business, proteciton, bribes

[Matej]

Hello,

I want to set up business in Thailand, a small restaurant maybe combine with pub.

My Thai wife keep saying that you have to pay a 'protection' tax, a bribe to police or to criminal gangs ...

Is it true? What's your experience with this stuff? Should I consider something like this in my business plan?

P.S. There are private messages ...

M.

[benalibina]

If you follow the law and comply with all the regulations regarding your restaurant/pub, chances are slim that you have to pay the BIB. Again....slim. TIT. Maybe your missus gives you this reason for not to start this type of business to put you off. Listen to her i would say.

[Swiss1960]

If you follow the law and comply with all the regulations regarding your restaurant/pub, chances are slim that you have to pay the BIB. Again....slim. TIT. Maybe your missus gives you this reason for not to start this type of business to put you off. Listen to her i would say.

That is exactly it... if you follow the law and comply with all the regulations..

- ownership of the pub

- OP's involvment with regards to ownership / work

- OP's status here (Visa, work permit etc.)

problem is, who would know all the laws and regulations such that the BIB does not find / make-up any reason to try and make you pay...

[Thanet]

It depends on the location.

[krisb]

If there's girls working there then you have to pay because working girls are illegal in Thailand.

[Costas2008]

If there's girls working there then you have to pay because working girls are illegal in Thailand.

My wife is a working girl in Thailand......she is a nurse.

Is she illegal?

[krisb]

If there's girls working there then you have to pay because working girls are illegal in Thailand.

My wife is a working girl in Thailand......she is a nurse.

Is she illegal?

If she's a nurse, then she's not what we call in English a working girl.

[WilliamCave]

I my self know about half a dozen westerners who own restaurants and pubs and they do not pay tea money.

The are operated legally.

A few were asked if they wanted girls and they reorder NO

As soon as they would have accepted now they are in to the tea money .

You can operate a business with out the payment or tea money ,

My wife has a legal business every thing above board with no tea money .

We're as other business in th area are paying so leads me to question is there business lega

[Matej]

No working girls, no prostitution ...

Owner will be my wife, Thai person.

I only pay for this party, man in the shadow.

[mrtoad]

I thnk as someone stated I earlier, a lot will depend on where you are

[hobz]

I'm guessing it depends on the area. In some areas the cops are so corrupt so high up that there's nobody to go to when it's their word against yours. They can make up anything, who will you go to? Chances are that if you try going over the cops heads you will just end up paying more to a higher up cop or "administrator". If you go too high up they will just refer you back down.

[hobz]

The cops here are run very similar to Italian organized crime.

[Wat dee]

Single snooker table in the village,need to pay.

Restaurant/pub,100% someone in brown will knock your door.

[ggt]

We are told that these kinds of illegal business practices no longer exist in Thailand under the militaries watch...

Please let us know how this works for you...

[Robert24]

Reality is that you have to pay police if you have a pub and you sell alcohol. This is not something your wife made up.

The police can make your life miserable by frequently checking your location which customers don't like.

Aside from this think about competition etc there is no shortage pf pubs/restaurants here and it can take quite a while for your business to become profitable.

[ukrules]

If you have all the relevant licenses then you don't need to pay anythng.

Most people don't have the relevant licenses.

[Matej]

Thank you guys for your advice, but I have to say I don't know more than I knew.

I don't have any illusions about Thailand, but I hope it's not so bad.

Hope for the best, but expect the worst!

Police and cosa nostra should be two different entities, in every country ...

I know one guy here, Thai, old and very rich. Business connected with politics(red shirts) ...

He pays to police every month, like to his employees. When I asked why, he answered, maybe you will need something sometimes ...

but helping me with visa. NOOOO!!!

I also talked with many Thai people(all from Isaan), they said police will ask money and there's nothing you can do, accept or go away

[jacko45k]

No working girls, no prostitution ...

Owner will be my wife, Thai person.

I only pay for this party, man in the shadow.

Depends on the location.

If you get all the relevant licenses and obey local regs, the police should not require calming.

There may be some local gangs who will come and see you and ask for payment to help things run smoothly.

Your wife either knows this or needs more money off you.

Personally I would never want to get into running a business here, but many many do and do okay.

Good luck.

[WhizBang]

Thank you guys for your advice, but I have to say I don't know more than I knew.

I don't have any illusions about Thailand, but I hope it's not so bad.

Hope for the best, but expect the worst!

Police and cosa nostra should be two different entities, in every country ...

I know one guy here, Thai, old and very rich. Business connected with politics(red shirts) ...

He pays to police every month, like to his employees. When I asked why, he answered, maybe you will need something sometimes ...

but helping me with visa. NOOOO!!!

I also talked with many Thai people(all from Isaan), they said police will ask money and there's nothing you can do, accept or go away

That's Thailand for you, corrupt to the core.

Here, we say the Royal Thai Police are the biggest criminal organization in the country.

Edited October 22, 2014 by WhizBang