhere between 3 and 5 days.

Other than that, plain sailing!

[curiouspasserby]

Only Thai national can get a recruitment license? Bummer, how would I go about this? It's a solo thing so I am not looking to get a partner or anything like that. Can I put some unknown Thai in the payroll and use him to get the license? Or something similar?

And man 3-5 days approval for each job posted? Even on the internet job portals or are you talking about print media? Do all recruitment agencies go through this?

[watchoutfarang]

Not sure that only Thai nationals can get a recruitment license - never heard of that one before. However, to avoid complication, I would work your business 'offshore' ie make your clients organisations in other SE Asian countries and visit them accordingly. Similarly find your candidates in these offshore countries. Technically therefore you are not working in Thailand and can live comfortably on yur offshore income on a Muliple 'O' Visa - why complicate things?

[curiouspasserby]

It's going to be rather difficult to only deal with offshore clients. They rather deal with a local company who can meet up with them often instead of some offshore company based in Thailand. I want to target the Thai market specifically and do it all legit with an office locally.

[Prudent_rabbit]

Not sure that only Thai nationals can get a recruitment license - never heard of that one before.?

Trust me, been in Recruitment in Thailand for the last 4 years, its 100% true. Yes all agencies have to submit their jobs, if your found out, up to 60,000 baht fine and closure for up o 30 days. Once you open, you can pretty much guarantee a visit from the Dept of Labour within your first 6 months.

[watchoutfarang]

Not sure that only Thai nationals can get a recruitment license - never heard of that one before.?

Trust me, been in Recruitment in Thailand for the last 4 years, its 100% true. Yes all agencies have to submit their jobs, if your found out, up to 60,000 baht fine and closure for up o 30 days. Once you open, you can pretty much guarantee a visit from the Dept of Labour within your first 6 months.

I take your word for it!! Any chance you can get me a job In BKK then - I have 7 years recruitment experience in UK and Oz!!

Edited June 17, 2008 by watchoutfarang

[curiouspasserby]

Would I be able to get a recruitment license if I open a company via the 51% Thai Joint venture shareholder method that some businesses are offering?

Edited June 18, 2008 by curiouspasserby

[Ted]

This topic makes for interesting reading.

Having recruited in Asia (both in Japan and Singapore) I often wondered about the potential of the Thai market. Certainly it is possible to pick up the senior roles in Thailand from Singapore given that so many MNC's have their regional HQ there but unless they want to hire an ex-pat they never seem to pay well enough for the effort involved, vis-a-vis working roles in more developed economies.

I wonder whether the recruiters in Thai based agencies are actually bringing much in? You only need to take a look at some of the jobs posted on the PRTR site to see how low the salaries are in Thailand. If your billing on candidates at 30k per month salaries it would take numerous placements to achieve a similar salary to the key markets in Asia (JPN, China, HK S'pore) surely? How competitive is it?

Are there any Thai based recruiters on the board who can give us some idea as to the potential of the domestic market? I'd imagine one can make a decent lifestyle by Thai standards and not international? How about at the executive search firms or are all the partners Thais?

Recruiters tend to be a money hungry breed so I'd be interested to know what keeps some here in this market. Also I can only imagine trying to commit Thai names to memory!

[ruds]

Previous posters are correct you need a recruitment licence. Its a lot easier if you have a Thai as a director of your company as well as you and then get them to get them to apply for the licence. Where are you thinking about opening one up?

[Guest Reimar]

Normally you need to have 7 Thai's working with Taxcard for a company for to be able to apply for an Working Permit for an Foreigner. Also the company must have a registered value from 2 Mio up

[curiouspasserby]

Well I guess I can hire a Thai director then get him to apply a license for me. But what will happen if he leaves the company? I can't operate anymore? I really don't need another person managing for me. Any suggestions?

[ruds]

No I wouldnt suggest hiring a thai to get the licence for you at all, you would lose your licence immediately if caught and would probably not be able to get one again. There are no solutions to your problem unfortunately. YOu are better off working for a company that already has a licence.