Re-location advice

[norice]

Humlea,

Ditto, Excellent commentary!

[old_yet_horny]

For bros who still want to come Thailand..please consider some of my observations be it in terms of starting up biz or becuase of a new found love with a Thai lady.

We've seen and heard so many stories of fellow S'porean friends cheated, betrayed and played out by their Thai GFs in relationship, in terms of business set ups etc etc.

Below are some negative observation from biz set up to getting a Thai GF from me (so far), they are of course positive things to write about but lets just check the "not so good" stuffs first LOL..

In terms of biz:

- Getting 100% foreign own SME is no joke, one have to be BOI promoted for a SME in Thailand or else, you have to split into 51% Local Thai 49% Foreign Share.. Getting BOI is easy if you can afford to throw in few hundred thousand THB for lawyers to get done including your visa and work permit.. The duration could take up to few months..Doing it by yourself is really troublesome and all the documents are in Thai. lol

- Biz shareholding with local Thais are always tricky..Thai shareholders are not stupid, they can be fking cunning too. Never never trust them as I have seen many biz set ups by foreigners ended up taken by Thai shareholder by unscrupulous means. Ended up poor foreigner go back to motherland with empty pockets worse.. bankrupt.

- Thai gov taxation regulation is very different from S'pore gov.. So doing biz in Thai is not really a piece of cake for beginners. Lots of documentations, accounting procedure to follow up closely. The VAT refund here in Thailand is nonsense as compare to GST refund from S'pore. Any lapse in documentation and submission, you can say bye bye to your VAT refunds.

- Local Thai workers generally are very passive in their work attitude, they need to be reminded, monitored and reminded again, they seldom finish their task on time but generally, Thai workers are still ok. If one manage to employ a good worker, by all means keep him/ her.

- Corruption in Thailand is not uncommon, from cheap whiskeys to hefty ang pows is part and parcel of doing biz in Thailand. Gov officials from Industrial Department to even the Local Police will come knocking on your doors for benefits.


Being together with Thai GFs

- One must tolerate their MIA stunt once in a while, they can go missing for a few days and they re-appear at your door step. Reason could be they are stressed up, drunk or who knows what. LOL

- Thai GFs can be really possessive, they will check on your LINE, Facebook, SMS phone call histories etc etc, to make sure you are not "butterflying" around but if you check on them vice versa, you will find things that you would not like to see.. lol. Once i was night golfing when this lady LINE video call me to see if I am really golfing or fkin around with another puying. She even got jealous when she saw the pretty caddy with me. LOL..

- Thai GFs can be demanding, when it comes to important occasions like V Day, Birthdays or major holidays. They will not hesitate to ask you for presents, money or even your private time for them. Once you started providing them with $$, they will keep coming back to ask for it.. So how deep is your pocket? LOL.

- Thai GF can be bitchy and noisy especially when they get into quarrel or drunk.. They bitch among themselves from cosmetic surgeries to their BF's "tools"so often with their close mates.. So one have to be tolerable to all these nonsense.

- Thai GFs are not as passionate as you see on TV.. They do not display their affection openly in public, you seldom see Thai couples kissing or behaving intimately in public. Holding hands and peck on the cheek is the max they do when going out on a date. Anything beyond that, expect it to happen behind closed doors. So for "Romantic" bros, do not expect much.. LOL.


So all in all, do not pin too high hopes.. living here Thailand is amazingly fun but it does shatter many hopeful dreams as well.

[BlueDragon193]

10-year visa questions.

http://pattayatoday.net/news/latest-...isa-questions/

[Humlea]

Thank you bro norice...

It's true for the VAT thingy... SG GST refund is quarterly but Thai is monthly. Another funny thing is when you apply for VAT in thailand, 1 of the requirement is to fix up your signboard and take photo for submission. Just like applying for for work permit, you have to submit photo of you working on the desk and standing beside your company signboard.

[naemlo]

Depending on what type of business u are looking at in Thailand.

I know a SG man selling chicken wings with his push cart. I chatted with him before and knew it will fail cause he was selling BBQ chicken wing at SG price. Which Thai will pay 30THB for a street chicken wing?? After a few months, did not see him again. Anyway this is a small investment from him so no harm.

If u are looking to incorp a company, too many physical papers work and going down to the different authorities. In this modern world, Thailand is still 10 years behind SG which requires u to submit papers n papers n papers.

U need 3 shareholders and all can be foreigners... The registration authority dun bother and approve and u owe XXX Co. Ltd. The crazy issue is u can't operate the business legally cause the law states u need to have 51% shares belong to a Thai. To operate the business, u will then need a foreign business license which u can get from BOI. This is the headache part. U need to submit a lot of documents and meetings before u get approval.

I know there are companies which 100% owned by foreigner without going thru BOI. No one bothers but if the authority finds out then get ready to be in shit.

Monthly, u still need to submit papers for WHT, VAT, social security, income tax. Year end audit will be another pain in the ass....

[Humlea]

Originally Posted by BlueDragon193

10-year visa questions.

http://pattayatoday.net/news/latest-...isa-questions/

I think they will keep the current Non-O visa and introduce the 10 yearly option and after some time scrap the 10 year option.

Btw, current non-o retirement visa is 800k in bank for 2 months or 65k monthly income proof and over 50 years old.

This 10 year option only provide convenience of renew 10 yearly rather than yearly. 3 million/100k compared to 800k/65k. Most people will go for the yearly renewal. But if the 10 yearly became popular choice(very unlikely), then it might become the new requirement for retirement visa in thailand.

[naemlo]

Originally Posted by Humlea

It's true for the VAT thingy... SG GST refund is quarterly but Thai is monthly.

VAT submission and refund are monthly but authority allows company to get refund within 3 years. Depends on company policy, u dun have to do this "refund" monthly.

[Humlea]

Originally Posted by naemlo

VAT submission and refund are monthly but authority allows company to get refund within 3 years. Depends on company policy, u dun have to do this "refund" monthly.

That's the point... fail to submit monthly then bye bye for your refund. Submission is monthly but claimant can be later.

note: Opps I get your point bro naemlo... I typed refund instead of submission.

[old_yet_horny]

Originally Posted by Humlea

That's the point... fail to submit monthly then bye bye for your refund. Submission is monthly but claimant can be later.

note: Opps I get your point bro naemlo... I typed refund instead of submission.

The month end closing is like a mad rush.. LOL. Have no time for fun every month end..

Originally Posted by naemlo

Depending on what type of business u are looking at in Thailand.
.
.
.
Monthly, u still need to submit papers for WHT, VAT, social security, income tax. Year end audit will be another pain in the ass....

Not to forget all those freakin documents comes in only 1 language.. Pasaa Thai.

[ahtecklim]

Originally Posted by old_yet_horny

Being together with Thai GFs

- One must tolerate their MIA stunt once in a while, they can go missing for a few days and they re-appear at your door step. Reason could be they are stressed up, drunk or who knows what. LOL

- Thai GFs can be really possessive, they will check on your LINE, Facebook, SMS phone call histories etc etc, to make sure you are not "butterflying" around but if you check on them vice versa, you will find things that you would not like to see.. lol. Once i was night golfing when this lady LINE video call me to see if I am really golfing or fkin around with another puying. She even got jealous when she saw the pretty caddy with me. LOL..

- Thai GFs can be demanding, when it comes to important occasions like V Day, Birthdays or major holidays. They will not hesitate to ask you for presents, money or even your private time for them. Once you started providing them with $$, they will keep coming back to ask for it.. So how deep is your pocket? LOL.

- Thai GF can be bitchy and noisy especially when they get into quarrel or drunk.. They bitch among themselves from cosmetic surgeries to their BF's "tools"so often with their close mates.. So one have to be tolerable to all these nonsense.

- Thai GFs are not as passionate as you see on TV.. They do not display their affection openly in public, you seldom see Thai couples kissing or behaving intimately in public. Holding hands and peck on the cheek is the max they do when going out on a date. Anything beyond that, expect it to happen behind closed doors. So for "Romantic" bros, do not expect much.. LOL.


So all in all, do not pin too high hopes.. living here Thailand is amazingly fun but it does shatter many hopeful dreams as well.

Rent is best!

[TonyCheong2]

Originally Posted by Humlea

My advise is, if you really cannot wait to stay in thai but still do not have the financial ability, find a SG company that willing to let you stationed in Thai but pay you in SGD with CPF. Start looking for these company and sooner or later you will find it. 2 things will turn out after a few years, you will either decided to come back to sg or you have found the perfect business you want to build in Thai. The downside of this advise is you cannot choose where you want to be located in Thai, just like me... stuck in Rayong.

This is a less risky way to see if things will work out or not.
Along the way can explore other opportunities.

Originally Posted by old_yet_horny

For bros who still want to come Thailand..please consider some of my observations be it in terms of starting up biz or because of a new found love with a Thai lady.

We've seen and heard so many stories of fellow S'porean friends cheated, betrayed and played out by their Thai GFs in relationship, in terms of business set ups etc etc.

Good observations with a good dose of reality!

[WarPig]

Thanks for all the inputs. Not thinking of working or starting any business.
Just want to relax, laze around, leisurely explore the nearby towns and enjoy the cool mountain air.

Will try out the 1 yr retirement scheme 1st and extend if I like it.

[smile_santa]

Thanks to all the seasoned pros for the advice in this thread. When I started this thread I never expected it to have so much info from the basics of relocation to insurance package and business advice.

In case its TLDR for some bros here, the reason I created this thread was because at that point of time I was at a low-point in my life here in SG and just wanted to give up everything here and get a job in Thailand and disappear. Admittedly it was a very rash decision and im glad it didnt pull through. But at the same time its nice to see everyone contributing here with their valuable insights.

Regarding the business bit. I gave a thought about it too unfortunately now I dont have the capital to do anything. I have a very trustworthy friend in thailand (we used to be mates in college, and hes local thai) and if I were to get into a partnership he will definitely be my choice. His family runs a distribution business so he has quite a number of contacts on hand. I just haven't thought of a sound proposal to follow through even if I have the money now but its definitely worth considering in the future.

[naemlo]

Originally Posted by old_yet_horny

Not to forget all those freakin documents comes in only 1 language.. Pasaa Thai.

Everything is in Thai when dealing with Thai authority... There is a survey done and Thais English is 1 of the worst in the region. I have many Thai friends whose kids are either in international school or in oversea studying. They rubbish their own education system.

I am a coffee person who needs at least 2 cups a day. I have plan to open a "boutique cafe" outside BKK. This cafe, I will not bother will it makes money. Just a place to keep an old man occupy and have a few cups of coffee.

[Humlea]

Originally Posted by WarPig

Thanks for all the inputs. Not thinking of working or starting any business.
Just want to relax, laze around, leisurely explore the nearby towns and enjoy the cool mountain air.

Will try out the 1 yr retirement scheme 1st and extend if I like it.

Ahhhh... warpig is financial stable and having the right attitude to relocate to thailand.