Doing business In Thailand an absolute nightmare

[BestB 12,707]

Keep reading how Thai exports are in decline, and business struggle and so on, here is some reality checks for you what it is to do business in Thailand , Thai style

 

Little background

 

A number of my buddies own successful import companies in Sydney, Some are biggest suppliers of seafood and cooking oils,others do other products

 

All have been long running, some over 40 years, family businesses.

 

I am based in Thailand, do my own business, but as i am getting older, decided it was time to expand into other things and perhaps make little more money for the old days, so had a chat with all the boys and became their agent in Thailand, buying agent or middle man, whatever you like to call it

 

So first try

 

Herbal Viagra, found the factory, try to call, no answer for 3 days, finally get through. Retail price in pharmacy 300 baht, i get quoted 280 for 10 000 boxes.

And no, they will not send to Australia and no they will not deliver and no they will not change the packaging and no they will not translate the ingredients.

As it turns out selling to local pharmacy few boxes is better business than selling 10 000 at a time 

 

Second try.

Seafood, prawns, imitation crab, lobster, fish etc, average 3-4 containers on monthly basis, roughly $350000-$500000 per month, USD

 

I have now spent months on trying to find a supplier, contacted at least 30 companies with no luck at all.

 

Emails not answered, phone calls advise they will send email, but never do, ones that have answered, were given the order, have disappeared.

 

This is now been going on months and months and no luck at all. They cry about decline in exports but totally disinterested in 12 000 000 baht monthly business.

 

Third try

Cooking oil, 20 lt tanks, 1000 tanks per month

 

Range of answers i am getting

-will not give price because many call and after they give price they never order

- do not export to australia, no problem i will collect and ship. ok can but will not attach labels in english

- we do only 18 lt square form tanks and will not change to 20 lt round tanks.

 

In perspective, its 500 000 baht worth of business every month and yet no one seems interested at all  

 

I do not know what more i can say, besides insane and totally illogical 

 

In my quests, i have come across a few people who were/are in similar kind of business and all have left Thailand, buying from Vietnam and Malaysia, not because cheaper but because this kind of attitude and treatment from Thai exporters

[DaRoadrunner 3,398]

In my time here I have done business with Indians, (after shaking hands, count to see if you still have all your fingers), Taiwanese and Japanese. When I have tried to do anything with the Thais it has been a monumental f'up. I never figured out what is wrong with these people?

 

I also watch the Chinese do business here and never figured out how they do it?

 

This country can destroy you, mentally, physically and financially.

[BestB 12,707]

1 minute ago, DaRoadrunner said:

In my time here I have done business with Indians, (after shaking hands, count to see if you still have all your fingers), Taiwanese and Japanese. When I have tried to do anything with the Thais it has been a monumental f'up. I never figured out what is wrong with these people?

 

I also watch the Chinese do business here and never figured out how they do it?

 

This country can destroy you, mentally, physically and financially.

Well look at my try number 3, company will not give me a price for half a million baht deal on monthly basis, BECAUSE before had many contact and ask for price but never placed an order, so new policy is not to give price. 

 

How exactly they plan to sell without telling the price? and did they consider that may be the reason why no one placed an order was because their prices were too high? or perhaps crappy attitude?

 

Or the number 1. wholesale price is only 20 baht cheaper than the retail, so sending 10-20 boxes to local pharmacies is better business model than selling 10 000 boxes every month or so? 

 

Completely idiotic.

 

 

[worgeordie 44,945]

Trading with Chinese on the mainland,Taiwan and Hong Kong is the complete

opposite to what you report for Thai companies,nothing is a bother,quotes

done very quickly,changes to packing,no bother,maybe that's why they do so

well.

Seafood try Vietnam,and Malaysia will be cheaper than Thailand,for the oil.

and better currency rates in both countries for the $.

regards worgeordie

 

[Happy Grumpy 7,829]

25 minutes ago, DaRoadrunner said:

I never figured out what is wrong with these people?

 

I also watch the Chinese do business here and never figured out how they do it?

Simple.

 

The Thais respect the Chinese.

 

They couldn't give a somtam about you.

[The Man Who Sold the World 350]

understand your frustration. In my experience there is such an inherent distrust of foreigners that the Thais will only deal with other Thais. And, only then the status stuff enters so the family elders deal with other family elders. Yes, it makes absolutely no business sense whatsoever, yet, this is the way their country runs. 

 

Why you always need a "Thai" partner to get things done. When I had partnered with a Thai company, they, did all the interacting with other companies "Thai" agents. Never tried to understand it - just accepted it.

 

 

Whatever will be will be, but, yes, mindboggling.

 

Good luck.

[BestB 12,707]

1 minute ago, worgeordie said:

Trading with Chinese on the mainland,Taiwan and Hong Kong is the complete

opposite to what you report for Thai companies,nothing is a bother,quotes

done very quickly,changes to packing,no bother,maybe that's why they do so

well.

Seafood try Vietnam,and Malaysia will be cheaper than Thailand,for the oil.

and better currency rates in both countries for the $.

regards worgeordie

 

Problem is i do not live in any of those countries and know very little about any of them or doing business there.

 

It also means i would have to either relocate or make regular trips which i am not prepared to do at the moment.

 

May be Vietnam has changed, but 20 years ago i did some business with Vietnamese and it was more like if close one eye, they will cut off your arm.

 

With Chinese, no personal experience but hearing from others when you are not there to check and control, you are shown one product but you receive substandard 

 

So again, i would have to be there to make sure all orders are correct and at the moment its not an option

[Bassosa 799]

We tried to have a company quote us for 18 Daikin inverter AC units. Half a million baht+ order.

 

Guy told us he'd do it in the cool season when prices are lower. That's months away and we need them now!! Never got the quote....

 

 

[BestB 12,707]

1 minute ago, The Man Who Sold the World said:

understand your frustration. In my experience there is such an inherent distrust of foreigners that the Thais will only deal with other Thais. And, only then the status stuff enters so the family elders deal with other family elders. Yes, it makes absolutely no business sense whatsoever, yet, this is the way their country runs. 

 

Why you always need a "Thai" partner to get things done. When I had partnered with a Thai company, they, did all the interacting with other companies "Thai" agents. Never tried to understand it - just accepted it.

 

 

Whatever will be will be, but, yes, mindboggling.

 

Good luck.

Tried, same result. Got my Thai staff to do all the talking, some did not  know i existed , same result

[Happy Grumpy 7,829]

21 minutes ago, BestB said:

Or the number 1. wholesale price is only 20 baht cheaper than the retail, so sending 10-20 boxes to local pharmacies is better business model than selling 10 000 boxes every month or so? 

 

If they're selling 10-20 boxes, what makes you think they have a supply of 10,000?

 

Why would they discount, they'll be sold at their normal price over time, what was the predicted retail price for the product in Australia? 

 

 

Sounds like a troll or someone that hasn't a clue. 

[BestB 12,707]

2 minutes ago, Happy Grumpy said:

If they're selling 10-20 boxes, what makes you think they have a supply of 10,000?

 

Why would they discount, they'll be sold at their normal price over time, what was the predicted retail price for the product in Australia? 

 

 

Sounds like a troll or someone that hasn't a clue. 

I can see you are full of having clues, so let me break it down for you.

 

Its a factory, they manufacture it, so why they would have 10 000? because this is what they do, produce it.

 

As for the rest of your post, not worth my time as clearly absolutely clueless but lots of spare time to troll

[MaksimMislavsky 427]

Contacting them in Thai will probably make a difference.

[poohy 6,430]

I came from the Middle East to Thailand dealing with businesses  was infinitely easier there that was 20 years ago its not got any easier

I wanted about 5 miles of red colored red pipe same as blue water pipe for a trail  order for Sweden a few years ago

 

Would they think about  changing the colour .......  NO!!!!

[FritsSikkink 13,071]

31 minutes ago, BestB said:

Well look at my try number 3, company will not give me a price for half a million baht deal on monthly basis, BECAUSE before had many contact and ask for price but never placed an order, so new policy is not to give price. 

 

How exactly they plan to sell without telling the price? and did they consider that may be the reason why no one placed an order was because their prices were too high? or perhaps crappy attitude?

 

Or the number 1. wholesale price is only 20 baht cheaper than the retail, so sending 10-20 boxes to local pharmacies is better business model than selling 10 000 boxes every month or so? 

 

Completely idiotic.

 

 

Send me a PM, I can sort your seafood demands, but  change your attitude.

[CharlieH 29,903]

Bickering removed.