Business in Thailand - 5 business ideas for foreigners + description of 4 legal forms + step-by-step registration process for a foreigner + 5 tips.

Increasingly, one can notice a trend that our compatriots are conquering foreign countries and opening their own businesses outside their homeland.

Moreover, the geography is vast - Europe, America and, of course, Asia.

And a striking example of the latter region is Thailand.

Thailand is the largest country on the Indochina Peninsula, which is famous not only for its beautiful resorts and smiling residents, but also for its global export of rice, black pearl mining and developed agriculture.

Business in Thailand for foreign citizens has many nuances and difficulties associated with various restrictions and features of registration of economic activities.

And you will learn about all this from our article.

Restrictions in Thai law on foreign investment

The laws in the Thai kingdom have always been quite nationalistic, which is the first restriction on the activities of non-residents.

But in recent years, the government has adopted a number of new reforms that have demonstrated a more welcoming attitude towards foreign investment.

Now foreign citizens can open their own business, but their ownership share should be no more than 49% of the capital.

For the most part, this restriction concerns those activities that residents of Thailand must engage in.

In some cases, foreigners may own a larger amount of shares, but then the activity will be regulated by the Law “On the implementation of commercial activities by foreigners.”

Non-residents are also required to obtain a special business license.

Main features of opening and running a business by foreigners in Thailand:

• In this state, there are two main requirements for a foreigner to open a business: the minimum authorized capital is 2,000,000 baht (approximately $65,000) and obtaining a business visa.
• To register a business, you need to prepare a number of documents in Thai.

Foreigners do not have the right to be owners of commercial real estate that can be used for production or office.

Therefore, it is necessary to look for long-term rental options here.

• The ratio of Thai to foreign workers in a foreign-owned company is 4:1.

Business in Thailand has a number of restrictions on the conduct of some types of business by non-residents of the country:

Note: the listed types of business in Thailand can also be carried out by non-residents of the country if their share in the capital is a maximum of 49% of the shares.

It is also worth noting that the Thai government is focused on foreign investors opening profitable businesses that:

• improve their country's national competitiveness;
• use scientific developments;
• help preserve the environment;
• save resources and energy, etc.

5 business ideas in Thailand

Vehicle rental

The amount of investment depends on your fleet.

The best option is to rent motorbikes.

Advantages: relatively small starting capital, quick payback and demand among tourists.

But there is a risk that the renter will not return the bike, which will entail additional costs.

Bar-tavern

The option of opening a bar with several rooms is more profitable and reliable than opening an independent establishment.

According to statistics, 90% of restaurants, cafes and bars close in the first year of operation.

In implementing this idea, special attention should be paid to the staff, premises and location of the future establishment.

Own import

Here you need to offer Thais and tourists familiar things that will have their own “zest”.

You also need to create a certain image for the product and think through the business concept.

"Russian" store or restaurant

Since our compatriots constantly vacation in Thailand, and many even stay there for several months a year, many manage to miss home cooking and familiar products.

The beauty of such a business is that you don’t need to spend money on advertising; word of mouth will work here.

In addition, products and dishes will be sold at an inflated price, so the establishment will be able to quickly pay for itself.

Kindergarten

This amazing idea is really in demand in the Thai kingdom.

An entrepreneur who decides to implement it needs to find a suitable premises, obtain a license and hire staff.

For parents who want to save money, mixed groups can be offered, and for those who are willing to pay more, it is necessary to open groups with children who speak certain languages.

Organizational and legal forms of doing business in Thailand

In Thailand, there are 4 main organizational and legal forms of enterprises:

• partnership;
• limited liability company;
• company representation;
• regional operations office.

Now let's look at each form in more detail:

1. The partnership is presented in three forms:
   • unregistered;
   • registered;
   • with limited liability.

   It is worth noting that this form of doing business is almost never chosen by foreigners.
   

   Unregistered partnership	Registered partnership	Limited Liability Partnership
   It is not a legal entity, as it is formed by at least 2 individuals who will work as partners.	Is a legal entity.	Is a legal entity.
   Each founder is subject to income tax individually.		A legal entity is subject to corporate income tax.
   The founders bear full responsibility for the obligations of the partnership and for other partners within the scope of business.	The founders are responsible for the obligations of the partnership if it does not fulfill them.	One partner has limited property liability (i.e., within the limits of invested capital), the other (main) partner has unlimited property liability.

2. Limited companies can be presented in two types:
   • private;
   • public.

   The first type of company is suitable for foreigners, since shares can also be owned by non-residents of Thailand.

   Private Joint Stock Company (Ltd)	Public Joint Stock Company (Plc)
   Activities are regulated by the Civil and Commercial Codes of Thailand.	The activity is regulated by the Law “On Public Joint Stock Companies”.
   Managed by the Board of Directors. However, it may not include the company’s shareholders.	Managed by the Board of Directors. There must be a minimum of 5 people, of which half must be Thai.
   The minimum number of founders is 3 people. Foreigners can own shares if there are restrictions on the activities carried out by the state.	The minimum number of founders is 15 people. They must all hold shares in the companies for at least 2 years.

Company representative office created to participate in certain areas of activity other than trading.

To open it, you must submit an application and deposit a minimum capital of 3,000,000 baht. The representative office can engage in:

• disseminating information about what the company does;
• searching for goods and services for the main company;
• compiling reports on the results of activities;
• advising clients regarding goods sold or services provided;

3. Regional Operations Office (ROH) is engaged in providing services for the company's branches.

   Its powers are extremely limited and are limited to providing the following services:

   • technical;
   • administrative;
   • information support.

How to open a business in Thailand for a foreigner: step-by-step process

So, the first thing you should pay attention to is:

• the cost of registering a company in Thailand is 35,000 baht (just over $1,000)
• the size of the authorized capital is 2,000,000 baht.
  The amount may be less, but then you will not be able to obtain a work permit, and this situation is fraught with fines.
• The need to find 2 residents of Thailand who will own 51% of the shares.

Once you have decided on the chosen direction, you can begin registration.

Main stages of registering a business in Thailand

1. Obtaining a business visa

   To do this, you need to contact the Thai Embassy in your country.

   Search for six more company founders

   These must be people you can trust.

   As a rule, their participation is formal, because the Board of Directors can be headed by a non-resident, on whose initiative the business activity is carried out.

   Compiling a company name

   At this stage of starting a business in Thailand, you need to come up with several names for your company.

   After which the registrar checks them for uniqueness, and if one of them is suitable, he reserves it for the company.

   The invented name must be used within one month.

   Drawing up an Agreement on the foundation of a company (signing a Memorandum of Association)

   The agreement contains: the name of the company, its goals, the size of the authorized capital, information about the founders (7 people), information about the shares.

   It is registered with the Business Development Department.

   At the same stage, you must pay a state fee for registration and contribute at least 25% of the authorized capital.

   Holding a meeting of shareholders

   
   All founders must sign for their shares and transfer the company to the management of the Board of Directors.

   Submitting an application for company registration

   This must be done within three months from the date of the shareholders meeting.

   To do this, the founders submit:

   • an extract from the bank indicating that the authorized capital has been paid in;
   • confirmation that all shares have been paid for;
   • constituent documents.

   The registration fee is calculated at 500 baht for every 100,000 baht of capital.

   Registration of a company with the tax authorities

   Within two months from the date of establishment of the company, you must contact the tax authorities and obtain an ID number.

   You will be required to open a corporate account.

   Also, to carry out some types of activities, you must obtain a license.

   This applies to the opening of restaurants, cafes, beauty salons, spa centers, kindergartens and other things.

   For a complete list of licensed business areas in Thailand, it is better to consult a lawyer.

Wondering how to start a real estate business in Thailand?

Then this video is for you:

Interesting fact:
About 6000 years ago, rice was developed as a cultivated plant in Thailand. And this country is the largest exporter of rice in the world.

First of all, you need to understand Thai society.

The difference in mentality can be a significant barrier.

Therefore, even when you first visit the Thai kingdom, you do not need to immediately start dealing with the issue of opening a business.

Explore the Thai market.

What will be relevant in Russia or another country may not “take root” among Thais.

Again, mentality plays a role here.

1. Hire a translator who, firstly, will help overcome the language barrier, and secondly, will draw up the necessary documents in Thai.

Start your business in Thailand only with those you are confident in.

The Thais are quite smart people, and their main advantage over you is that they are local.

They may not be called dishonest, but you may still encounter dishonest people.

2. To eliminate the occurrence of incomprehensible moments, enter into contracts that specify the smallest details and details of cooperation.

Business in Thailand for a foreigner it is difficult, but possible.

In any case, new opportunities will open up for you in terms of developing your entrepreneurial nature, because if you can overcome all the difficulties, you will certainly achieve success.

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Thailand is a very attractive country for a large number of tourists. This is a state that has a very long and interesting history and an equally interesting present. Siam (as Thailand was previously called) was the only source on Earth for the extraction and cultivation of natural black pearls. There is also a huge amount of seafood products, famous for their beneficial properties and amazing taste.

Among other things, the weather here is excellent all year round and, accordingly, the mood is great. All this allows us to conclude that Thailand is a very attractive and acceptable country not only for temporary stay, but also for permanent residence. From this it is clear that in Thailand it is possible in almost any field. But how to choose it?

First of all, you will need to consider the basic rules for starting your own business in this amazing country. So, of course, it is possible for foreigners to open a business here, but recently some changes have been made to the legislation designed to protect domestic entrepreneurs from foreign ones. So, you will not be able to open a publishing house or editorial office of any newspaper in this country. This matter is purely internal to the country and does not tolerate any outside interference. Traditional crafts are also prohibited for foreign companies. Another industry that partially excludes foreign entrepreneurs is agriculture.

How to start your own business in Thailand?

So, you need to start by choosing the field of activity in which you are going to realize your business ambitions. Undoubtedly, tourism has been and remains one of the leading business areas in Thailand for a huge amount of time. That is why any of your enterprises, focused on meeting the needs and interests of travelers and guests of the country, will definitely be profitable. Thus, by opening a cafe, bar, hotel or at least a mini-hotel, you will benefit.

Thailand is visited by several million tourists every year, which is why it becomes the most profitable platform for both opening a new business and expanding an existing one.

Thus, many entrepreneurs, when expanding, go to Thailand, but before they “get the go-ahead” to open, they must go through the following stages.

If you have already decided on the name of your enterprise, now you move on to determining what status your organizational form will have. In most cases, foreigners choose from the two most suitable for. This may be a partnership or a private organization. The first of the above is much easier to organize, but if you open a private organization, you will be able to pay a much lower percentage of income taxes in the future. If doubts still remain, you should seek help from a legal entity that is in close contact with foreign destinations in regulating relationships between entrepreneurs. He will definitely have the necessary and practical advice.

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Main stages of registering a business in Thailand

The next step is obtaining a business visa. If you or any other business is in Thailand, then in order to obtain a business visa, you will need an approved business plan. In addition, you need to find several Thai partners, who must also provide their approval in writing for opening a particular business. All necessary documents are prepared at the Thai embassy in Moscow. Once you receive approval to enter the country specifically to start your business, you arrive in Thailand. Here you need to go to the commerce department. In this department you receive a list of documents required to register an organization in the state. Once you have collected everything you need, all that remains is to pay the business registration fee. In most cases, it costs approximately $1,000 to open and register a business in Thailand.

This is what constitutes formal actions associated with paperwork. In reality, everything is even more complicated. In order to make any profit, you need a sufficient number of customers. This is why most entrepreneurs or bars are in Pattaya, because here the flow of tourists never ends. The same applies to choosing a neighborhood or street. It is quite natural that in central areas and on central streets it is almost impossible to rent any premises. Another thing is the purchase of a building. They are sold (especially in Russian regions) quite often. But this does not always correspond to the intentions of businessmen, because purchasing premises as property costs much more than renting it on a monthly basis. And even if you have money, you won’t be able to purchase a building along with the land. According to current legislation, foreigners cannot own more than 42% of the shares. Accordingly, if you still do not want to rent, then you can try to negotiate a joint purchase with one of your Thai partners.

Another disadvantage, which is expressed financially, is that in areas where the flow of tourists is constant and profitable, opening a business requires additional investments in addition to the main ones. They number in the several millions. The advantage of doing business in Thailand is that there is no need to open a local bank account.

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Starting a small business in Thailand

When thinking about what kind of business to open in Thailand - small, medium or large - you should clearly understand the necessary expenses associated with both finances and time, and as we know, money is money, especially in Thailand, where several people constantly come hundreds and thousands of tourists. It is completely natural that they all want to eat, drink, and they need to live somewhere. The last option applies to a medium or large business, which will require you to start a few tens of thousands of dollars that you can risk. Just take a risk, since Thai entrepreneurs are not always ready to keep their promises. And if you rented some premises today, renovated it tomorrow and put it in proper shape, this does not mean at all that the day after tomorrow you will be able to open a bar, cafe or restaurant. Quite often it happens that businessmen or building owners, after their premises have been renovated, suddenly change their minds and find another use for this or that area.

When opening your own business or private company in Thailand, you may also encounter the problem of mandatory cooperation, in most cases only documented, with at least four Thais. The fact is that this state does not allow the operation on its territory of an enterprise that is entirely owned by a foreigner. In solving this problem, companies located in the country for registration of individual entrepreneurship help, which independently find the so-called “dead souls” who supposedly work with you. They sign a document confirming the fact that they have received dividends from you for 100 years in advance, and have no claims against you, therefore, you become the sole manager of this enterprise. A huge amount of money will be spent on it.

There is, however, a less expensive and risky option for opening your own business here. The point is that, provided that you have a girlfriend or wife in Thailand who has citizenship of this country, you can spend about 5,000 baht in her name. And the police will not pester you with constant checks, since they support their businessmen in every possible way.

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For those entrepreneurs who decide to try themselves abroad and move to live and work in another country, one of the most obvious business options is a restaurant, cafe, bar or other similar leisure establishment. In countries popular with Russian business emigrants, competition in this sector is quite serious, but many still manage to find their niche and succeed. One of these “heroes of our time” is Novosibirsk entrepreneur Dmitry Trifonov.

“Not just lying on the beach”

After graduating from the institute - in 2010 - I went on vacation to Thailand, to the island of Koh Samui. I liked it there and stayed there for two months. I had some savings, plus my parents gave me money to graduate from college, and I lived on it. And I didn’t just lie on the beach, but walked around, looking at how life works, how people make money. I realized that it was possible to live and work abroad.

A year later I went again, thinking that I would try to get into the rental business - flipping houses. But it didn't work out. In the third year, I went again, but already knew what I was going to do - in Novosibirsk I started to engage in Forex, the remote income appeared - enough for rent, for a normal house.

I lived like this for a year, and at some point my friend Artyom told me that there is one establishment on Samui, let’s say, not very popular, but on the main tourist street. It recently closed, it was put up for sale, but for a long time they could not sell it. And so the owner and I somehow managed to agree that we would take the establishment under management - we would do renovations, rebrand it, relaunch it, in general. And then, if we succeed, the owner will take part in our project, as a share.

It was an old fisherman's house, 80 years old: the second floor was residential, and the first floor was a cafe with tables, a kitchen, etc. Each floor has 70 square meters. We initially planned to throw 200-300 thousand baht in there (at that time - 2013 - it was about 10 thousand dollars). It took about six months to build, and during the construction process the investments grew to almost 2 million baht. No matter what they grabbed, they soon realized that if they didn’t do it right, they would end up with just another cafe. But I wanted to do something special, for myself, cool, and exactly in the place where we live.

"Yes, serious level"

We decided that the format would be a cocktail bar. This concept is rare in Thailand; here there is either a separate restaurant, or a separate bar, or a separate club. I had in my head an image of a Novosibirsk cocktail bar, where my sister worked. People come to have a drink, chat, gradually the music gets louder, those who wanted to dance, those who didn’t want to, then relax, no one bothers anyone. People of my age, of my generation, stopped going to nightclubs - it’s loud, uncomfortable, unatmospheric. And they go to cocktail bars.

My sister Lisa is a cool cocktail bartender, I brought her to Thailand to help us make a good bar with the right cocktails. And she created a unique menu, the likes of which are nowhere else on the island. People from different countries tried our cocktails and nodded their heads - yes, a serious level.

In Thai bars, cocktails are made haphazardly and from whatever is haphazard; both in taste and in quality - complete rubbish. We use only good expensive alcohol, high-quality syrups and ingredients.

“We decided right away: we won’t make an establishment for Russians”

Our wooden house-bar is located on the main tourist street, there are many restaurants here - Italian, French, Indian, they are mainly run by Europeans. And we fit into this street very well.

Every Friday there is a fair here, and every Friday we host a big Friday Party - for which our establishment quickly became famous. And not only among tourists, but also among people who permanently live on the island. These are the owners of restaurants, hotels, some of their own businesses - in general, entrepreneurs, active young people.

Mostly foreigners come to us, Russians - 30-40 percent. We immediately planned this, we told ourselves that we would not make an establishment only for Russians and in the Russian style, because this is some kind of artificial limitation. The decision turned out to be correct, because in the last two years about seven Russian establishments have opened and closed on the island, none of them lasted more than a year. People just throw in money, open something, sit empty for six months and close. “Here, we are all Russians, let’s get together, let’s hang out together” - there is no concept in this.

We make money not only from food-drinks-parties. For example, we can be a platform for IT conferences - people come to us, hang up a projector, people gather, and make reports. Psychological trainings, webinars, and educational events were also held.

“We invest everything in the business”

I would not call our establishment super-top, but it is definitely on the lips, in rotation on the local word of mouth. At the same time, we never spent money on advertising. We promoted ourselves through reviews, through the atmosphere. And through parties. For example, on Friday we have a real sell-out, everyone either comes specially or stops by on the way. And during the tourist season, people actively come to us on other days - regardless of the events that we give.

At our first Friday party we earned around 6 thousand baht, now the figure is 60 thousand. That is, the profit from a particular event has increased at least ten times in two years. At the same time, our prices did not change - a cocktail cost and costs from 200 to 350 baht, that is, somewhere around 7-10 dollars.

We take little money from profits for ourselves; we invest almost everything in business and development. If we had not repaired anything after the launch, then, naturally, the invested money would have recouped long ago. But we continue to invest.

To be honest, it’s time for us to move, our premises are already small - there are only 40 seats. And we would change the format a little. We are now looking for investors who would open similar establishments as a franchise; It’s possible in Phuket, it’s possible in Bali, in some beach resort area.

There is a lot of it there. Moreover, at fairly low prices and very high quality, thanks to which those who like to “drink a bottle” on vacation when flying to Thailand do not feel discriminated against and begin “tasting” local alcoholic beverages, including beer, right at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Below in the article I will talk about alcohol in Thailand, which Thais and foreign tourists drink, I will announce the prices for alcoholic drinks in Thailand in 2014 and I will give some of my own assessments of Thai alcoholic drinks that I have been able to taste recently. As usual, I’ll start with low-alcohol drinks, gradually “increasing the degree” of the story :).

THE CONTENT OF THE ARTICLE (you can click on the link for a quick transition)

Alcohol in Thailand: features of consumption and sale

The availability of alcohol in Thailand even for local residents and the large number of tourists have led to the Kingdom being among the top five in the world for alcohol consumption per capita. However, it is worth noting that alcoholic beverages in Thailand are not consumed equally evenly. Thus, the southern provinces of the country, where the Muslim population predominates, account for no more than 8% of the amount of alcohol consumed annually. And vice versa: in the north of the country, where predominantly Buddhists live and it can be quite cold (by Thai standards) at night in winter, local residents drink many times more.

Of course, a huge amount of alcohol is drunk in popular resorts in Thailand, where the most favorable conditions have been created for this. Even people who practically do not drink alcohol in everyday life in Thailand often cannot resist the temptation to try local alcohol of varying degrees of strength, despite the fact that it is possible to enjoy a holiday in this country and experience a feeling of mild euphoria even if you are sober.

Due to local laws, the sale of alcohol in Thailand is limited. Thus, there is an official ban on the sale of alcohol from 00.00 (midnight) to 11.00 in the morning, as well as in the daytime - from 14.00 to 17.00. It should be noted here that such prohibitions are not strictly observed everywhere. More strictly in Bangkok and in non-tourist areas. At resorts, everything is more liberal, so if you really want to drink alcohol purchased in a store, there is always a chance that they will sell it to you at any time of the day or night, you don’t even have to look hard :). Although I “got” to the elections on my previous trip, they didn’t even sell beer until midnight.

Also, the sale of alcohol is completely prohibited on some important public holidays, for example, the birthday of the King or Queen, etc. A ban on the sale of alcohol in Thailand is often announced on the days of elections to various government bodies. What to do if you want to drink, but they don’t sell it? Firstly, there are many bars at your service. Secondly, the minimum set of alcohol in Thailand is usually contained in the minibar of a hotel room. Thirdly, so that such a situation does not arise from the very beginning, you should remember main holidays in Thailand, at the same time study the culture of the country.

By law, alcohol is not sold in stores near schools, churches, especially mosques, and in gas station stores. It should also be remembered that the sale of alcohol in Thailand is only permitted to persons over the age of 20 years. However, such a restriction does not particularly apply to tourists, so even school graduates and first-year students can be sure that they will not be left without alcohol, and it’s up to them to decide whether to drink or not.

Low alcohol alcoholic drinks in Thailand

The main and most popular low-alcohol drink among both tourists and locals is Thai beer, which has a pleasant taste, is very refreshing and quenches thirst. Since there is already a separate article about this drink on the site, I will not dwell on this point in detail.

A very popular drink is the Bacardi Breezer cocktail, which, as the name suggests, is made from the famous rum. This cocktail is the second most popular cocktail in the world (second only to Smirnoff Ice), but I personally have the opinion that in Thailand Bacardi Breezer has no competitors in its segment, since in any bar and store they drink it and it is Breezer that can be found in the hotel room minibar, although there may be exceptions.

There are different flavors (orange, lime, grapefruit, grape), and the bottle volume is small - only 0.33 liters. Prices range from 35 baht in stores to 200 baht in popular clubs. IN club Insomnia in Pattaya, where I sometimes ordered this alcohol in Thailand for myself and a friend, price 185 baht (2014). Less often, but still, you can find other low-alcohol cocktails: Spy, the same Smirnoff Ice, as well as Ginger and Nite. The prices are about the same, I can’t say about the taste, since I haven’t tried them in Thailand.

A fairly popular low-alcohol drink in Thailand is Siam Sato rice wine. Sold in two varieties: 0.7 liter bottles with 8% strength and 0.25 liter bottles with 5% strength. More often you can find the first option - large bottles, usually sold in beer departments. So when I first bought Siam Sato, I didn’t even know it was wine (I thought it was a strong beer) and was very surprised by the taste. The taste, it must be said, is not for everyone. Reminds me of something between cider and champagne, only with fewer bubbles.

Despite the good snack, I had a hard time finishing the large bottle, and I didn’t even want to buy and try the small one afterwards, although I later read somewhere that it tastes better, especially with ice. By the way, the 7Eleven chain of stores usually sells only large bottles of Siam Sato, and it is better to look for small bottles in large supermarkets - Tesco Lotus, Big-C, etc. Despite its strength, rice wine is somehow cheaper than beer. If my memory serves me correctly, for 0.7 liters they ask for only 35 baht, and for a small one - from 22 to 25 baht.

In Thailand, such alcohol as grape wine is not very popular among local residents, because the culture of winemaking originated in the country just over 30 years ago, and the first Thai wine appeared on sale in 1995 under the Chateau de Loei brand. Therefore, more often in stores you can find not local, but imported wine from Chile, New Zealand, Australia, and European countries. The minimum price for a bottle in a supermarket is 200-300 baht. The cost of aged wine from well-known world producers reaches 1000-1500 baht per bottle. Thai wine is presented in the country's supermarkets mainly from the Siam Winery company, which owns a large number of vineyards in the Hua Hin area.

You can also find fruit and berry wines under the Fresco brand in supermarkets, which have already won several international medals for their unusual taste and aroma. In general, winemaking in the country is rapidly developing, so many of those who turned their nose up at Thai wine 10 years ago admit that today it has become much better in quality and more pleasant to the taste. The most recommended brands of Thai wine include Mont Clair, Peter Vella and Kookaburra, produced under the supervision of European winemakers.

Strong alcohol in Thailand

All lovers of strong alcoholic drinks in Thailand, preferring such generally recognized brands as Jack Daniels, Johnny Walker, Chivas Regal, etc. You can rest easy: all this and much more is available at prices that are not too high even compared to Duty Free, and you can buy or order these drinks in almost every store and bar. However, the article is primarily about Thai alcohol in Thailand, so I will dwell on it in more detail, going through the most interesting local brands from my point of view.

Sang Som - Thai rum No. 1

Legendary Thai rum. It is no coincidence that I put it in first place on the list, since the drink is the most popular of the local spirits among tourists, according to statistical data, as well as in my personal rating. Sang Som is made from Thai sugar cane and has an ABV of 40%. This alcohol in Thailand has many international medals and is exported to two dozen countries. I still advise all those who don’t like rum to try this drink, since the taste of even undiluted Sang Som is very pleasant: the drink is surprisingly soft and has a pleasant aftertaste.

Personally, I am not a fan of diluting strong drinks with cola or other drinks, so I always drink Sang Som in its pure form. It was no coincidence that I used the word “consume”, since from my last trip I brought home 5 bottles of this drink and sometimes I “treat myself” with it at home, drinking a couple of glasses, remembering Thailand and planning my next trip there :). On the other hand, many people drink Sang Som in cocktails, diluting it with cola and

Even at numerous beach parties, including Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan It is this rum that is the main component of the famous “alcohol buckets”. You can find information everywhere on the Internet that the cost of a small bottle of Sang Som (0.37 liter in the form of a flat flask) is 130-140 baht in 7Eleven stores. In reality, in 2014, everything is a little different: now Sang Som rum costs 155 baht in 7Eleven and Family Mart, and for 130 baht a similar bottle can only be bought in large supermarkets, for example, Tesco Lotus and smaller stores of this chain.

As a gift or souvenir from Thailand, it is better to purchase a large 0.7 liter bottle of Sang Som. The price will be comparable to two small ones, and you will additionally receive a beautiful gift box. In addition to the white label drink (Sang Som Gold), there is also a black label variety called Sang Som Premium, which seems to be aged for 5 years in oak barrels. IMHO, it tastes the same, so I don’t see the point in overpaying.

Mekhong Whiskey - Mekhong Whiskey

A drink named after one of the country's largest rivers. Sold like Sang Som in small flat bottles and 0.7 liter bottles in boxes. Easily identified by the bright yellow label with "Mekong" written in red. Sometimes you can find this alcohol in Thailand without Latin inscriptions, but everything is also easy to recognize by the yellow label and the red inscription in Thai diagonally (sometimes the label is not yellow, but beige or light brown).

Despite the fact that Mekong is whiskey, its taste is closer to classic rum than Sang Som, because the raw materials for it are sugarcane molasses (95%) and Thai rice (5%). The manufacturer states that a mixture of Thai medicinal herbs, spices and plant roots is also added to the composition, the recipe of which is kept in the strictest confidence. The alcohol content of Mekong whiskey is 35%. Compared to the rum described above, the taste of Mekong whiskey, in my opinion, is worse, more harsh.

After drinking another glass, you want to wash it down with something pleasant, so it’s better to dilute it with the same cola. Despite its long history (first released in 1941) and the love of the Thais themselves, the brand, which had long been the most popular in the country, gradually lost its position, and from 2010 to 2011 it was not produced at all until the sale of production and the brand to a new owner. Personally, I didn’t like this whiskey, I bought it once and have no desire to do so again, but everyone has different tastes, so you can try it, it’s cheaper than Sang Som.

Hong Thong Whiskey

Quite a popular alcohol among locals in Thailand, it goes well with cola or is drunk with a good snack. Like Mekong whiskey, Hong Tong is inferior in taste to Sang Som rum and is a “harder” drink. However, the popularity of the drink is quite high and I think it’s not just a matter of slightly lower cost than the price of Sang Som rum and foreign brands of alcohol.

The strength of Hong Thong is 35%, and the drink is sold in small flat bottles and standard 0.7 liter bottles with a light beige label on which the name is written in large red letters. Large bottles are sold in red gift boxes. Unlike the Mekong, I bought and consumed Hong Tong whiskey several times, after chilling it in the hotel refrigerator (warm seemed disgusting). But I didn’t take Hong Thong home, maybe next time I’ll take it as a souvenir.

Sang Thip Whiskey

Sang Tip whiskeys seem to be created in order to be sold in Thailand as cheaply as possible. If my memory serves me correctly, this type of alcohol in Thailand costs less than 100 baht for a small flat bottle with a black label on which the name of the drink is written diagonally on a red stripe. Do not confuse with Sang Som Premium, the labels are visually similar! There is an opinion that drinking Sang Tip whiskey threatens that at some point during the feast, the drinker will begin to have memory problems, i.e. in the morning he barely remembers what he did the day before.

I haven’t encountered such a phenomenon, but I didn’t drink that much either. As in the case of Mekong whiskey, I had no desire to buy a second time, much less take this alcoholic drink home. By the way, in Thai shops and supermarkets you can find other strong alcoholic drinks for less than 100 baht. I tried one of them as an experiment (with a green label and an inscription in Thai), but the taste did not make an impression, rather the opposite. Therefore, I think that I will not be mistaken when I write that all drinks in this price category do not have a pleasant taste.

Lao Khao Whiskey - Thai moonshine

In an article about alcohol in Thailand, it is impossible not to mention this “legendary” variety, for the production of which Thai rice wine is used. Those. Lao Khao is the product of distilling rice wine into whiskey. The drink is something like moonshine and has a corresponding taste, so you most likely won’t be able to try it in tourist bars. In other words, Lao Khao is an alcohol in Thailand that is in demand among the lower classes who abuse alcohol. Therefore, if you ask to sell you a bottle of Lao Khao in a store, the seller will be very surprised and will look at you suspiciously.

Lao Khao is sold in bottles similar to beer bottles: small ones with a volume of 0.33 liters, large ones with a volume of 0.625 liters. Since all the labels are in Thai, you can remember that Lao Khao with a red or yellow label has an alcohol content of only 28%. Lao Khao, with green and pink labels, respectively have an ABV of 30% and 35%. The strongest variety of Lao Khao is the one bottled with a blue (or light blue) label - 40%.

Also, if there are several varieties of Lao Khao in the store, the strongest one can be determined at a higher price. A very popular souvenir from Thailand is a bottle of local whiskey infused with a representative of the local fauna: spiders, scorpions, snakes, etc. I have not tried such drinks yet, but I have repeatedly heard that Lao Khao is used as the basis for their preparation, as it is the cheapest possible.

These are not all types of alcohol in Thailand, but I have listed the most famous and popular alcoholic drinks that give an idea of ​​the country’s alcohol market. I would also like to remind you that my tastes may differ significantly from yours and what I liked may not necessarily please you and vice versa. Therefore, I recommend trying different alcohol in Thailand and then choosing the one that you personally like. I wish you a pleasant holiday without a hangover!

Brief background

Pattaya. Koh Larn

I first went to Thailand in 2011 and saw it like you see in this photo. This was the country of my dreams. In 2012 I moved to Pattaya. For quite a long time I was afraid to make a decision. Subsequently, it turned out that we impose the complexity and stress of decisions on ourselves. I constantly travel to Russia and there is no “burning bridges”, you can only force it on yourself, it is not necessary.

In general, I lived well. The first two years. The exchange rate between the baht and the ruble was one to one. I didn’t have to work; I had a source of income for capital. I boldly spent 100-200 thousand rubles a month, this was the norm for a comfortable life. Then I spent a fair amount of my capital due to a couple of strategic mistakes, and decided to invest the rest in real estate in Russia, they convinced me that this was a good idea, the income was less, but more stable.

At that time, Thailand was actively promoted everywhere on blogs, YouTube and forums as a place where you could “live like a king on 20 thousand rubles a month.” This is absolute nonsense, don't believe it. I will touch on the standard of living a little later in the article.

Last year this topic dragged on, I began to look for other sources of income, because there was nothing to spend. In the process, I found a good job in IT for 3 thousand dollars a month, I even managed to work remotely, but I didn’t work for long - the boss didn’t like the lack of control, they began to load me with tasks for a ton of “terribly necessary” reports, in the expectation that I would leave on my own, and then they fired me. I’m not a big supporter of working for my uncle and I wasn’t particularly upset.

Having completed the formalities with the apartment, I once again took a one-way ticket from Moscow to Bangkok. It was October 2014, and this is where the story begins. I had with me 100 thousand rubles on my card, an agreement on minor work on the Internet, which I had been doing for 2 months at that time, and a rental agreement for my apartment for the equivalent of 900 dollars (I write in dollars, since at that time started ) per month. I was already accustomed to a more modest life and thought that this should be enough.

How I came up with the idea of ​​opening a business in Thailand

It didn't really cross my mind. I forgot to clarify that my common-law wife is Thai. Her idea. I was going to take up Internet projects and find another remote job; the first one barely brought in 20 thousand rubles a month. During the first two weeks, the unexpected happened - my tenant’s mother became seriously ill, he moved out and asked for the deposit back. I spent the deposit on a ticket and rent in Pattaya (my wife lives in her house in the north of Thailand when I leave). I asked my friends to help me, but this did not threaten me with any money in the near future - as long as tenants are found, I will give the deposit from the first month, and it is better to save the new one so that history does not repeat itself.

We parted ways with our employer after 3 weeks, and this source of income also disappeared. The dollar had already begun to grow strongly and “broke through” the 37 mark. I had to withdraw money from the card - at such a rate that, to be honest, I didn’t care. I don’t like spending my last money, it’s starting to get on my nerves. We both didn’t work and had no income, the rent was falling short, this didn’t suit me, I suggested that my wife find a job first, so that I could slowly look for a good position remotely with a real salary.

She didn't like this idea. It must be said that salaries in Thailand for positions without higher education are quite low (considered low at the old ruble exchange rate) compared to Russia, and labor laws are not respected. If you want, work 10 hours with one day off a week; if you don’t, there’s a line of people from the poor province behind you, get out. You can relatively easily find a job for 8-14 thousand baht per month, not higher. She offered to rent space at the market where she had previously worked for a while and sell fruit smoothies. In a month, the high season began, and one could count on good sales. I didn't care as long as things moved forward. We went to the market and agreed on a lease.

Business conditions in Thailand

According to the international Doing Business rating, in terms of ease of starting a business, Thailand is in 26th place in the world, and Russia is in 62nd place. It happened this way because the government does not pay pensions on which one can survive (a pension of 500 baht per month, normal only for military and civilian public sector employees), and encourages self-employment. Small businesses in Thailand are almost never touched. Anyone can sell anything from a bike or cart - no documents are required, unless you rent an office - no individual entrepreneur, nothing. They only chase you for trading on the beach. They are severely fined for hiring foreigners without a work permit, more on that later.

The lease agreement is concluded directly in the name of an individual (with Thai citizenship, of course, not in my name). There were too many drink stalls; we were allowed to sell food. The wife chose sausages that her friend sold in Bangkok. To open a point in the Pattaya market we needed:

• pay for the first 3 days - 660 baht. Per month with electricity and water - 8,000 baht for one tent per 3 square meters;
• deposit - 6000 baht. It is not refundable if you do not work for a month from the date of notification of closure;
• awning - 2500 baht - more to unify the appearance of the market, and not from the rain - they are not allowed to work without it;
• buy a counter. We ordered a new one for 5000 baht. Used ones can be found cheaper in good condition;
• buy a bike, you can’t live without it. We found the cheapest motorbike in Pattaya. With taxes and fees it came out to 13 thousand baht;
• modify the bike for . 6000 baht. More on this in a moment;
• buy an electric grill for 500 baht.

The total cost of starting a business is $1,000. It took all of 2 or three days, the longest was purchasing and modifying the bike. Then we went to Chonburi for sausages. Nominally Chonburi is the provincial capital, but Pattaya is actually larger. The sausage seller is a distributor, he transports sausages by the ton from Bangkok and delivers throughout the province. A kilogram cost him 95 baht, in Bangkok - 80 (yes, far from elite Bavarian sausages, I’ll explain why such a product now). It would seem that you can make money on such a ridiculous markup? However, he earned enough for two units in a townhouse, 2 pickup trucks for work and an SUV for the family. The Thais are very dedicated to their work and work seven days a week, putting themselves under harsh conditions. This man was one of those (he opened at 5 am), and the sight of the property he acquired inspired me.

Opening a market outlet in Pattaya

Seeing that my wife understood everything, I gave her freedom of action and only helped, mainly carrying weights. In the early days, she set the price at 10 baht per piece and sold sausages for 1,500 baht. The sausages quickly ran out (one batch - 20 kilograms). I didn’t understand what we had earned, and convinced her to raise the price first to 15, then to 20 baht. Later I weighed one piece and realized that we had a loss of 10. They began to buy fewer sausages, but revenue increased. I didn't understand how people eat empty sausages and decided to add buns to make hot dogs and Bavarian burgers, like at Stardogs. The Moscow model did not work in Thailand, they managed to sell only 3-4 pieces in 3 days, the bread was thrown away.

We earned 200-500 baht per day. The apartment was rented out, but it didn’t suit me, the rate had already exceeded 40, I couldn’t live on that kind of money. It was necessary to expand. Our neighbors were selling fried insects, soups and spaghetti (wild, right?) and decided to move out. They had 2,000 baht in revenue per day, and we decided to buy out their outlet. In total, they asked for 6,000 baht for the equipment, with the condition that their daughter would stay with us for 300 baht a day. They explained to us how and how to prepare them. It was December 2014, high season had begun.

More space allowed for more product to be displayed. The very need to prepare soup in order to maintain the level of revenue reminded us that my wife is a cook, and we added lunchboxes with steaks to the assortment: chicken, pork, fish.

How we opened our cafe

In less than a month of trading, I did not see any accumulation of money and began to analyze. It turned out that the wife makes money at her point, and from the second, where the girl sits and sells bugs, we receive a loss (rent and salary exceeded the marginal profit). The girl had to be fired on New Year's Day. Apparently, karma returns, and they gave me the same gift. The tenant moved out without paying for the second month and breaking the plumbing. At the very beginning he asked for a deposit in installments, instead of a deposit he fed me promises, but I didn’t know. In the end, when I left, I got nothing. And then - a sluggish January, renovations and it was clear that there would be no money. There were 20 thousand rubles left on the card, which melted away every week with the rise in the dollar exchange rate.

I decided to go all in. We closed the beetle spot, took a third tent and set up tables (we bought it second-hand with the last of our money), making it a street cafe. The assortment now includes about 25 dishes. In addition to us, there were 2 such points on the market, both of them were much larger, with serious sales.

The income was excellent - 4-6 thousand baht per day. Orders - from 40 to 60. About 30% of orders are to go, the rest sat down. In general, the business was a success, every day we took home 1-2.5 thousand “clean” and even took our first day off in 3 months. But every day the dollar to ruble exchange rate grew. People automatically kept saying: “Oh, how cheap, 60 rubles for Tom Yum!” But in fact, 60 baht was already equal to 120 rubles. In general, these tourists were already on vacation, they didn’t care. What about the next ones?

How the decline in the flow of Russian tourists affected Thailand

The business developed successfully for exactly one month. Then people calculated how much their vacation cost them and stopped coming to Tai. We lasted through February and early March 2015 due to the quality of the cuisine. Then we had to give up tables - it became unprofitable to pay almost $30 a day for rent, water and electricity.

The variety of dishes depended on the volume of purchases. More is cheaper, I think it’s clear. Over the entire period, we sold about 2 thousand servings of soup, and we only had 4 customers who didn’t like my wife’s Tom Yum. Two of them were accustomed to a different taste, which they had tried somewhere, two of them did not like the fact that the shrimp were unpeeled. Well, excuse me, I just don’t allow her to peel shrimp for a miserable 60 baht - she already has constant cuts and burns, she didn’t have enough to prick her hands. The vast majority of customers said “Thank you, it’s very tasty,” dozens asked for the recipe and said that this was the best Tom Yam they had ever tried, including restaurant ones for 300 baht. Some people ate with us every day throughout their vacation. But we even had to give up soup - the ingredients cannot be stored, we need to sell at least 5-7 servings a day, and now even this is impossible.

The immigration police noticed that I was helping, and that I had a study visa. They told me through the market administration: pay 2,500 baht a month to us or we’ll get caught doing a test purchase, which means deportation and a fine of 50-100 thousand for my wife. We don’t have that kind of money, now I only do shopping and washing dishes.

Now we have one stall left - spaghetti Bolognese, fried potatoes, steaks and coconuts - that's the entire range that is still on sale. 300-700 baht remain “clean” per day, we work seven days a week. More precisely, one wife already works at the market itself. I rented out the apartment, but it’s already 300 dollars or 10,000 baht per month, prices have dropped significantly. We are trying to save up to rent a more accessible point or tickets to Moscow while we have to work.

One day of life in Thailand in photographs

The market starts at 4 pm. People used to come at one o'clock and wander around in search of food. Now sometimes nothing is sold until 6.

My day starts with a trip to the local market to buy coconuts. The cheapest market in Pattaya is located near the Colosseum cabaret. We used to buy a lot of different ingredients there, now we only buy coconuts.

They are brought every day from a farm near Bangkok. The business is much more stable than ours.

The second destination is the Macro hypermarket.

I usually buy fish, spaghetti, minced meat for Bolognese, chicken breasts, and potatoes.

But you can also buy a shark.

You can't make money on pork steaks; the meat is expensive. Chicken - 70 baht, and pork - 120. Beef is even more expensive. We count every penny to make a profit.

The minced meat is made fresh right in the meat department several times a day.

I return home, peel potatoes, wash dishes. We moved a long time ago from a very cheap condo with a pool for 9 thousand (with meters) to the private sector. This is literally the cheapest decent accommodation in our Pattaya area for 2015. We pay 4,500 baht per month, with meters it comes out to 6,500. All that is cheaper are barracks without windows, beds and air conditioning, sometimes with a shared toilet on the floor. It is in these that those who claim a “royal” standard of living in Thailand live at 20,000 rubles a month. When the ruble was more expensive, they still managed to eat with this money; I don’t know what they eat now and whether they are even alive.

A few words about the bike: Spark is the most disgusting jalopy I have ever ridden, including the “shahid taxi” - the “killed” six Zhiguli. The handling is terrible, you'll hurt all your legs on the kickstarter until it starts. There are no complaints only about the Yamaha engine. We used to have a brand new motorcycle from the showroom, but we had to sell it at some point.

But there is no cheaper commercial vehicle. Gasoline consumption - 100 baht per 150 km. We spent 900 baht on maintenance for 3 thousand km. Among the Thais, such carts are widespread and allow you to transport fairly large and voluminous loads; I have seen up to 9 people on such a unit.

I took the coconuts to the tent.

It's time to throw out the trash.

All waste from the market must be drained into this ditch.

The ditch leads straight to the beach. The sea in Pattaya is very dirty, the beaches are unkempt. Not a beach resort at all.

This is how difficult it is to do business in Thailand!