Free Small Business Advice Available

[MrE]

If you have a question about starting a new business or how to improve operations, increase revenues or amply profitability of an existing one, I am happy to help you if I can. I have over forty years management experience consulting mostly in the hospitality, food & beverage and retail sectors in the US, UK and Europe. I was written up in Entrepreneur magazine in 1984 and Business Opportunities magazine in 1992.

This is free but you only get one question so make it a good one! Hopefully this will start an online incubator where knowledgeable people with real world experience can help each other without cynicism, insults or other negativity.

[Nio]

Do you believe the same principles work in Thailand where corruption, tea money, collusion, etc. are all normal business practices?

Thank you.

[MrE]

Do you believe the same principles work in Thailand where corruption, tea money, collusion, etc. are all normal business practices?

Thank you.

Strategies and tactics of commerce are fairly universal while the environment in which they exist can vary greatly. The key is to follow the accepted rules of 1) detailed investigation and analysis so that you understand what you can expect; 2) anticipation of all problems that might arise; 3) planning contingency actions for those problems so that obstacles do not hinder development; 4) capitalization sufficient to continue operations through the periods of difficulty.

I think is it also important not to get mentally or emotionally "stuck" on an idea or location. If, for example, a potential landlord is demanding some stupid key money for the shop house you "know" is the perfect spot for your business, just walk away and look for another place. The same can be said for the business idea itself. If you have decided to open what you thought was an absolute winning business but then learn that two other similar businesses have failed, see how you can change the concept to be something different that will have no or limited direct competition.

[raro]

Do you believe the same principles work in Thailand where corruption, tea money, collusion, etc. are all normal business practices?

Thank you.

Could you explain why it should not work? Is corruption etc limited to Thailand? Is it possible to conduct business in Thailand without being corrupt? I think the answer to all of the above is "yes".

[beddhist]

My wife and I are considering running a small guest house. If I understand the rules correctly I will not be eligible for a work permit, unless we employ at least 4 Thai people. How much work can I do in our own gh? What can I expect to get away with?

[raro]

My wife and I are considering running a small guest house. If I understand the rules correctly I will not be eligible for a work permit, unless we employ at least 4 Thai people. How much work can I do in our own gh? What can I expect to get away with?

simple answer: none.

The applicable punishment for working without workpermit is up to 3 month imprisonment if I remember correctly. NB: If convinced of any violation of a lawm chances are you get deported.

Whether or not you will get caught we cannot answer here, feel free to find this out by yourself. Hint: Watch out for jealous competitors

[raro]

nonsense reply deleted. This is not the Farang Pub...

[ohiojim]

the best advise re- small business in thailand................DONT DO IT,ESPECIALLY IF ITS WITH SOME KIND OF thai FEMALE INVOLVED!

for those who dont understand. you dont open a business to impress a girl............................if need further clarification please ask.

[beddhist]

simple answer: none.

Thanks raro. You have convinced us to stay in NZ and my wife will apply for a residence permit here. Perhaps we will retire in Thailand one day.

All the best,

Peter.

[mickj88]

My wife and I are coming to live in Thailand in at some point in the next 18 months to 2 years.

We already have a house that was built 2 years ago and is in my wifes name but I would need some kind of income as the £30,000 I will have after i sell up in the UK will not last for ever. (I will have nearer £40 -£45k but figure I would leave £10k in a Thai bank account to cover my spouse visa application)

My thought/ question is, If I was to invest all the money into a small business ,obviously that would be in my wifes name. Would my or could my investment be on a personal loan basis plus interest so that my wife could pay me a set amount each month as a loan repayment to give me an income till the loan was re-payed ?

So say if she was to pay me £500 per month = to repayment + interest = to £6000 per year. Therefore it would take her 5 years to repay the loan + however much interest say 5% = to £1.500 so that would be another 3 monthly payments.

Would this be OK to work it this way in Thailand, providing we draw up a loan contract through a lawyer of course ?

Just a thought as I would be getting my initial investment back ,could even double the re-payment time to 10 years and 6 months @ say £250 per month .

just looking for an easy-ish way around the whole complicated Thai business ownership laws etc.

[Benjie]

I think some more information is needed about the OP surely?

I'm assuming form the post that OP is a very wealthy individual who has owned or still owns some exceptional businesses, can we have a little more background? Its all very well being mentioned in magazines 20-25 years ago but it could have been for fraud for all we know. Besides which what is his experience on this continent?

I hope the OP doesn't see this as negative, I've actually got some questions I'd like to ask someone about a restaurant idea, but I'm not gonna put them out there without a little more info.

[chesternim]

You have a wealth of business experience in the pre-internet era. Thailand is rapidly entering the western world of business and the internet is very much in use there. (Not sure if I want to waste my only bullet asking how are you managing in the new era - so I won't ask that)

Despite embrace the western world of capitalism Thais still predominately write and think หฟไฟกำำ and there is not always an English version of Thai laws and rules - which I have found quite frustrating in endeavouring to work out what are the facts and the correct procedures required in the area of Provident Fund investing.

Despite asking Thai professionals who work in the area they are ill-informed and they have conflicting answers - even with themselves on different days of the week. So how can a farang get the information needed in English written form and be sure that it is the correct version of Thai law in this area and so avoid breaches?