Thai government should do more to encourage foreign entrepreneurs

[Maroon Watcher]

I think of the top 5 richest entrepreneurs in the UK 3 are originally from another country (family migrated to UK, at some point)

And many/most UK "family" companies are now owned or partly owned by outsiders

eg Rolls Royce, Cadbury/Schweppes, Rover (Range)

Not to mention New Town Swindon - built by Nissan

And Sunderland Rejuvenated by Toyota...

A country with less population but 3X the GDP

[Suradit69]

When you think of Apple Computers, he started in a garage with 3 staff. How many other companies were originally just a few people but over time, grew and prospered to eventually employ thousands?

When I started my company in Canada,

Steve Jobs started his business in the US and I am assuming you are a Canadian. Trying to equate that to some foreigner starting a business in Thailand is a stretch on many levels.

You just don't seem to see Thai business people with the same drive and motivation to build their small business ...

Checked out all 67 million of them, have you?

There are many Americans and Canadians who have the drive and motivation and fall flat on their faces in America and Canada.

According to Bloomberg, 8 out of 10 entrepreneurs who start businesses fail within the first 18 months. A whopping 80% crash and burn.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericwagner/2013/09/12/five-reasons-8-out-of-10-businesses-fail/

Add in trying to innovate and expand and raise capital and do an IPO or apply for VC while operating in a place where you have no experience or language ability to deal with all the rules, regulations and customs, let alone management of staff and you're just increasing the probability of failure. Contrary to what you seem to believe, success depends more on environment than genetics and much more on luck than nationality.

The number of failed businesses in Thailand started by know-it-all foreigners ought to be a cautionary tale, but some people always think this time it will be different. If 8 out of 10 flop in North American with all these motivated and driven people, is that something Thailand needs to import? Some people already act as though Thailand is meant to be a refugee camp for impoverished farang, it doesn't need to try to attract more pie-in-the-sky entrepreneurs no matter how driven they think they are.

Edited June 7, 2014 by Suradit69

[EnglishJohn]

I have a small (ie me) but very high-technology embedded software business in the UK. I would like to move it to Thailand with the possibility of expanding using Thais. The idea of bringing such experience to Thailand as a helping hand for this industry is appealing.

However to even hit the first letter on the keyboard I need to have an office, employ+pay 4 Thai staff and also pay myself 50,000 baht per month even though it would initially have low or no income.

So I won't.

[belg]

no need to think about apple or microsoft, they both stole their ideas from unix, after a demonstration

the golden age is long over

and when was thailand ever innovative in the whole world history ???

how many inventions , nobel price winners ?

[ukrules]

The 49% ownership thing is the killer.

[rtco]

I have a small (ie me) but very high-technology embedded software business in the UK. I would like to move it to Thailand with the possibility of expanding using Thais. The idea of bringing such experience to Thailand as a helping hand for this industry is appealing.

However to even hit the first letter on the keyboard I need to have an office, employ+pay 4 Thai staff and also pay myself 50,000 baht per month even though it would initially have low or no income.

So I won't.

I'm interested ... what is your "very high-technology embedded business"? Is it a unique product that nobody else has thought of? Do you think there is a market for it over here in Thailand or indeed anywhere else in the world for that matter?

[DesflyTdesme]

Hi that is something I'm working on now problems are complete ownership 100% you can not have you must give up 51% and 49% goes to you for what reason ? it should state for certain types of businesses or if you've been in Thailand, for a long time or married to a Thai for a certain amont of years, you shouldn't have visa problems and could own land at a 100% until Thailand figure that out I don't think it will ever happen. Once you realize it's about the people first, the people will make sure of the country. I want to do big things in Thailand, mostly in the unpopular areas, why? you ask for the people. I see you haven't read any thing I've wrote on this site as of how much money the police department is missing out on, as far as to going for bad. There are many opportunities here but where are the investors i've wrote to many Thai investors. Many business man here discuss how untrust worthy it is to work with Thais when the money comes or dealing with the mafia for a piece of the actions. So alot of people are scared, me I'm like to each his or her own because you let it happen to you doesn't mean I will let it happen to me. I still have big interest in doing biz here for the people.

[brit1984]

I have a small (ie me) but very high-technology embedded software business in the UK. I would like to move it to Thailand with the possibility of expanding using Thais. The idea of bringing such experience to Thailand as a helping hand for this industry is appealing.

However to even hit the first letter on the keyboard I need to have an office, employ+pay 4 Thai staff and also pay myself 50,000 baht per month even though it would initially have low or no income.

So I won't.

i dont understand what you mean... the cost of paying tax on your salary and employing 4 Thai staff is probably less than the differential in cost of living between UK and Thailand, never mind that surely the staff can help you with something if this business has such potential (even if its just cooking, cleaning and admin stuff so you can focus your time on being productive)... cant see why the reasons you give would preclude relocating from UK to Thailand... or which other country will you relocate your business to?

[spidermike007]

You mentioned:

A lot of foreigners would be receptive to moving here to start a small business if the government was more accommodating to entrepreneurs. The country wouldn't benefit immediately but over time, some of these companies might grow and prosper, thereby adding high quality jobs that stay in Thailand.

This requires creative juice, initiative, intelligence, and motivation. In addition to an open mind. How long has it been since Thailand has had an administration that demonstrated those qualities? Certainly not Abhisit, nor the Yingbat. When Thailand establishes a meritocracy, where people are appointed based on talent, and their family name, the help they provided during the campaign, connections, etc, we may begin to see real progress being made. For now, there are very, very few dynamic people in govt. service, who have any real influence. Of course they should support foreigners. But, I must ask when was the last time you have seen policy designed to improve the lives of foreigners who live here and spend small fortunes on land, homes, businesses, and daily life? When, if ever?

[peergin]

I'd think that Thai language skills would be needed to become an 'entrepreneur' in Thailand which gives the OP a collywobble.

Notice he still hasnt accepted NDs invite and made his way over to the language section.

As for becoming an "entrepreneur", Thailand must be one of the easiest countries in the world to do so.

All thats required, a chair, table, umbrella and a product, heck a rice mat and product if you want to do it on the cheap.

Small business start ups happening all around, try that back in the good old nanny state, you would be drowned in a sea of Brussels BS and pompous EU officialdom.

Nothing more than an anti Thai rant from our resident troll.

That is a load of rubbish!

[AloisAmrein]

Start an own business under the actual rules, laws and government in Thailand? No, thank you. There are much better opportunities in other countries, e.g. Cambodia. And people there really want to work.