Starting A Small Busines/ Shop ? Your Experiences?

[mikey88]

Would anybody care to comment on their experience in starting a small business or opening a shop in CM? I'm not talking about a bar or a girlie bar and I'm not talking about selling alcohol. I'm interested whether permits or licences are required and secondly the police situation re favours (that i hear so much about in Phuket). It's a lifestyle thing for me and it's about music and art...It doesn't have to make money and I don't expect that it will..It will probably lose money but that's ok.. I'd be very grateful to hear people share some of their knowledge and I hope to be able to reciprocate the kindness in some way in the future. Mike

[happyme]

To start any buisness here you will need a work permit for yourself otherwise you can not work in any kind of shop

4 employee and pay tax on I think 35,000Bt this may be more now and have hassle of keeping staff

What fun

[sfokevin]

A nice little place where you have local farangs come in and perform and play music should be no problem in Chiang Mai...

Edited August 7, 2011 by sfokevin

[Ulysses G.]

..It will probably lose money but that's ok

You have the right attitude and will fit in well in the Chiang Mai farang business community.

[Paagai]

Can I suggest a checkup here as a first step If they raise some concerns you'll definitely fit in well here - weclome to the club

[Spoonman]

To start any buisness here you will need a work permit for yourself otherwise you can not work in any kind of shop

4 employee and pay tax on I think 35,000Bt this may be more now and have hassle of keeping staff

What fun

You need the work permit to work not start the business.

[mikey88]

Thanks very much for the serious reply..it has been a help. Those members who just want to make smart comments and offer no helpful suggestions... well it doesn't take that much skill to just be a smart arse on an internet forum.

[Semper]

..It will probably lose money but that's ok

You have the right attitude and will fit in well in the Chiang Mai farang business community.

In that case they (the community) must have some deep pockets.

[outofoz]

Thanks very much for the serious reply..it has been a help. Those members who just want to make smart comments and offer no helpful suggestions... well it doesn't take that much skill to just be a smart arse on an internet forum.

[/quote

seriously..If you go into business NOT to make a profit..dont go into business

[zippydedodah]

FWIW... have met a thai/falang couple who have a long (over 5 yrs) established business here and was told that they do indeed make monthly contributions to the Thai police widows association, so to speak... or not to speak..

[WinnieTheKhwai]

..It will probably lose money but that's ok

You have the right attitude and will fit in well in the Chiang Mai farang business community.

Out of curiosity, why is that so bad? Many people are (semi-)retired but still want something to do. Note that this applies to many Thais too; you often see businesses that really can't make much money, but people enjoy running them anyway. The net result is that Chiang Mai as a community/society gets more options in services and products at good prices, offered by people who care more about the product or service than they do about the money. Where's the negative?

[ThaiPauly]

Mike, if you have plenty of cash and view the idea as a hobby and are content to lose money then go for it, you will be helping the local economy as you will be employing Thai staff. But if I were you I would put a ceiling on how much you are prepared to lose.

There are a few well worn phrases often crop up on these forums

"Never invest more than you are prepared to lose"

"The way to make a small fortune in Thailand is to start with a big one"

They don't say this for nothing, however there are some profitable businesses here, but most of the owners had skills that they brought with them , Sausage King, Butter is Better, Lucky Dogs, The Dukes, The Olde Bell to name but a few, but for each one of the above mentioned at least 10 fail

If you have a certain skill that would be useful here then you may be OK, if you don't I personally would not do it, experience has showed me that. When I arrived in CM my wife wanted to have a restaurant, we had no experience in the trade and got through two in rapid succession, luckily the second one we managed to break even on the sale, but we were very LUCKY.

Now my biggest decsion of the day is do I eat Cornflakes or Weetabix for breakfast and I like it that way.

Good luck whatever you decide to do anyway