Thailand Business and Investment News

Thailand Business Investing Outlook 2012

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:58:10 +0000

Thailand was well on its way to be the SE Asia business hub and favorite in the area for foreign business investment before 2006. Then after the coup and years of political unrest and one of the worst floods in Thailand’s history damaging many factories and putting some completely out of business the investor confidence is low. It seems many investors are in a wait and see mode for Thailand while looking at business possibilities in Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia and new openings in Burma(Myanmar) .

The good news is the government is working on flood prevention plans now and hopes to start implementing them shortly. It has been said that they included foreign experts in the planning stages and everyone hopes that they come up with a sound plan, but the facts seem to be that Bangkok is in a very bad location and that there needs to be serious consideration of the relocation of key industrial sites to safer less flood prone areas as at this time only 40% of the affected factories are said to be operating again.

Suggestions have been:

To diversify the factory locations in areas that are not in flood prone areas possibly expanding in the Rayong industrial area and consider locating new industrial zones in the North East as those areas are not prone to flooding along with the fact most of the factory workers come from the North East. The Rayong area already has a sea port and the North East area has a rail system that can be expanded on to make shipping and logistics feasible and efficient.
The government should also make things easier for investors wanting to setup businesses here with simplified business visas and real permanent residency process. Most business visas require people to exit the country every 90 days which can be expensive and unnecessary if the foreign business person does not need to leave and needs to work. The permanent residency process is said to be one of the most difficult of any country and seems like something the government really does not want foreigners to have. These items should be addressed and made straight forward and simplified in order to promote more business investment and also for retired foreigners and married couples wanting to spend their golden years here with security knowing that their investments are secure. Having to leave the country every 90 days or only a visa for 1 year at a time hardly promotes any feeling of security.

In summary, Thailand has the potential to be a great developing country with tremendous opportunities for both Thais and foreigners for business investment providing flood prevention measures are put into place along with proper location of key industrial sites in safe areas. Also measures need to be implemented to better protect foreigners and their investments in Thailand along with more simplified visa process for longer term visas without the need to leave the country every 90 days and to really implement the permanent residency process for foreigners doing long term business here, foreigners married to Thais, or foreigners retiring here so that they may feel comfortable and secure which will in turn promote more and more investments in the Thai economy helping the country move forward to be the business hub of South East Asia providing safety and security for Thais and foreigners alike. Implementing and really promoting permanent residency will make foreigners much more comfortable to invest in business in Thailand or to retire here and feel secure to invest and bring their money here which they will in turn be spending in the Thai economy. Malaysia is currently offering 10 year visas and the ability to own freehold up to 2 homes for foreigners wanting to move there. Perhaps Thailand could look at that option to at least keep up with others in the region.

Thailand 90 Reporting of Residence

admin — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 06:04:27 +0000

One common complaint of foreign investors, long term retirees and foreigners married to Thais is the 90 day reporting of the address where they are staying. This applies to all people that have a 1 year visa in that every 90 days they are required to go into an immigration office and turn in the 90 day report paper. This can be burdensome on business persons and the elderly as some immigration offices can be quite some distance from where the foreigner resides. Also this adds additional burden on the immigration officers with more useless paperwork. A 1 year visa should be exactly that, 1 year without having the burden of reporting in every 90 days and filing more paperwork. Failure to report on time will amount to a 2,000 baht fine.

With some factories such as Sanyo closing and leaving Thailand due to the flood and other problems it may be prudent for Thailand to do away with useless and burdensome requirements such as the 90 day reporting for foreigners staying in Thailand. At least if the government really thinks they need this repetitive and basically useless information every 90 days then they could setup an online reporting system which would save the foreigners travel time and expense and the immigration officials having additional paperwork and backlog of people waiting in the offices. An online system could be designed quite easily saving everyone additional work and headaches.

Hopefully Thailand will see the light of making things better for foreigners residing, working or investing or they may see many more foreign companies and long term residents move to other more advanced countries that are welcoming foreign investment and providing comfort and security for foreigners residing in their country.

Thailand Flood Water borne and Vector borne Diseases

admin — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:18:26 +0000

With the worst flood in over 50 years in Thailand that is still lingering on and building up in the Bangkok area there is the possibilities of outbreaks of disease from the massive amounts of contaminated flood waters. These long standing flood waters have human and animal waste, dead animals, possible chemical contamination from flooded factories and farms along with crocodiles, snakes and the dangers of electrocution. There are reports of crocodiles that have escaped zoos and also some African green mamba snakes that were illegally brought into Thailand that have escaped and they are extremely deadly and no anti-venom is available in the country. Some of the dangers are listed below.

Water-borne Disease

1. ATHLETE’S FOOT

Athlete’s Foot is a common fungal infection causing flaking and itching of the skin. It is caused by dirty water and damp floors. Treatment can be done with anti-fungal creams available at local pharmacies / chemists. Advanced infections may require medical treatment by a doctor or clinic.

2. LEPTOSPIROSIS

Leptospirosis is an infection caused by animal urine in contaminated fresh water. It can be contracted though ingestion of contaminated food or water, and through cuts in the skin. Symptoms include muscle pain, chills, fever, headache, bone pain, enlarged spleen, skin rash, and sore throat. Medical attention is required as it can be fatal if not treated. This is a common infection that can be serious after floods.

3. CHOLERA

Cholera is a bacterial infection of the small intestine that causes severe diarrhea, usually caused by contaminated drinking water. Symptoms include abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, and excessive thirst. Medical attention often is required and patients must replace lost fluids and electrolytes quickly as excessive dehydration can cause death.

4. TYPHOID FEVER

Typhoid fever can be contracted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with Salmonella Typhi bacteria. This is extremely contagious and can be fatal if not treated. With standing polluted water containing human waste that can contaminate food and water, the possibility of a Typhoid fever outbreak is high. Symptoms include bloody stools, abdominal pain, chills, confusion, nosebleeds and fatigue. Hospitalization is required.

5. HEPATITIS A

Hepatitis A is transmitted by contact and ingestion of foods or water contaminated with human feces containing the hepatitis A virus. Symptoms include dark urine, fatigue, vomiting, low grade fever, and yellow skin.

Vector-borne Diseases

1. DENGUE FEVER

Dengue fever is caused by the dengue virus, transmitted by infected Aedes mosquitoes. Symptoms include 104-105 degree fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a skin rash that looks similar to measles.

2. Malaria

Malaria is caused by a parasite that is passed from one human to another by the bite of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. The parasites enter the blood and infect red blood cells. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, bloody stool, chills, muscle pain, sweating. Need to seek medical help as soon as possible.

Bangkok Thailand bracing for massive flood

admin — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:11:53 +0000

The massive flood waters that have devastated northern Thailand have flowed down and built up north of Bangkok and are now entering the city. If flood walls do not hold and the water diverted properly to the sea then the entire city will be flooded and possibly the city water system compromised and also unknown about communication systems. For many years it has been poor planning, with most major companies located in low lying flood prone areas and most production and distribution centralized out of Bangkok which can turn this into a logistical nightmare for the country. Already the nation is seeing shortages of food and water and the disaster is only beginning in Bangkok now. The old Don Mueang airport is flooded and closed and if the flood breaches the new international airport which was built on wetlands in the flood path, then this country may be devastated.

The next few days will be the most critical for Bangkok as the tides from the gulf will be the highest and the flood waters pushing into Bangkok from the north. Many people have already evacuated from the city to safer areas abandoning their homes and businesses and hoping that they will not be severely damaged.

Most all industrial zones have already been devastated with water as high as 3 meters in some factories causing a total loss. The Thai government will have to do some major work and provide aid and compensation to affected companies or there is a great possibility that many will leave Thailand and relocate to another country. This would be a great economic loss for Thailand and many Thais will be without jobs.

We will all hope for the best but must prepare for the worst. It is advised that all tourists avoid Bangkok area during this time until officials notify that the flood danger is over. Also there will need to be a major cleanup and decontamination operation done as the water contains waste products and other unknown elements as farms and factories were affected. This will be a major operation in Thailand and government, military, businesses, and citizens are all pitching in and helping in this time of need.

Lifetime Business Listings

admin — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 08:53:33 +0000

Now at Thailand Business Directory you may add your company listing to the directory for only 750 baht for a lifetime premium listing. Also featured listings are available which will display your company at the top of the category that you are listed in and also display for a period of time on the home page of the site.

List your company now in Thailand’s Premier Business Directory

Thailand’s 300 Baht Minimum Wage Plan

admin — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 07:14:28 +0000

The Pheu Thai party has proposed a 300 baht a day minimum wage for employees which some critics say will drive some companies out of business and cause further inflation. Looking just at the face of it, many could tend to agree but when taking an in-depth look there could be more benefits to this plan in Thailand.

When looking at many companies you can see a variety of employee types ranging from highly skilled, trained and motivated to the lazy and unqualified that just take up space and perform no real needed function. So what more than likely will be the outcome of the minimum wage hike will be that company owners or managers will be taking a hard look at their employee structure and evaluating the need for how many employees they need for each department and do a thorough review of the employees training, skills and work performance. In such, good workers will be kept and advanced and non-essential lazy workers will be weeded out which will increase the company’s performance and more than likely it’s bottom line if the owner / manager is doing a proper evaluation and review of their employee structure.

So in effect, if this plan is implemented properly and company owners do proper evaluation of employees that are needed and proper training of their employees, company production levels and performance should rise and the standard of employees will have to rise as there will be no place for the lazy untrained worker. We should also see more competition in the job markets as companies will seek the best performing and trained workers that they can find, giving better option for the companies and also skilled workers looking for jobs.

Thailand set to welcome Yingluck Shinawatra as new Prime Minister

admin — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 11:02:31 +0000

Thailand is preparing to welcome in its very first female Prime Minister which will hopefully pave the way to a better brighter future for all Thais and foreigners in Thailand. We wish to say very warm congratulations to Yingluck Shinawatra the new PM of Thailand and wish you all the best in leading Thailand into a brighter and better future.
Since the coup of 2006 Thailand has been locked in political turmoil which has not done good for the image of Thailand internationally and has hurt many local business and slowed international investments. Most all Thais and foreigners hope that election results will be accepted by all and an end to all the violence and all people of Thailand join together to help make this country great and strong and move forward to a better future.
If all goes well with no outside interference in the election results then Thailand should have a great chance to move ahead with progressive modern thinking that will benefit all Thai people and also foreign investors which can help drive the economy forward creating new jobs and opportunities for all.
One plan in particular that can help to problems in the south will be the Pheu Thai plan for business investments for to southern region which should create many jobs giving all the southern people a chance for a better quality life which in effect should end all the violence in that region.
The stage is set and many good plans have been put forth by different groups of government, now will be the time for all people to work together for the future of this country and not let any small groups destroy progress.

Growing your Thailand Business Though Word of Mouth Advertising

admin — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 12:34:29 +0000

All businesses need various forms of advertising to succeed and for customers to find them. Ok you say, that is a no brainer, everybody in business knows that. True, but so many miss some of the most important types of basic advertising. Let’s start with an often over-looked one here in Thailand, word of mouth advertising. What this amounts to is; what your customers think about you and your company and tell others. This is extremely important to get right if you want your business to succeed and grow.

Let’s say for example you have a tool company, and I use this example because it applies to me as a customer of a company I deal with. I come to buy tools from your company and you take time to show me and tell me about different brands and the pros and cons to help me decide on the best product to choose, then when I choose one you give me a very fair price, not some inflated price. Guess what? I am very pleased to have met you and done business with your company and from now on all the tools I purchase are from your company and I also tell all my friends about your company which in turn brings you more and more business.

Now you can see the positives about word of mouth advertising and now some companies need to learn of the negatives of it.
Here is another real life example and companies should take note as to proper employee training. I was is the process of building a home, and this home would require at least 10 wood doors of which I wanted to pick a good quality and design door. I went to a building supply company and saw a nice door design on display that suited me and got my wife to ask the sales girl how much the door cost. Well, to my shock and surprise the sales girl replied, “Do you want to buy it or what?” Well, gee, it would be nice to know the price first. This girl did not want to even look up the price unless we were agreeing to purchase it first. Needless to say we laughed at the ignorance and left and went to another building supply company that was very helpful and not only did we spend about 35,000 baht on doors there; we also purchased many other supplies for the home construction. Now, of course the store that had the bad sales girl never saw us again and if friends or family ask about building supplies, then that store is not recommended and the store that was helpful is recommended.

Now on the issue of proper employee training. Another one of the building supply companies that we deal with in another region of Thailand has excellent employee training, far superior in fact, to any I have even seen in the west. When looking for a product the employees can tell you every single detail of the workings and design of the products they are in charge of. When purchasing many items such as appliances, they send out a professional installation crew to make sure everything is setup and operating correctly. We have in turn made new friends at the store and between myself and my partner, we have spent so far between 300,000 to 400,000 baht from them in furnishing supplies for two condos in the area and are happy to refer them to others in that area of Thailand.
These were just small examples of the power word of mouth advertising and how very important it is for your Thailand business to get it right to succeed.

Bottom line is that every person that enters your business is a potential advertiser for your company and how you treat them can determine if it will be good advertising or bad.

Buddhist Meditation Course in Bangkok

admin — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 07:26:37 +0000

Western students of Buddhism have long come to study and practice meditation in Thailand. Meditation teachings are widely available in Bangkok which make it easy and pleasant learning experience. A three-month stay in Bangkok is ample time for most students to attend meditation courses. There are two basic types of meditations: vipassana, a Pali word means ‘insight’, meditation is unique to Buddhism particularly Theravada (Thai national religion), while samatha meditation is the practicing of calming the mind and development of refined states of concentration which is similar to other traditions of meditation found in most of the world’s religions. Most Buddhist study centers and temples in Bangkok specialize in vipassana meditation, while some offer both vipassana and samatha meditation. Instruction is free of charge at temples, but you must attend daily prayers. Teaching methods vary from place to place but the general emphasis is on learning to observe mind-body processes from moment to moment. Meditation courses are taught in both Thai and English. A few westerners are formally ordained as monks or nuns in order to take full advantage of the monastic environment. Here are places to learn about Theravada Buddhist vipassana meditation in Bangkok.

Wat Pak Nam: This very large wat has hosted many foreigners (mostly Japanese) over the years. During the Buddhist Rain Retreats, there may be hundreds of monks and nuns study and meditate here. The meditation instruction emphasis is on developing concentration through nimittas (acquired mental images). A small English library is available. Wat Pak Nam is located on Thoet Thai Rd, Phasi Charoen, in Thonburi.

Wat Mahathat: This 18^th century wat locating on the opposite of Sanam Luang provides meditation instruction several times daily at Section 5, a building near the monk’s quarters. Daily schedules: 07:00-10:00, 13:00-16:00, 18:00-20:00. English speaking classes are on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Some of the Thai monks speak English and there are often western monks or long term residents available to interpret every day. There is also a Saturday session for foreigners at the Dharma Vicaya Hall. Instruction is based on the Mahasi Sayadaw system of satipatthana or mindfulness. Time needed for practicing will vary with each session depending on each individual English speaking monks assisting.

Wat Cholaprathan Rangsarit: The teachings here employ a modified version of Mahasi Sayadaw system of satipatthana. This wat is also serves as a headquarters for monks from Wat Suan Mokkhalaram (world renowned English-speaking meditation retreat) in southern Thailand. Wat Cholaprathan Rangsarit is in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi province, but Nonthaburi is so connected to Bangkok’s urban sprawl you can hardly notice the difference.

Wat Rakhang Khositaram: To study here, one ought to be able to speak Thai fairly well; otherwise, an interpreter will have to be arranged. The teaching tradition here is strongly focused on Abhidhamma, the pitika (one volume in the three volume Tripitaka that make up the Theravada Buddhist canon) most concerned with Buddhist psychology. Vipassana is considered attainable without strong concentration by means of a dialectic process.

The Golf Clubs of Hua Hin and Cha Am

admin — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 06:18:42 +0000

Golf is the sport of the elite and the playground calls for perfection. Hua Hin, Cha Am, and Pranburi, with the gorgeous view of the Gulf of Siam, the tranquil rolling hills and tropical weather are the natural setting for at least 7 public championship golf courses, the most concentrated of world class golf courses anywhere in Thailand. Moreover, Hua Hin and Cha Am are home to many first class golf resorts with full amenities. Therefore, sumptuous lodgings and fine dining which designed for serious coddling after golf challenging round are always nearby. Hua Hin and Cha Am are golfers’ fantasies come true.

There are several golf tour operators in Hua Hin and Cha Am to help you customize your perfect golfing trips while in the area. Hua Hin and Cha Am are truly golfers’ paradise; Beginners or advanced golfers have access to many wonderful and stunning courses. Handicap certificates and club membership cards are not required. Green-fees and other costs of golfing on superbly maintained and designed courses are still among the lowest in the world.

The Banyan Golf Club. Hua Hin. This 18 holes course which features a 5 star service club house is the top course in Hua Hin.
Black Mountain Golf Club. Hua Hin. Opened in March 2007, this is the newest addition to the list of spectacular golf courses around Hua Hin and Cha Am. Natural creeks run through this challenging 18 holes emerald green color course. The club house facilities offer fine dining, well stocked golf shop and luxurious locker rooms normally found in the finest hotels.
Springfield Royal Country Club. Cha Am. This 27 holes course is a Jack Nicklaus designed and is maintained as a world class golf course. It is affiliated with Heartland Golf Schools USA- Springfield Golf Learning Center.
Palm Hills Golf Course and Country Club. Cha Am. Designed by Max Wexler; this 18 holes course has a stunningly beautiful clubhouse and a superb sports club as a welcome additional amenities.
Imperial Lake View Golf Club. Cha Am. The first 36 holes golf course in this area. It was designed by Roger Packard in 1993.
Royal Hua Hin Golf Course. Hua Hin. Opened in 1924, the 18 holes course is the oldest golf course in Thailand.
The Eagle Milford Golf Club. Khao Tao, Hua Hin. Renowned American designer Robert McFarland used the panoramic gulf view to give this 18 holes international golf course a “links” atmosphere.

So next time you visit the Hua Hin or Cha Am area of Thailand, remember these top spots to play your favorite game of golf.