I was thinking about this the other day when I went to a local Thai restaurant. I read all the time on here how much difficulty people have in getting visas for their partners to come to the UK for something like a 2 week visit, so I would have thought near impossible for anyone to start a business. The only ways I can think of that it could be done would be to have been a student here or have lots of money...

The people working at the restaurant told me they were from Surin, Payao and Udon Thani and all look to be in their 30s but I thought it would probably be rude to ask how they got into the country.

Does anyone have experience of this (or know someone that did) and how did you/they go about it?

I believe anyone can set up a business in the UK as long as they have the money. A tad more difficult is getting a bank account. My wife could not open one though they would let her have a joint account

If UK is anything like Canada, Immigration is easier for those starting a business. [Were they police in los?] would explain why they had money

Under the Immigration Rules, running a business while on a student visa is a no-no.

To get a visa to set up in business, you have to show £200,000 to invest in the enterprise plus sufficient extra dosh to live on until the business is providing an income. The likes of Thaksin might have got visas on this basis in the past, but I doubt whether many Thais have come to the UK on such a visa to open a restaurant.

Almost certainly those running restaurant/catering businesses will have established themselves as residents by some other means, e.g. spouse visa or maybe even second generation Brit citizens. Employees may be the same, or students working part-time. Some of the chefs will have work permits. The restaurant/hotel trade also attracts a number of illegals and overstayers.

I believe anyone can set up a business in the UK as long as they have the money. A tad more difficult is getting a bank account. My wife could not open one though they would let her have a joint account

Off topic I know but I faced a similar situation regarding a UK bank account but at LloydsTSB the manager suggested this. First I had to add my wifes name to my account, then as a joint account holder she could open another account in her own name, then we took her name off the joint account. Doing it this way she was given a visa debit card straight away instead of the 'basic account' most new account holders are offered.

I was thinking about this the other day when I went to a local Thai restaurant. I read all the time on here how much difficulty people have in getting visas for their partners to come to the UK for something like a 2 week visit, so I would have thought near impossible for anyone to start a business. The only ways I can think of that it could be done would be to have been a student here or have lots of money...

The people working at the restaurant told me they were from Surin, Payao and Udon Thani and all look to be in their 30s but I thought it would probably be rude to ask how they got into the country.

Does anyone have experience of this (or know someone that did) and how did you/they go about it?

It's a shame you don't say whether you are writing from UK or from Thailand. (In fact mods, if there's one out there somewhere, it would help all tv threads if people posting stated up front that they were IN Thailand or not. Yes? Helps to put all the remarks in context, no?).

But back to trying to help. Why don't you simply go to your nearest Thai restaurant (one in every UK high street now?), make friends and ask? I know for a fact if you went to any of the Thai Orchid chain in Berks, North Oxon, Warks, etc etc and asked for the owners (family name Kamakharm) they would tell you it was a breeze!

If I was back there I would ask my MP why the UK doesn't impose the same restrictions on Thai expats THERE as Thais impose on we British expats HERE!

But what a total waste of hot air all that would be!

Don't vote, by the way. It only encourages the bxstxrdx!

I was thinking about this the other day when I went to a local Thai restaurant. I read all the time on here how much difficulty people have in getting visas for their partners to come to the UK for something like a 2 week visit, so I would have thought near impossible for anyone to start a business. The only ways I can think of that it could be done would be to have been a student here or have lots of money...

The people working at the restaurant told me they were from Surin, Payao and Udon Thani and all look to be in their 30s but I thought it would probably be rude to ask how they got into the country.

Does anyone have experience of this (or know someone that did) and how did you/they go about it?

It's a shame you don't say whether you are writing from UK or from Thailand. (In fact mods, if there's one out there somewhere, it would help all tv threads if people posting stated up front that they were IN Thailand or not. Yes? Helps to put all the remarks in context, no?).

But back to trying to help. Why don't you simply go to your nearest Thai restaurant (one in every UK high street now?), make friends and ask? I know for a fact if you went to any of the Thai Orchid chain in Berks, North Oxon, Warks, etc etc and asked for the owners (family name Kamakharm) they would tell you it was a breeze!

If I was back there I would ask my MP why the UK doesn't impose the same restrictions on Thai expats THERE as Thais impose on we British expats HERE!

But what a total waste of hot air all that would be!

Don't vote, by the way. It only encourages the bxstxrdx!

Just write "I DON'T KNOW" It's much easier

I DON'T KNOW! but asking your eventually business competitor does not sound like a good idea to me.

Good luck to you though.