Last updated on June 16th, 2020 at 03:38 pm

A Foreigner’s Guide to Starting a Small Business in Thailand – As Written By an Actual Foreigner Living in Thailand

A hot topic today for long stayers in Thailand is what type of business one should start if one is up to the task. After writing this post about starting a coffee shop in Thailand I’ve received many emails asking for my opinion about how to open other kinds of ventures also.

As much as my wife thinks I’m brain dead most of the time, I’m always brainstorming new business ideas in Thailand, that have potential and current with the times.

“We only have to find a need and fill it.” is a quote that I hold close to my heart.

An Update for June 2020 and Beyond

Okay, as of this update Thailand is in the midst of the corona (COVID-19) virus dilemma. On top of that, Thai household debt is at an all time high. It is a nation of voracious spenders, not savers.

As a result, foreigners are scared to travel to Thailand with the corona outbreak. Locals are more cautious about stepping outside. Business that relied on foreigner visitors are flailing, from tour agencies, Thai massage shops to popular night markets. Beauty salons, traditional Thai massage parlors and all types of malls were ordered to shut down.

Everything is back for businesses though since mid June 2020. Though as of writing, foreign internationals are still barred from entering Thailand.

What Does All This Mean?

It means if you’re planning on doing business in Thailand you should never, ever focus on foreigners.

Although the Thai economy is not in great shape, locals are still spending, regardless whether or not they are living paycheck to paycheck. They are not squirreling their salary when things get worse. Thais might be a little bit more cautious on their spending habits. But Thais still have to eat.

With the poor economy, a looming pandemic that looks like it’s getting worse, you might be having second thoughts about starting a small business in Thailand.

If this scares you, it should. But I’m not here to scare you. The key is to look for recession proof businesses. History has shown there are certain types of businesses that can withstand a bad economy and perhaps a pandemic.

And, I also know there are a lot of people reading this and still plan on forging ahead with plans to live in Thailand and start their own little businesses.

Because to this day, I still get emails from people asking me advice on starting all kinds of businesses here in Thailand.

I Knew There Were Many Foreigners Intrigued About Starting A Business in Thailand – But I Did Not Know There Were So Many From All Around Over the World

I’ve received many questions about starting a tour agency in Bangkok. A t-shirt printing company in Hua Hin. Even a durian farm in Chanthaburi. Also a tofu factory in Pattaya too.

I admit, those business ideas are far and out of my area of expertise. However, I am so amazed about the variety of questions coming from people around the world interested in starting businesses in Thailand. From all walks of life, ages and backgrounds.

Now before you read any further, I am writing for those that are interested in starting a small to medium enterprise (SME) in Thailand.

If you need information for starting a large corporation, then I’m sorry to say, I’m not your guy. But if the salary is just right you can hire me as a consultant. But I warn you, I’m not cheap.

I opened a Thai massage once, but it didn’t work out so had to close it down

On a serious note, personally I’ve never started a large company in Thailand. Only small businesses located in Bangkok. Some are doing well. And some I had to shut down.

I micro-manage my companies without doing any actual hands-on work. I will explain further about this by delving into the topic on how to start a small business in Thailand first.

And then talk about the need for a work permit or not.

Never Start a Small Business in Thailand Focused Only on Foreign Tourist

I also do not recommend starting any type of business where your sole customer base are foreigners.

If there’s an event, such as this current corona virus in Thailand situation that’s drastically reducing the amount of tourists, your business will suffer the consequences.

The situation has become so dire that a group of Thai shop renters inside MBK mall has called on the landlord to reduce their rent as they rely heavily on tourists money. This type of response has trickled down to other tourist heavy shopping centers like Pratunam.

Now that we’re clear, I’ll get into a little bit about registering a business in Thailand for some context.

Forming a Corporation in Thailand For Running a Business as Foreigner

For my businesses in Thailand I never had my name attached to any of them. Everything is under my Thai wife’s name.

I don’t have an exact statistical number to share with you. But I’m sure, that a vast majority of small businesses in Thailand started by foreigners don’t have their names attached to their businesses also.

Like me, most of them have their business registered to their Thai spouse, Thai girlfriend or Thai boyfriend. It’s the same as a partnership. Except you’re a silent partner.

Thailand is conducive to foreigners starting mid to large sized companies. But not so much for foreigners wanting to open small little shops that don’t require a huge start-up capital. You’ll understand why later.

To Break Things Down, There are Two Ways to Have Your Own Little Business in Thailand

1. The Easy Peasy Cheapie Way – Pros and Cons

Pros

This is where a Thai spouse comes in handy if you want to register a little business. With the least cost and amount of paperwork. Though if the business is under your Thai spouse’s name, then technically, you don’t really own the business.

Regardless, this is the method most foreigners staying in Thailand use. Because they have a strong relationship with their Thai spouse and also within their family. And they are comfortable with their significant other being the sole business owner on paper.

Steps for Thais to Open Small Businesses

Thais don’t need a lawyer or an accountant to start a small business. For Thai citizens registering a small business is simple and fast. Here’s how easy it is for them:

1. Go to their local government business registry office.
2. Show lease contract (if renting) or proof of business address, a photocopy of Thai ID and a printed photo of the shop’s exterior. Answer some questions pertaining to business. Yes, for small businesses you can open first, and then go register later.
3. Pay fee for administrative work and business registration paper. This cost about 50B to 100B in Bangkok.

They’re in and out of the registry office within an hour.

Cons

I know Thai-Foreigner relationships could be a touchy subject for many. I’m sure someone will ask me, what if my Thai wife, boyfriend, or girlfriend runs away?

I don’t know anything about your personal relationships nor able to tell your future. But if this is your legitimate concern, then maybe you’ll want to hold off on starting a new business venture in Thailand.

Also the thought must’ve crossed your mind about what would happen if your Thai spouse suddenly dies? In that case, you better have children. Or get busy making a bunch of babies.

Practically every single foreigner that I know have children with their Thai spouse. Because the eldest child will be next inline to inherit the business.

If something unfortunate does occur while the child is very young then you should have a serious discussion with your spouses’ family beforehand.

No one likes to sit down and discuss these situations. Thais could consider it bad luck. Wait, let me take that back.

They will consider it bad luck and will most likely hurt their feelings. It certainly wasn’t easy for me when I did the talk. But it was necessary.

2. The You’ll Need a Thai Lawyer, Sign a Bunch of Papers, Expensive Way – Pros and Cons

Pros

If you want to be known as the official sitting CEO then you’re going to have to register your business officially with the Thai government.

You’ll need a registered capital of 2 million baht as a requirement. It doesn’t matter if you’re opening a small low cost business.

I don’t know about you. But that’s a hefty price tag for one planning to open a tiny 10 square meter coffee shop with four tables and some chairs. Good news is you can use the registered capital for company operations.

Though I know many foreigners in Thailand with small business ideas don’t even plan to spend 2 million baht let alone have the budget.

There’s really not much pros for small business owners. Except you’ll have your name on paper as an official business owner.

Cons

As an American citizen I can start a business in Thailand under Treaty of Amity. Which means American citizens can wholly own a registered company Thailand. But going through all the process is unnecessary in my situation.

If you’re not an American than you’ll need to find more than one Thai shareholder or partners.

Like almost every other developed country you have to pay corporate taxes. I don’t want to get too much detailed about this part mainly because I’m not a tax professional in Thailand.

You might want to contact Siam Legal for their expertise on this matter.

You’ll Need Thai Partners

Besides Americans, other foreign nationals are unable to own the entire company alone in Thailand. You will be required to have Thai partners. Three of them to be exact.

And if you own majority shares you have to file a Foreign Business License. Which cost extra and prolongs the process. But if majority shareholders are Thai then the business registration process will be smoother.

Plus a Thai law firm is required to help you navigate the rules and facilitate the process. Though the Thai government has made it quicker for foreigners to get their Thai business registered. You still need to spend a lot of money.

Aside from the 2 million registered capital I don’t know what the other cost are. But off the top of my head it’s not going to be cheap.

As I mentioned earlier, it seems the country prefers foreigners starting a large professional company with Thai partners.

For foreigners wishing to start a small shop on their own in Thailand it’s nearly impossible.

If you have the necessary capital to fund a medium to large business in Thailand you’re probably wondering, where can you go find Thai partners?

Yes, this part will be difficult and I don’t have any answers. Again, if you’re opening up a small shop, like a specialty candy store it doesn’t make sense to have a bunch of partners does it?

Like I mentioned the system in Thailand is not set up in anyway beneficial towards small and certain medium enterprises.

To Get a Work Permit or Not to Get a Work Permit

In Thailand it is unlawful for foreigners to work in the kingdom without a work permit. As it is in most countries. Though you want to open a very small business in Thailand, this really shouldn’t be such a big issue.

Your Thai spouse can delegate the responsibilities that you have instructed. You can’t serve the customers, work the cash register or clean the toilet (which is a good thing) directly.

Even if you do interact with customers inside your shop the chances of you getting caught by a passing immigration officer with super keen intuitive eye is super, super slim.

Once in awhile Thai immigration run crackdowns on illegal workers. But they are focused more on illegal workers from bordering nations like Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.

Thai immigration officers also crack down on English language schools where foreign nationals are teaching English without the necessary documents or qualifications.

They usually go for the bigger fish. It looks better in the news when it gets reported.

I’ve never heard or read about any foreigners secretly working inside their small business get into trouble with the law.

Not All Thai Visa Types Allow Employment

I have a non immigrant O-Visa based on marriage. So I am allowed to be employed as long as I get a valid work permit. But I don’t want it.

If you do, make sure your Thai visa states that you are allowed to work. Because I know with Thai tourist visas, employment is prohibited.

For me, it’s not necessary for me to interact with customers. If it isn’t necessary for you to perform any services then don’t bother. You can lurk behind somewhere in the shop and just watch.

I have seen many foreign owners in Thailand interact with Thai customers. And they have no work permit. I know, because I’ve asked them. And they’ve been working without work permits for years with no consequences. They’re not worried at all. They’re even well like by their Thai customers.

However, if somehow you defied the odds and actually got caught working inside your small business without a work permit you could be imprisoned up to five years and or fined from 2000B to 100,000B.

Okay now that I got the legal (boring stuff) part out of the way you’re probably wondering what’s a good business idea to start in Thailand.

Here are my thoughts.

Everyone’s Got to Eat and Cut Their Hair

The food industry is hands down, 100% the best type of business to start in Thailand. Though I want to make it clear, if you can’t cook a proper meal to save your life then you might want to skip the food business.

Second thing that comes to my mind are mens’ barber shops. You can find Thai barbers for hire but you yourself must have some experience in the barber business.

There are a few other small business ideas I think can do well in Thailand and I’ll briefly touch on them. But the food business and barbers shop idea are two of the most recession proof businesses in Thailand. It may not be for other countries. But below you’ll see why.

First let’s talk about starting a food business in Thailand.

• 
• 
• 

Why Food?

Did you know that Thai residential buildings do not have kitchen gas stoves?

I grew up in apartments in NYC most of my life. A gas stove was as common as a refrigerator and toaster oven.

When I looked for apartments all those years ago when I decided to live in Bangkok long term, I was looking for a place with a spacious kitchen. I went around like an idiot asking for one. I couldn’t find any. Because there aren’t any.

Though most upscale Thai condominium today have a decent sized kitchen. But again, no gas powered stoves as they are considered dangerous fire hazards inside Thai condominiums and apartments.

The Reasons Why Thais Eat Outside Frequently

There are no gas pipe-lines beneath the grounds of Thailand. Portable propane tanks and electricity are the primary fuel source used for cooking inside Thai residences.

Even fast food chains, small and large restaurants, every food type business in the kingdom either use charcoal, propane gas, electricity or a combination.

And propane tanks are not allowed to be used inside apartment and condominiums for safety reasons. To cook Thais have to use electric induction stoves. But electric induction stoves are expensive and also increases electricity bill.

Propane tank usage is allowed inside residential houses and townhomes.

Local Thai Food – The Ultimate Recession Proof Business in Thailand

Also, the newer generation of Thais can not cook. Especially young Thais living in Bangkok. Plus the availability of ready made meal choices make people lazy to cook.

They rather buy small bags of pre-cooked food on their way to work or going back home. They can pop inside a 7 -Eleven for a quickie meal. There are tons of hawker stands set up with plastic seats and wobbly tables to eat on. There’s no need to wash pots, pans and dishes at home.

So the good news is that the food industry is still a very good small business idea in Thailand. The bad news is the food industry in Thailand is super competitive. Either way, people still have to eat regardless the condition of the economy.

Though a major cost of any business is rent. But, if you’re interested about a food industry in Thailand then you might want to consider a home based food business.

Home Based Food Delivery Business and Leveraging the Power of Social Media in Thailand

If You Can Cook or Bake – You’ve Got a Fair Chance

If you can bake a kick ass strudel or a bake a cheesecake better than Junior’s then consider a door to door food delivery service. It’s the perfect opportunity to have a home based business in Thailand today.

Commercial electric and propane gas powered ovens are readily available. You can find them at Makro. Commercial ovens that use propane tanks cost about 25,000B. Electric ovens cost about 35,000B. Second hand equipment are plenty.

And you’ll have to pay to promote your Instagram photos and videos or boost Facebook posts to reach a wider audience.

Good news is in Thailand not too many businesses advertise on social media. At the moment. Which means that the advertisement cost is lower due to less competition. But I wouldn’t count on it staying that way much longer.

A Prime Example – Fat Girl at Heart

My wife ordered a cheesecake from Fat Girl At Heart after seeing one of their sponsored post on Instagram. I’m sure they spent a lot of money on promoting their eye catching yummy cheesecakes on Instagram ads. As a result they’ve gained a lot of attention in Bangkok.

Her mouth watering dessert photos worked their magic. My wife and I bought from them twice already since writing. Judging from her comments and reviews on her Instagram account she’s got plenty of satisfied repeat customer.

Not bad for a home based business that started off without a full commercial kitchen.

Thais Love Seafood – Especially When It’s Spicy

Seafood boils are very popular in Thailand. Every single night market has one these days and they’re usually full of customers. It’s not a cheap meal but Thais love seafood, especially when it’s spicy.

This is a perfect easy home business. I might kick my own ass in the future for telling people about this. Seafood boils are easy to make at home. I’ve got my own secret seafood boil recipe. But you can research your own.

You get the sauce right. You boil the shrimps, squid and clams just right (don’t overcook it), drain the seafood thoroughly. Then dump the seafood inside a sturdy kitchen bag full of spicy sauce and you shake it around vigorously until every single morsel is covered. Voila.

Then use one of the any food delivery service available and you’re in business.

Pizza – Even Thais Love Pizza Too

I live just right on the outskirt of Bangkok and I’ve got a home with a backyard. I was thinking about building a wood fired oven behind the house.

Thanks to some instructional videos from youtube I’m confidant I can build one too. Once I finished building out my oven I can start testing pizza recipes. Then, when I’m satisfied I’ve got a great tasting wood fired oven pizza I could advertise on social media.

Start giving my neighbors samples. I actually think Thai people would prefer thin crust Neapolitan style pizzas. Over popular thick crust like Pizza Hut and Pizza Company. If they like it and get hooked I’ll start charging them. Sounds like a great plan to me.

Pizza ingredients are readily available in Thailand so you should have no problems finding good quality cheese, tomato sauce and flour.

Just a side idea. There are companies that sell wood fired ovens in Thailand. But not many. If you’re good at construction and can learn how to build these ovens, then I believe you can go around and try and sell this type of service to homeowners.

Healthy Foods in Thailand

So eating pizzas on a regular basis isn’t ideal. As much as there are unhealthy foods in Thailand, healthy food alternatives are making strides into the eating habits of local Thais and especially expats.

The health food industry in Thailand will be risky, due to scale and complexity. But it’s a niche market with not a lot of competition. Younger generations of Thais are becoming more health conscious.

Most are aware and educated about the dangers of an unhealthy diet. And the health risks of eating a high salt and high sugar diet.

Sad to say, eating healthy in Thailand is not cheap. Salad bars are expensive inside supermarkets and restaurants. Thai people want to eat healthy. But unhealthy food choices are much cheaper than healthy ones.

I always like referring to this online specialty grocer Paleo Robbie and as their name states focus on the paleo diet. You can order pre-cooked gourmet meals and have it delivered to you on a scheduled basis. Or shop for organic vegetables, free-range poultry, hormone and anti-biotic free meats from New Zealand and Australia.

Their prices are reasonable. The majority of their customers from what I can tell on their Facebook page are Thai and foreign professionals.

I don’t know how well they’re doing financially. But I’m assuming they’re doing okay. Because they’ve got a lock on this niche business.

What If You Can Do This on a Smaller Scale…

There’s no doubt Paleo Robbie is a registered company in Thailand. With big financial backing. Perhaps more than 10 employees, a large kitchen and warehouse storage facility.

But if you’re on a smallish budget I think you can work the same but at a smaller, specialized scale. And grow as your customer base grows.

If you can cook really well and knowledgeable about ingredients as well as find out where to source organic meats and vegetables you can create a small menu and start from there.

I only found out about Paleo Robbie through Facebook and Instagram. You too can leverage the reach and power through social media in Thailand.

However, I would do something differently.

I’ve never seen videos of Paleo Robbie’s staff cooking food. They only have photos showing prepared foods, or pictures of happy customers with their groceries. And that’s a great way to promote their brand.

It’s the Personality or The Face of the Company That Sells, Not the Food

But I believe if they showed a human aspect to their company they will be able to connect and reach even more customers. Not just through photographs.

They should focus on making videos. For example have chef or a cook prepare a healthy fresh meal from start to finish. They can showcase their specialty ingredients which customers can order. Everything is filmed and uploaded to Youtube.

Maybe they’re concerned about people stealing their recipes. Thus no one would order from them. True this could happen. But the numbers would be miniscule.

If this were true across the board, famous chefs wouldn’t be writing cookbooks at all. Or doing cooking demonstrations and shows in public and record a series of cooking shows.

The fact is, people want to be entertained first. They don’t have the time to cook. Let alone shop for all the ingredients. I’ve watched hundreds of hours of cooking shows. You might’ve watched more than me.

Have you cooked everything you saw on television or internet? I think not.

And a lot of people have a fear of cooking, literally. The idea of showing a video to a viewer interested in the Paleo diet is just to create a bond that photos can not achieve.

I don’t know about you, but whenever I watched cooking shows like Emeril Lagasse, I felt like I’m inside the studio watching Emeril cook from the comforts of my sofa.

We can’t taste what he made through the television. For all we know, it could be too salty and bland. But because Emeril is so likable, we’ll take the leap to assume that whatever he cooked is delicious nonetheless.

Bottom line is, if you can produce a cooking video where you can make the viewer like you for your wit, charm and cooking expertise, then you’ll have better chances of getting orders from viewers.

Establishing a bond with your customer base is the key to any business, whether small or large. This is essential to any business.

Food Sounds Great. But I’ve Got No Space…

Any food business you think about starting up in Thailand you should have plenty of kitchen space. Big kitchen space inside Thai apartments and condominiums do not exist. Even large Thai homes don’t have adequate cooking space.

Most Thais who own their own houses typically have to do their own renovations to expand kitchen space. Or build one from ground up.

If you have the money, you can rent an old small townhome. There are many decades old townhomes all over Bangkok for rent. No one lives inside because it’s an older building and it could be deep down a Soi. If you’re doing a food delivery or catering business you don’t have to worry about dining spaces.

Thai townhouses are usually three floors. That’s plenty of enough space for a kitchen on the first floor. Storage on the second floor and the third floor you or your staff could live in.

Since you’re not opening an eat-in restaurant, you don’t have to worry about designing restaurant decor. Not unless you want to make a chef’s table.

That’s just an idea. You just need to make a nice, clean kitchen space that will look good on video when you’re cooking. Then train your staff to prepare and cook meals properly.

You Don’t Have to Hire In-House Delivery People

When hungry customer orders food or desserts from you, you’ve got to get it to their hands quickly. One reason why home based food business can do well, particularly in Bangkok is due to on demand delivery service providers.

For a nominal fee based on distance and charged to customers, messenger app company Line created Line Man door to door delivery service. There’s also Lalamove a newcomer delivery service based in Hong Kong. Grab food delivery is everywhere today in Thailand. Food Panda charges too much money and not feasible for home based food business.

Everything is delivered on a motorbike. So orders can get to the destination quick while hot.

I’ve used these services before and it’s really reliable. Which is one of the reasons why I think home based food business can do very well.

These days as long as you have the right products and a solid social media presence you don’t have to open a sit-in restaurant and pay exorbitant rent.

Finally, I don’t recommend opening a sit in restaurant. Not unless you own the building or property.

What I’ve Learned During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand

My wife and I have a couple of nail salon businesses in Thailand. So our salons were ordered to shut down by the government to stem the infection rate. All non-essential businesses were ordered to close as a matter of fact.

Except businesses in the food industry. Though there are health rules restaurants and food businesses had to adhere to they could still stay open and earn a living.

I’ve always wanted to open a food business. And just recently I’ve got the chance to start one up. I won’t go into too much details about what style of food nor where I’m opening my food business.

But like I’ve been preaching, to promote a food business start making videos.

Support my channel by subscribing and liking the video. And do try these recipes!

I’ve always loved the food business and I can’t wait to get back in! So my biggest advice if you want to do a food biz in Thailand is to promote, promote, promote! Use social media as much as you can to succeed.

Next Big Idea – The Old Fashioned Men’s Barber Shop

If there’s one business that comes close to being recession proof it would be mens’ barber shops. The past few years I’ve seen an uptick of barber shops with a newer, fresher look.

Behind those flash yet vintage looking barber shops are young Thais running their own barber business.

Night market spots are really popular for young Thai men to get a trim or buzz cut. You’ll see plenty in this super famous night market in Bangkok.

Thai men like to have their hair cut short and neat. Some like the side fade look. Some like quiff. Having shorter hair is practical in Thailand.

Just think about yourself when you were in your younger days and started discovering girls. Didn’t you primp your hair and put a single strand of hair in place? In Thailand multiply that 10x. Thai men love to keep their hair in good order to attract the opposite sex.

It doesn’t matter if the economy is in the crapper. Thai guys want to look good. Period.

There Are Practical Reasons Too

For instance many Thai males own a motorbike. Most wear helmets so having shorter hair makes wearing helmets more comfortable. And shorter hair makes messy helmet hair less noticeable.

If you lived in Thailand long enough you might say Thais don’t wear helmets. Well still, having shorter hair makes more sense than having longer hair flailing around their eyes and face on a highway. Thus, they need to cut their hair short regardless.

You’d think barber shops only have male customers. Well they also have females also, but these aren’t your average frilly girls. They’re called “Toms” in Thailand but they’re the same as lesbians. And they keep their hair short, just like men.

The cost of a cut and shave starts about 80B – 100B in the residential neighborhoods of Bangkok. Though popular barber shops with skillful barbers can charge almost double. Doesn’t sound like a lot per cut but you make it up through volume. Because it’s that cheap they go to their favorite local barber shops once a month if not twice to get a trim.

In this line of business you have to open near an area with a high concentration of apartments. With adequate parking for motorbikes.

Even though I personally think starting a barber shop in Thailand is a great business to run I believe the biggest hurdle in this venture would be finding experienced barbers. And I don’t know any.

But this is just an idea off of my head. I know nothing about cutting mens’ hair. But if you’re reading this, maybe you know how to cut mens’ hair professionally. And you can teach Thais that are willing to learn how to cut hair and from there start out a barber shop.

Starting a Barber Shop Franchise

Thais with extra spending cash interested in starting a businesses love purchasing franchises.In their eyes it’s a business in a box model that if have a proven success model could be replicated.

To date, I do not know of any barber shop franchises. There are unisex hair salons but no barber shop specific franchises in Thailand.

Go set up a great looking logo. Design an interesting looking barber shop with consistent look. Again, if you are a skilled professional mens’ barber, you can train Thais, either men or women to cut mens’ hair.

Getting Known – Putting Your Products and Services Out There

No one can deny the power and reach through social media. Facebook and Instagram are on everyones’ smart phone in Thailand.

Coincidentally, Thailand is a country where the usage of social media is through the roof. According to this statistic, in Thailand there were 26.3 million facebook users in 2018. And it’s projected to climb higher.

To be honest, that number is super-inflated. I don’t think they’ve taken into account that Thais have multiple Facebook accounts on multiple phones. Thais also delete Facebook accounts and start new ones frequently.

But let’s eliminate 10% as duplicate accounts. That’s still 23 million Facebook users. It’s safe to say that everyone with a Facebook account will also have Instagram account.

Measuring Success

If you go in to starting a small business in Thailand and think it’ll make you rich. You might have to brace yourself for disappointment. I’m not saying you can’t make money.

Or maybe you can if you are as innovative and business savvy as Richard Branson.

But most small business owners in Thailand do okay. With a little bit of extra income to supplement their laid back lifestyles. Sustaining the business is the hardest part.

The most important thing is you’re doing something that you like. If you are passionate about cooking then operating a small restaurant or catering business would be perfect for you.

If you can’t cook or even have a basic culinary background you should learn first.

Know When to Call it Quits

Sometimes we think we’ve got the perfect idea, the perfect location, the perfect employees and the perfect product. Then the business becomes a money pit. Feeling dejected you throw in the towel and call it quits.

The hardest thing to do in life is shutting down the first business you’ve ever started. I know that feeling all too well. On the bright side after losing your second and third business the pain is little bit more tolerable.

It’s important to have a goal post to measure how well or how bad the business is doing. And from then on decide if it’s viable to stay, or to go. It’s never an easy decision to make.

I’ll end this off with some of my final thoughts. Running a small business is a great way to pass the time, or keep yourself busy in Thailand. You could be retired, or you could be a business owner from another country looking to start something new.

Thailand does have potential. But in my humble opinion there are many more Southeast nations more suitable for opening a business.

You just have to look deep inside yourself and think about the real reasons why you want to start a small business in Thailand. If it’s because you think it’ll make you rich, you might have to think much, much deeper.

For me, I’m married to a Thai, with a baby coming soon, which is the sole reason why I’m here.

And I think with some good planning, perseverance and a lot of good luck you can also run one or two successful businesses in Thailand.