Your experience as an entrepreneur running a business in Thailand?

the whole "farang premium" thing is real, people will quote u double just for being a foreigner. i'd recommend finding a thai partner or at least a local consultant who can negotiate leases and supplier contracts for u. my biggest mistake was signing a 3 year lease on my own, ended up paying way more than my thai friends in the same building. also, the revenue department is surprisingly chill if u file on time, but late penalties stack up fast so set calendar reminders.

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biggest thing nobody told me was how much of your time goes into relationship building here. it's not like in the west where u can just send a cold email and get a meeting. i spent the first 3 months just having coffee and meals with people before anyone took me seriously. get used to saying yes to every lunch invite, even if it's inconvenient.

for the registration part, the BOI route is worth looking into if ur consulting falls under their promoted categories. it gives u way more flexibility with visas and land ownership. but the application process is like 6 months of paperwork and they're super specific about what counts as "eligible activities." i went standard route and regret not at least trying BOI first.

one thing i'd add about the farang premium - it also applies to your clients. some local companies will assume u charge 3x what a thai firm does, so u need to either justify that with clear value or be strategic about how u price. i lost a few early contracts because i quoted my normal rate without thinking about the perception.

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yeah the whole work permit thing is a beast but honestly the bank account stuff surprised me more. getting a corporate bank account opened took me like 3 months and multiple trips to the branch even with all the paperwork done. pick a bank that actually deals with foreigners regularly, kbank and scb seem easier than the smaller ones. also if you're doing consulting, make sure your contract wording is super specific about deliverables cause thai clients sometimes have a different idea of what "consulting" means vs what you actually do

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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