Making Money In Thailand

Godfree Roberts Ed.

Description

"His wide-ranging knowledge of the expat community is evident from the real-world examples make this book authentic. Written with the charming immediacy of someone who is passionate about the lifestyle he has chosen and wants to make the advantages of living as an active retiree in the land of smiles available to others". – Superb Guide to Retirement in Thailand – By Ian D. Griffin:

Brilliant: retirement in Thailand and making money to boot!!! – By Nick Ash. "This is a great book to show you how easy it is to make money in Thailand through many well thought out and well described ideas. it is a second great book to read after reading his "how to retire in Thailand"

WANT TO KNOW...
What to Do Before Coming to Thailand?
What it costs to live in Thailand?
How to get a work visa in Thailand?
Thailand's business pitfalls and opportunities?
What kinds of money-making opportunities are available?
How Thailand's business culture works. (Hint: not like ours).
How to export from Thailand?
What to export?
Fifteen Ways to Start a Thai Business?
What jobs are available in Thailand?
What to pack and what to leave behind?
Who you'll meet when you get here?
How to meet other entrepreneurs in Thailand?
Real Success Stories from Real People
How to interact with the bureaucracy?

Sujets

• Southeast
• Travel
• Asia

Informations

• Publié par: eBookIt.com
• Date de parution: 22 juin 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781456618155
• Langue: English

Extrait

MAKING MONEY IN THAILAND

How to Live and Work in Paradise

Third Edition  
January 2017




Godfree Roberts, Ed.D.
Copyright © 2016, 2017 Godfree Roberts
www.thailandretirementhelpers.com  

ISBN: 9781623149673
 
All rights reserved. Published 2017.

Printed in the United States of America

Publisher's address:
10336 Loch Lomond Rd.
Middletown, CA 95461
Chapter 1



Contents
Chapter One - Before You Leave Home
Chapter Two - Losing Money in Thailand
Chapter Three - Thai Culture
Chapter Four - Thai Business Culture
Chapter Five - The Internet in Thailand
Chapter Six - Don Battles on Thai Culture
Chapter Seven - Being Unusually Rich
Chapter Eight - The Language of Business
Chapter Nine - Advice for Entrepreneurs
Chapter Ten - Franchises
Chapter Eleven - Buying a Thai Business
Chapter Twelve - Starting A Thai Business
Chapter Thirteen - Staffing
Chapter Fourteen - Thai Lawyers
Chapter Fifteen - Banking
Chapter Sixteen - Incorporation
Chapter Seventeen - Real Estate
Chapter Eighteen - Taxes
Chapter Nineteen - Death
Chapter Twenty - Greg & Tena's Story
Chapter Twenty-One - Merchant of the Orient
Chapter Twenty-Two - My Thai Business Lessons
Chapter Twenty-Three - Teaching English
Chapter Twenty-Four - EBay in Paradise
Chapter Twenty-Five - Internet Businesses
Chapter Twenty-Six - Home-Based Businesses
Chapter Twenty-Seven - Exporting
Chapter Twenty-Eight - Real Jobs
Chapter Twenty-Nine - Job Hunting
Chapter Thirty - Cost of Living
Chapter Thirty-One - 40 Reasons to Work in Thailand
Links in This Book
Thank You Video
Contact Me
FOREWORD

My business is relocating people who plan to retire to Thailand so I wrote a book, How to Retire in Thailand and Double Your Income to help them decide if Thailand is a serious option. As business picked up, I learned that two thirds of my clients want to make extra money in Thailand – usually for travel – so I wrote this book to help them.

One the years I've met people who are making money here in ingenious ways and it turned out that they know other people who know more ways. So I took each of them to my favorite lunch spot and asked them about making money in Thailand. If they didn't want to tell me their secrets would they tell me about someone they knew?  

After considerable wheedling, they started talking about Thailand's business culture and legal environment and how Thais do business – which turns out to be completely different from what we're used to, so please read Section 1 at least once. It will save you grief. Then our discussions centered around several ways to lose money because they all knew plenty of expats who'd lost a bundle of money here.  

This is the third edition and its value has doubled each year – primarily because of questions and suggestions from readers like you. If you have a moment, email me your criticisms, tips, corrections, and suggestions: [e-mail] .

Good luck with your new life, and stay in touch!

Godfree Roberts
Chiang Mai, Thailand. January, 2017
Chapter One

Before You Leave Home


If you want the best of both worlds, live in Thailand on a Western income. If you've retired, you'll need at least a $1200/month pension – just enough to live in modest comfort in pretty country town like Chiang Rai. And, since you'll have time on your hands, why not take advantage of Thailand's abundant opportunities and its thriving economy? You're not swinging for the fences. All you're doing is making a modest addition to your existing income.

Before you leave home see if you can find a local partner or associate. You're going to need a friend to send you with stuff that you can't find here, so a local 'anchor' is invaluable if you find a business idea that requires someone back home to help make it work in Thailand. Having such a person would also be part of your defense against competition in Thailand.  

Reader Gordon Moss suggests: "For at least one of your bank accounts, get someone back home to be a co-signer. That way, if you have a crisis, your trusted-one back home can walk into the bank and do whatever it takes to get a card reissued, get a check cleared, or whatever!  

"Needless to say, you must choose someone who is trustworthy! And someone who is settled. I would also strongly suggest choosing someone who has enough of their own personal wealth that they will never be tempted to "borrow" a few dollars out of your account.

"In my case I chose my daughter. (For me, the perfect choice.) All she had to do was go with me one time to my bank branch to sign a form. Now my account statement shows both our names at the top as the account holders. If I have an emergency anywhere in the world, I call her and she fixes it!"  

Start by approaching your most reliable relatives and friends and discussing your ideas in general terms. Set them and yourself up on Skype, Google+, or FaceTime (all three is best, so you have redundancy) and test it thoroughly before leaving home. I use mine with US clients all the time. Finally, update everyone's phone numbers, emails, Skype and postal addresses of friends, relations and contacts.

Then ask yourself what companies in your area might benefit from either exporting to, or importing from, Thailand. Being an agent, intermediary or broker is pleasant work. Thailand's economy is growing at 5%, and its 65 million people are open to new ideas and products. Your home economy is also looking for novel ideas and products. Being an enabler is fun and many people have grown wealthy doing nothing but being middlemen or middlewomen.

Finally, review your life. What was your education? Your training? Career? Experience? Your most valuable contacts? Your keenest interests, hobbies, and passions? Draw up a list while you have the time. It will be very handy when you get here. Once you get here things will look very, very different. You'll be able to stop worrying about money and soon you'll notice opportunities everywhere.

Video: Here's a video of John and Linda, who planned their move to Thailand really well...



Questions? Suggestions? godfree@ thailandretirementhelpers.com  
Check the website: http://www.thailandretirementhelpers.com
Chapter Two

Losing Money in Thailand

Though this book is about helping you make money, lets's first look at the most common ways expats lose money when they come to Thailand – because expats commonly lose more money in Thailand than they make.
1. AFFINITY FRAUD. In 2011 I received a message on Facebook from a man I had met in the '80s, inviting me to be his guest in Thailand. My business had just collapsed, my home was in foreclosure and all I had was my monthly Social Security check, so Thailand seemed perfect. I remembered the man warmly: charming, funny and articulate, a great raconteur, he had married a Thai and settled down. A few weeks later I was on the plane to Chiang Mai. My charming friend involved me in his Thai business, even left me in charge while he flew home for a visit and, when he returned, offered me a share in the company at a very attractive price. Talk about a lucky break.
Then things started to come unglued. His staff asked me why they hadn't been paid, creditors started coming out of the woodwork, he failed to pay me for my time and, when I confronted him, flew into a rage and threatened to kill me. Talk about a bummer. Eventually he fled Thailand – pursued by creditors, the courts, and the Thai police – leaving behind him damaged lives and bank accounts. We subsequently discovered that he had been involved in a series of incidents including arrests for fraud and violence. It was deeply disturbing and everyone still feels the repercussions. But none of us wanted to advertise our gullibility so we kept our mistake to ourselves and the expat community was none the wiser.  
Then, earlier this year, our local community discovered that a man who had been president of our expats' club had used his knowledge of members personal affairs to sell them 'investments'. The man had apparently been selling insurance and unregistered securities to British newcomers arriving with their life's savings – usually his countrymen – and receiving big commissions for 'investing' them in bogus corporations. It took years to come to light and only after he skipped town did someone raise the alarm.
Both cases are 'affinity frauds', perpetrated by people with whom their victims have (or think they have) a relationship. Church groups are notoriously vulnerable to affinity frauds.  
Back home you knew your financial advisor, she was registered with appropriate government agencies, had passed various exams, and was a member of recognized professional bodies. Even if things had gone wrong you could have sought redress in court. Now you're in Chiang Mai, Thailand. You've made it through the GFC with your nest egg almost intact, the sun is warm, the beer is cold, the girls are friendly. What could possibly go wrong?  
There are scavengers waiting to win your confidence through their manners, dress, lifestyle, and (fictitious) records of success. If you're an Australian, you'll be approached by a personable Aussie who follows the Magpies – just like you. A Brit? You'll meet a blazer-wearing Englishman who's a volunteer in Royal British Legion. American? An 'ex-Marine' who's happily retired and has just invested in a local development which has one more spot left... You have no recourse in such situations. Your money is gone and there is no way to get it back. Read this article to see for yourself . Eventually they'll let you in on a sure-fire 'opportunity'. Check out investigator Andrew Drummond's website and watch his video so you're prepared.
1. AFFINITY FRAUD. In 2011 I received a message on Facebook from a man I had met in the '80s, inviting me to be his guest in Thailand. My business had just collapsed, my home was in fo