Quality of manufacturing in Thailand?

[Jib Teenuc]

I have recently completed the prototype of a small(ish) electronic device (consisting of around 200 individual, but interacting, components).

Pretty straightforward to produce - PCB is under 6"x4".

Is Thailand a good place from which to mass produce and market them, or should I look elsewhere?

Any advice from existing or past manufacturers and/or business savvy/entrepeneurial folk with experience would be greatly appreciated.

Reason I ask about Thailand is that I already have links (my wife is Thai and we own property and each have family and friendship "roots" in the Land of Smiles, so it would make sense to base the manufacturing aspect of the business in LOS - if it's not a disadvantage to do so).

Thanks for reading.

Jib T.

Edited November 16, 2013 by Jib Teenuc

[BKKdreaming]

ummm......how many ?

I doubt you could tell if a hard drive was made in Thailand or anywhere else , and if that company made your item you would be fine,

and I never made PC boards , but overall I am not impressed with the quality of the work I have had done ,

it just does not seem they "get it" ,

I have to tell them I want "Japan quality" not "India quality" and I get somewhere in the middle , most of the time that is OK for what I am doing , but I have things sand cast that looked like gravel was used and not quality sand and the next batch is great , but I am expected to take and pay for the "gravel" ones.

But I am bull headed and I keep trying !

[BKKdreaming]

and I just happened to see this on yahoo

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/british-firm-successfully-brings-manufacturing-back-home-175338800.html

[Jib Teenuc]

and I just happened to see this on yahoo

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/british-firm-successfully-brings-manufacturing-back-home-175338800.html

Thanks for that. The link's story offers up a very salutory lesson and bucks the oft-mooted belief that manufacturers must look to the East if they wish to compete on price.

I think I saw these particular entrepeneurs on an edition of "The Dragons' Den", here in the UK - where they were pitching their idea of the shirt folder to a bunch of celebrity investors. I can't remember whether or not they secured the investment they sought or even if it was, indeed, the same guys and the same product.

But, back to the subject proper, I guess there will always be the exceptions to prove any given "rule" but the fact remains that we don't generally see Far Eastern based manufacturers relocating their production lines to the Western hemisphere. Whereas the reverse seems often to be the case.

Perhaps, due to language and cultural reasons, a Chinese, say, manufacturer might expect to be better serviced by a Chinese production team than a Western manufacturer might hope to demand and expect.

Stories of Far Eastern producers using blueprints as guidelines rather than instructions do, however, often seem to emerge.

I guess a lot more homework and due dilligence needs to be performed, prior to signing a contract and parting with One's cash, when considering production abroad rather than at home.

Food for thought, so thanks again for your input.

Jib T

Edited November 17, 2013 by Jib Teenuc

[mmh8]

wrt qaulaity so long as you don't get any of the ones that build the properties here, take a look at the properties belonging to the wives,

wrt to the engineering, yeah you've got seagate, and a few others building their hardrives here, but its because of the cheap labour and cheap overheads, perhaps Vietnam is the place to go,

I know after the flood management last year, or 2 yrs ago a couple of hard drive makers stated they would leave for Vietnam or somewhere where the water management is better

[SantiSuk]

Looking at Thai manudacture from a consumer viewpoint Most expats living here soon learn to buy domestic consumer goods that are made by or under supervision of first world (ie including Japanese or Korean companies) rather than ones manufactured by Thai companies. Thai- branded/Thai-produced stuff is usually cheaper but so much of it falls apart quickly I'm sure there must be exceptions.

That said the quality here is probably no worse than China or Vietnam - all based no doubt on producing down to a price that the local market will bear. If quality is the main consideration most businesses eventually seem to come to the conclusion that third world countries do not naturally come up with the goods, unless closely quality-controlled by the first world. I see many stories of European and American companies taking decisions to bring manufacturing back to the West.

PS - I am not a Thai basher by nature, but I just would not buy anything Thai branded and produced if there was a first world alternative (even if the latter is made in Thailand I can usually trust the first world brand owner to exercise QC).

[BKKdreaming]

PS - I am not a Thai basher by nature, but I just would not buy anything Thai branded and produced if there was a first world alternative (even if the latter is made in Thailand I can usually trust the first world brand owner to exercise QC).

I think the same can be said for China and India ,

there are many "grades" of products , products for the local markets are close to junk , export quality to 2nd -3rd world markets better , to first world markets pretty good , and to some places like Japan much better,

Part of it is what the importer will accept , many will take whatever shows up and try to sell it , that does not work well in the west with consumer rights to return stuff.....

Some tools just "look" like a tool , a couple hits of a hammer and it falls apart !

[worldfun]

thailand has an amazing range of electrical manufacturing and EMS. look it up and find several in the global top 100 based here.

as mentioned the quality can get as high or low customers is willing to pay so I see absolutely no reason why the OP should not manufacture in thailand

example take bmw built in germany hungary japan or thailand etc. is there a notable quality difference? mcdonald?

do the math!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Cosmo88]

Developed nation entities manufacturing here successfully implement state-of-the-art quality control. Hence their products are of international quality standard, e.g. computer devices, cameras, vehicles.

Local quality standards could vary considerably, but is generally poor. This is the case in most developing nations, not only Thailand.

At the end of the day, it is up to you to enforce a proper quality control regime.