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How to Make Money Importing Goods From Thailand: 7 Golden Rules for Success

Thailand is a great country to source products, be it clothes, handicrafts, or food items.

With so many markets and goods way cheaper than back home, at some point in time the thought of  importing products from Thailand to your home country crosses the mind of every expat and holiday maker.

Whether shipping containers of fisherman's pants to sell to stores (wholesale) back home, or selling Thai exports like t-shirts, silver jewelry or gems on eBay, it is a tempting idea considering the low wholesale prices.

But wait. Before you rush in and lose your life savings, there are a number of things you should consider.

Always remember the golden rule: if it was that easy everyone would be getting rich doing it. As with all feats of success in life, careful planning and due diligence are essential.

import goods from thailand

The 5 Golden Rules of Importing/Exporting from Thailand

Rule 1. Assess the Market: Create a Spreadsheet

The first problem people encounter when choosing a product is choice. In short: what should I sell?

It is easy to become overwhelmed by the amount of products to choose from, and a quick visit to Chatuchak market in Bangkok, or the Walking Street markets of Chiang Mai, will have your head spinning with potential ideas.

Settling on one sure idea that will strike gold is difficult. And this where you need to use your smarts, otherwise you'll end up thinking a lot and not doing very much. This is called ‘analysis/action paralysis'.

The golden rule is not to dive in. Give yourself time to truly assess the market, the options and the potential profit margins.

Draw up an excel sheet and make a shortlist of your ideas with comments in one column by each one. Make columns for other considerations such as breakage potential, shipping viability, existing supply and demand, and longevity (shelf-life).

The reason I suggest drawing up a spreadsheet is because it is much easier to assess the viability of an idea when it is written down on paper and compared with other ideas.

Once you have five or ten product ideas and columns listing the key considerations you will quickly be able to eliminate ideas initially we thought were great but clearly fall down in terms of profit margin or shipping problems.

This might sound like a very obvious thing to do but  most people just don't. Instead, they get fixated on one product and go headfirst into ordering and shipping it back home without considering the potential pitfalls of that product.

Rule 2. Research Customs & Excise Back Home

Again, this is one of those seemingly obvious points, but then why do so many people do this research at the last minute once they have already placed their order?

It may well be the case that the product you intend to import to your home country is restricted, or at least restricted in some way.

It may have an extra tariff on it that drives up the price to the point where your business venture won't be profitable.

Something else that happens to so many people who start up importing is they forget to factor in the customs duty that will be paid when they receive the item in their home country.

Importing from Thailand generally isn't a problem. In fact, most manufacturers will take care of the shipping arrangements for you. Factories and export companies usually have shipping partners that they deal with on a regular basis.

What you need to make sure is that you understand what is required by you from the regulations in your home country.

Rule 3. Think Outside the “eBay Box”

Since a kid I've always been a wheeler and dealer. I've always loved selling things. It's not all about big profits either – just the thrill of making a buck.

Inevitably, when eBay became a big thing back in the early 2000s I became a part-time eBay seller, which always made for a nice little sideline income.

And when I moved to Thailand, naturally my brain's cogs started turning over what potentially could be sold across seas.

Initially I tried a few things like crafts and clothes, but never with much luck. Admittedly though I never really pursued anything to the point where I could rule it out as an absolute no-go.

But I'd been used to selling things back in the UK which were in demand and of high value, and therefore sold quite easily. The things I tried to sell from Thailand were with low margins and  not in huge demand.

One huge barrier was posting from Thailand: the moment people see it coming from a foreign address they worry about quality and scams, especially coming from SE Asia.

Also, with clothes (women's) and jewelry, there are so many Chinese sellers selling for seemingly no profit at all it makes it impossible to compete.

That being said, I have met a few people making good money on eBay from Thailand. One guy ships suits back home, another buys and sells jackets, another prints t-shirts (making loads), and another sells meditation products.

Also note that since my experiments the Amazon marketplace has opened up too, not to mention Etsy. There are other platforms now.

my opinion is that you may also benefit from selling directly through your own website. Finding a product and building a brand around it gives it a personal touch and the perception that it is high quality than other similar products found on marketplaces.

In a nutshell:  I'm not saying that you cannot be successful on eBay, but don't let this limit your potential. Think beyond eBay and how you might build a sustainable business,  which leads me onto my next point.

Rule 4. Consider Wholesale Your Long-Term Goal

I once dated a woman whose father was in the imports business. He used to import parts for machinery and machines, cars, etc.

The genius thing about what he was doing  was that the majority of orders were for 1,000 or more parts at a time. So let's just say someone was building a 20,000 of a particular tool and they needed a particular part like a nut of screw.

He might only make 25p per part, but the quantity he ordered meant he was absolutely raking it in.  He told me that he would occasionally make £20,000 per order.

If he only fulfilled one order per month, that is still £240,000 turnover a year. He had a small office and only employed one person, and that was his son.

It will always be more profitable to fulfill wholesale orders to companies who then sell on to their customers there for you to sell individual items on a marketplace such as eBay or Amazon.

If you are looking to make a little bit of money in addition to your main income, or perhaps you're looking for something for your  partner to start up as a business to be run from home, then selling items one by one online might not be a bad choice. You can also sell in local marketplaces or pop-up shops.

But if you want to make real money in the long term then wholesale has to be at the forefront of your mind. You want to be shipping in a container of product and delivering it directly to client who pays you immediately for the lot.

Opportunities like that of my ex-girlfriend's father  in the example above are out there. Identifying them is not easy, and the pathway to finding them is never going to be a smooth one.

It takes trial and error, but like anything in life those who stick at something and stay committed and work on it every day until they get it right are the ones who succeed.

Rule 5. Go Direct to the Wholesaler/Factory in Thailand

It is tempting to buy goods from marketplaces. You can get some very good deals for bulk items at popular Thai markets such as Pratunam, Chatujak, etc.

But it goes without saying that the traders at these markets are not selling it to you for the price they are getting for, unless they have discounted something to be a lost leader.

Of course, the market trader will be more than happy to sell you a bulk amount of goods because they will want to offload the stock and be able to purchase new stock. The bane of every market trader is cash flow: when you're holding a lot of stock you haven't got cash to buy new stock.

In this regard they aren't likely to give up their source supplier.

If you use your smarts and remain friendly and chatty, and politely offer to give them a tip for giving you the name of their factory supplier, it shouldn't be too difficult to leave the marketplace with a name.

Of course you can go online and Google around for manufacturers of products you are looking for, but references are always good and quite often you won't find a lot of the companies because their websites are in Thai.

Endeavor to get as close to the source as possible. You will save yourself a lot of money.

You will also benefit from the fact that a factory or an export company will be able to advise on shipping options and of course package everything up properly and make sure it gets to you on time and in one piece.

Rule 6. Do Your Due Diligence on Thai Companies

Due diligence is the investigation or exercise of care that a reasonable business or person is expected to take before entering into an agreement or contract with another party.

This is not just about doing business in Thailand but goes for anywhere in the world, including your home country.

I have heard from a few people over the years who have lost money doing business in Thailand. It is not uncommon, and indeed not uncommon all over the world.

But don't let that put you off doing importing good from Thailand. Simply make sure you do your due diligence.

As with Golden Rule 1 where I recommend that you make a spreadsheet of your product ideas and their considerations to help you eliminate the bad ones and find the best one, now you should make a list of all the things that you need to find out about company before you start doing business.

Here's how you can make a start:

  1. Check out the website: Does the website use the HTTPs security protocol in the URL bar. This is always a sign that a business keeps its website up to date and is  concerned for the security of its clients and those visiting its website in general. You will notice that TheThailandLife does use the HTTPS protocol. Admittedly, some companies who don't update the website or don't need to pay much attention to their website because they don't do a lot of business through it may not have implemented this, but is usually the first thing I look for.
  2. Vet the contact details: Go to the contact details section of the website and see if they have given their full address and phone number. In this day and age we tend to make enquiries by email  and even complete entire transactions over email. But this makes it much easier for fraudulent businesses to communicate. So instead give them a ring. Register your interest and ask if they can send details of their company and their price list. Do a Google Maps search on their address and make sure that the address exists. And if you are in Thailand, pay the address a visit and make sure it is a functional place of business.
  3. Research their clients: Have a look over the website and see if they have a list of clients that they do business with. You may recognise some of them from Thailand, or indeed from overseas. This will be a good indication of their reputation. You may even choose to call one of these companies or email them and ask whether they been happy with the service they have received.
  4. Request the registered company number: Every company in Thailand has one. You can request copy of their company certificate by email too. In fact, providing a copy of your company certificate is a general requirement in Thailand when doing business with other businesses and indeed when dealing with banks and lawyers, etc.
  5. Check the government business database: You can research information on a company in Thailand by using the government database. Start here.

Don't be shy about asking for more information and thoroughly vetting a company. Any good business, Thai culture aside, will understand your concerns and want to put your mind at ease.

Rule 7. Test Purchase Before Committing Big Money

Do not make the mistake of placing a big order without testing the funnel first. Make sure the chain of supply works by placing a small order for an amount of money you can afford to lose.

This will also be your final due diligence to see if the supplier can deliver on their promise.

If it all goes smoothly, you're onto a winning supply chain.

How to Find a Reliable Supplier in Thailand

Finding suppliers of goods in Thailand is so much more difficult than it should be. The one thing Thailand still lacks is a good website with a database to browse.

And so I decided to do it myself.

=> You can now download the 2019 TTL Thai Exporters Directory by clicking here.

Another starting point I highly recommend is Tomas Belcik's Import Guide, which is a comprehensive book that  gives you step-by-step instructions of the entire process of the import/export business: where to source, how to negotiate, how to ship, how to assess the competition and much more.

For the record Tomas Belcik is an importer, wholesaler and retailer of products from South and Southeast Asia, China, Africa, Latin America and Europe for some 35 years.  His experience is really valuable. I got a hell of a lot from his book and I'm sure you will too.

=> Download Tomas Belcik's Guide Book here

Golden Rules Recap Summary:

So let's just run through these Golden Rules quickly again:

    1. Don't go in all guns blazing. Be methodical and organised. Assess the market and create a ‘Product Ideas' spreadsheet to start your search.
    2. Research the customs and excise rules in your home country.
    3. Think ‘outside the eBay box' and consider other marketplaces and places to sell. Also consider building a brand.
    4. Consider your long-term strategy. If you're aiming to make a full-time living this is most likely going to be through a wholesale business.
    5. Go direct to the factory/wholesaler in Thailand and bypass markets. Get the best price possible.
    6. Do your due diligence on Thai companies before committing time and money.
    7. Make a small test purchase before committing to a big money order.
    8. Download my Thai exporters directory
    9. Buy Tomas Belcik's book – it's a blueprint for success.

It is definitely possible to sustain a good living exporting goods from Thailand. There are thousands of people doing it successfully. But the reality is that most won't tell you what they're exporting, who they buy from and where they sell to.

The fact is, like any business, you have to put in the planning and research and initial hard work to ensure long-term profitability.

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Please Note: If you are an exporter, do not leave your contact details in the comments section, they will be deleted. Instead, click here to find out what details you need to submit to make it into my directory.

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Comments Sort by : newest | oldest

  1. Chanont Temsongsai says

    Thank you for writing, I do have my own products As I am Thai, I also would like to have some Long-term relationship/ sincere partners in oversea,
    to import and sell my products regularly. Thailand we have a good quality products like food items, Dried fruits, cloths, handmade, and now herbal or natural ingredient cosmetic our government try to promote this kind products it will be good opportunity for you.
    To ship you can should Airmail, Air cargo, by vessel. But first you should know or consult your shipping agent what the regulation for importing from Thailand what paper they need you, Some products if your government still have FTA with Thailand government some manufacturer they can apply C/O from DITP duty might free( many years ago Europe and USA are free now not sure )lf you can do correct way you will very enjoy profit to do business with Thaipeople

    Reply

  6. Maria Cecile Lea Dela Cruz says

    Hi. I have a friend who lives in Thailand and she’s planning to supply me dresses from there. May I ask if there are any fees for importing dresses from there. I am from the Philippines.

    Reply

  7. Rose says

    Hi,

    I’m wondering if there are any laws around exporting local hand made items for re-sale in an small online business back home (such as United Kingdom). I don’t want to start doing this and be fined if I don’t have correct licences for example.

    Thank you in advance!

    Reply

  8. Olav Harjo says

    Great thanks for your advice!
    We are small family company in Estonia.
    We want to start the export of Thai food products from Thailand to Estonia.
    Should we look directly at food producers or better to use buying agents?
    From which Thai region would be most reasonable to buy food?
    Thanks in advance!

    Reply

    • sirilak says

      Hi.
      Normally, suppliers accept to get payment by bank transfer or L/C. Anyhow, up to amount of payment and agreement between buyer and seller.
      About cargo shipping, if the goods are small and light weight shall use courier (Such as FedEx, DHL, etc.). If the goods are big and heavy weight shall use air cargo. If you aren’t familiar for shipping, you can request seller manage all for you.

      Need any help, pls let me know.

      Reply

  12. Tariq Ahmed says

    i want a Old News Paper in Bangkok i am From Karachi Pakistan if anyone know who one have so kindly inform me on Email [email address removed due to site privacy policy]
    i am waiting for Response

    Reply

  13. Aekasak Amornmaturapot says

    Thank for this info very helpful for my starter idea to build my small business. I’m Thai and looking idea for export Thai products.

    Feel free to be my friend in facebook.
    Find my id “AeKaSaMo”.

    Thank

    Reply

  14. Jigar Desai says

    Hi, I am Jay I am British Indian currently live in Canada. I just want to thanks for helpful information & guide. I am in to import export trading & currently trading agri & construction product. I visit Thailand frequently for Trading & made important contact in Import Export trade. Currently I am in process to Import A4 size paper. While I was in Thailand I got in contact with leaders in beauty & gwels product as well.

    is there any way all blogger can contact each other as I feel we all can help each other with our contacts & perhaps do trade with each other.

    Jay

    Reply

    • Mpumi says

      Hi Jay, My name is Mpumi from South Africa, and some of the products that I supply is Office Stationery including A4 size paper. I m trying to penetrate into Thailand to import such product, but I am not sure how to go about. I would appreciate if we could communicate and help each other and perhaps do trade with each other.

      Reply

  15. Chris says

    Hello, what kind of taxes and tariffs are placed on goods ordered from Thailand to Canada, is there any legal way to get exempt for these costs, I ask because I’m hoping to import jewelry to be personalized refinished, and sold to Canadain markets?

    Thank you

    Reply

  20. nigel breeze says

    hello, ive recently bought some goods from Thailand and have had a bill for almost the same amount as the goods ive bought. wow …. how can this be? i have looked at applicable taxes and it seems that the company holding my goods can basicallly ask what they want for delivering to me. How do i deal with this now and in the future . thanks, nigel

    Reply

  23. Babloo Kumar says

    Hello,

    I am Babloo Kumar from India. I want to start a small business with importing goods from Bangkok. Could you suggest me what type of business I start. Last year I went to Bangkok & I visited Pratunam, China Town & Chatuchowk Market. But I feel that every things are similar price in Bangkok comparison to India. I would like to ask could you suggest me a best wholesale shop where I can buy the goods on cheaper, better & profitable.

    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Yes, and this is the challenge. Most goods sold in Thailand are found in many countries at the same price or cheaper. You need to go direct to the suppliers or the factories. My supplier list is linked in the post. You can download it and contact the companies there.

      Reply

    • Khadija Chhatriwala says

      yes.. I too visited Prathunam last year and realized that the goods here in India are just about the same rates. You can thus consider finding a factory wholesaler out there who can give you in bulk and in cheaper rates. Only then you can benefit from it. Buying from market is always expensive than buying from a factory outlet.

      Reply

  26. Krisha says

    Hello,
    Hope you all doing great.
    I am from Nepal and want to start a small business for kids, with kids clothing, assessories and toys. It would be a great help if anyone can guide me through importing goods from thailand to nepal.
    Thank you

    Reply

  27. Bob says

    How do you take care of shipping? I run a small business here and all the express options are so expensive. I wish there was something in between, it’s either super quick and super expensive, or super cheap and super slow.

    Reply

  29. Lou says

    Hi Peter

    Very interesting site and full of useful info, I like your writing style,

    I have been retired here in Bangkok over 4 years now with my Thai lady, originally from England also Australian Citizen lived and worked there back in the nineties and it`s crossed my mind about buying and selling stuff from here.

    I was a Salesman back home so I know a bit about it, here is probably a lot different.

    You are dead right about getting a Good supplier and English speaking with a properly registered business, who delivers on time!

    Having a reliable supplier who can sell to you in bulk at low prices and save you up to 70% of the market price.

    I have read the Thomas Belcik`s guide, full of good tips.

    Now you say you are not involved with exporting but you know plenty who are.

    I have been through your site and checked a question!

    What I wanted to ask you was did you or do these exporters have a company or are they just sole traders buying and selling, the reason I ask is that I heard somewhere that you have to employ Thai`s and have an office, if that`s the case it makes it more complicated.

    Thinking about it I suppose you could test it first and buy a few things to see the outcome.

    Appreciate your expertise on it.

    Regards

    Lou

    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Lou, thanks for your kind words. Yes, those I’ve met/known have been sole traders without a Thai company. I assume they are paying tax in their home country as a sole trader, or have a registered business there. Technically they would need a business visa to cover the event of sourcing products and exporting in Thailand, or even a Thai company if they are based in Thailand. But most don’t. As I’m sure you’re aware many people are doing small businesses from home in Thailand and doing most communication online.

      Reply

  30. sonia ventura says

    hi, i am planning to start a boutique business and import products from thailand..since I found that there are a lot of cheap products there..can anyone give me an advise on where to find a list of good and reliable suppliers and cargo companies

    Reply

  33. Omair Hassan says

    Hello Sir,
    i am new in this business import from Thailand. it is very difficult to find a correct and good supplier or dealer to provide me products what i want. please let me know in my email. how can find a dealer or supplier and how can make a deal with them.
    Thank you.

    Reply

  35. Patricia su says

    Dear TTL, a very good day to you. I would like to do some imports for fast moving products & setting up the manufacturing plants in food or consumer products in Myanmar. Can you please give advice and introducing with your good friends for speedy expedition.
    Thank you & best regards,
    Patricia su

    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Patricia, the list is up now. Please check the post for the link. I’ll be updating it every couple of weeks, as surprise, surprise, now that it’s up, lots of suppliers I had contacted previously are pleading to be on it now and acting all efficient 🙂

      Reply

  36. Les says

    Hi,

    Wondering if you/anyone can help ?

    I have found a reliable supplier of niche products for a specific market in UK,
    trying to learn/understand best/cheapest/quickest import transport/postage service(s) ? Thailand- London

    Anyone help ?

    Thanks appreciated

    Les

    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Les, check out the directory I just put up. There’s a freight section with a couple of reputable companies you can contact regarding shipping. If you have specific questions on postal services, let me know.

      Reply

  37. TheThailandLife says

    Hey all, the directory (list) is now available. Apologies for the long delay. So many of the companies that had previously contacted me to be on my original list turned out to be unreliable, in that I contacted them numerous times and heard nothing back. This means the directory is quite small at the moment, but it also means that hopefully all those on the list are reliable!

    Reply

  38. J Munce says

    Hi, I’m trying to understand your article and all you’re trying to explain?

    One thing I don’t get a clear picture of from reading: Who are these “Chinese sellers who undercut”? Is China where Thai products come from initially? How do you find the places where the products are made in Thailand?

    Also, how can you find the producers / factories / handcrafts teams, who create products?

    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      That reference is to eBay. It’s very difficult to make money in this marketplace because of the low prices charged by Chinese sellers who seemingly make pennies per sale. Some products in Thailand are made in China, others are part made there and finished here, and others are made here from scratch. It really depends on what product/industry you are referring to. To find the factories you need to do independent research, and usually have a contact to put you in touch directly.

      Reply

  39. Jiyoon Kang says

    It is very helpful to understand. I am Amy from South Korea and would like to just start running my own business; importing from Thailand, opening the online shopping mall and many different way. But I guess there are some worries that Thai people use online shopping mall not much. On the other hand, I am deeply thinking about what kind of goods is going to be attractive in Korean market. Thank you a lot.

    Reply

  40. Dirk says

    Good Afternoon all,

    this is an interesting blog.

    Through my wifes relatives in Thailand I have access to reliable suppliers and workforce.

    They are in the business of reconditioning used trucks and reselling them in Thailand. The economy/business isn’t great for them at the moment. I was thinking it would be good to utilize their mechanical and refurbishing expertise and provide them with a consistent income by importing to my country Australia.

    Like many posters on here I lack one of the most important ingredients of the plan. Import what? I’m sure they could adapt their expertise to other products but I’ll need to research the options.

    Reply

  41. TheThailandLife says

    Hey guys, here’s a quick update:

    I have temporarily taken the supplier list down. I am in the process of contacting all the suppliers again and asking for more information and up to date details. The reason for this is that a few people contacted me saying that they sent emails to companies and didn’t hear back.

    I have also established my own reputable export contacts in a few product areas, so if you would like a personal introduction please contact me by email.

    Thanks

    Reply

  42. Karen says

    hi. I’m planning to set up a clothes boutique here in Rome, my bestfriend from Manila who went to Bangkok last july told me about a variety of clothing products in Chatuchak Market and Chang Mai street. she knows about my plan of setting up the business, so she said I should give it a try with Thai clothing. well, ive got nothing concrete yet about the boutique but I’m doing lots of research.
    I’m not sure yet about european laws regarding non eu imported
    products.
    but I do want to know more about clothes, how much will it cost me including shipping and taxes
    it will be of great help.
    Thanks.

    Reply

  44. Anand Dang says

    Hi, Please can you help me for providing me some info about best products.
    We are looking for garments in wholesale the best product and price from Thailand to import, looking quality and latest trend in western dresses.

    Reply

  46. Niracha says

    Dear Sir/Madam,

    My name is Niracha and I’m from the Northeast of Thailand (Korat). I’m interested in exporting Thai products such as Thai food, beautiful local crafts to overseas countries. So if you’re interested in importing some unique products from Thailand then may be we can do business together or be a business partner. I will be happy to share and help with other information about my country.

    And thank you to Khun “TheThailandLife” for opening this opportunity to everyone.

    Reply

  47. saurabh says

    saurabh:
    Greetings
    I am an entrepreneur from India, I started by current business 4 years back after quitting my job in a Large MNC…I am looking to diversify since about last 6 months and have been researching.
    I have Narrowed down on clothing/garments/accessories/cosmetices etc from Thailand. My Plan was encouraged during my last visit to Thailand. I am travelling again to bangkok between 14-24th Aug 2015. Now, I Want to get into the details and nitty gritty of implementing the idea. Can i get further guidance about implemention on ground level , It will be much appreciated.
    Regards

    Reply

  51. Niraj says

    Hi TTL, and everyone in the forum. I am from Nepal and planning to visit BKK for market analysis on high to mid-range quality woman’s and children’s clothing, bags and shoes. Since there is a tough competition due to Chinese goods it’s hard to make profit by doing business with retailers in BKK. It will be a great help if anybody can help me with the suppliers or the manufacturers that I can contact during my visit to BKK. If there is any suggestion on importing any potential Thai goods to Nepal please do share.

    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Niraj, please see the Thai exports list linked at the end of this post and use those contacts to find a suitable supplier. I have taken your email address off of your comment as re the guidelines for this post. Thanks.

      Reply

  52. Mickey says

    Hi TTL. I contacted a few people from the list of manufacturers and suppliers provided by you but none of them has responded. I know you don’t deal with them personally but just wanted to know if there are any suppliers & manufacturers that you know personally? I am from India and recently visited Bangkok for holidays and was impressed to see some quality clothes available at a decent price. I am planning to set up an on-line store of clothes imported from Bangkok. Any help from you here will be appreciated.
    Thanks
    Mickey

    Reply

  53. TheThailandLife says

    Hi guys, just want to let everyone know that I have moved all the exporter/product manufacturer contact details left in these comments to a post of its own.

    This section is becoming cluttered with contact emails and numbers and I think having a list will be useful for those seeking contacts. I have linked to the list at the end of the post.

    If you are an exporter/product manufacturer and want to be added to this list, drop me an email with your details.

    If you are seeking to buy/export from Thailand, please don’t leave your contact details here. Instead, see the new exporter/product manufacturer list and contact suppliers directly.

    So, to clarify, the comments section here can be used as a discussion area for those interested in sharing ideas and advice on imports/exports, but those selling, or wishing to buy, should not leave contact details in this section, and should instead read the list as stipulated above.

    Thanks, TTL.

    Reply

  55. Suzana says

    Hey TTL, thanks for the recommendation on the import guide. I’m glad I got this that before diving straight in or no doubt I’d have lost money like the majority of people do. I’ve been listening to the audio and learned loads from Tomas already. He definitely has a world of experience to share (pardon the pun). Great blog BTW :).

    Reply

  61. Dale says

    Hi “TheThailandlife”

    I am interested in moving to Thailand fairly soon, was after some advice. I currently own a house in Bangkok as well as an apartment. Do you live in Bangkok? I have some ideas for doing business want to get your feedback. Cheers mate.

    Reply

        • Brad says

          Dear TheThailandLife, Dale, and Chapagain,

          My name is Brad. I’m originally from Bangkok, Thailand, but currently owning a small company in Chicago, Illinois. I have a plan to go back to Bangkok in about a year from now and thinking about doing trading business between countries.

          If you are looking for information on Thailand side (regulations, benefits, suppliers, etc.) or a partner that is fluent in both Thai and English or if you ever think I could be of help, please feel free to contact me using the details on the exporters list which can be accessed through the link at the end of this post.

          I look forward to doing business with you. 🙂

          Brad

          Reply

  62. Charlie says

    Hi,
    I have been doing ebay business for a year now but what I realised is that achieving customer satisfaction by selling Chinese products are extremely hard. Now I am looking into Thailand market. However, I am pretty confused where to source my products from in Thailand because they do not have very strong B2B websites for suggestions.

    Can anyone help?

    Reply

    • Nattawat says

      Sure, you can email me. I believed there’s a lot of detail to be further talk 🙂

      For doing business by importing products from China are like Gold mine in the past 5 years. However now it is very common and the markets are shared among people around the world from alibaba.com, I’m glad you have noticed it. I didn’t say it can’t be successful at this moment but it just more competitors coming in.

      however for Thailand market, from insiders view, there’s still opportunities and gov’t just supporting for the online business. So theres still a gap that you can importing from Thailand which i can help you with that.

      Reply

  63. Nattawat says

    Hey Guys,

    I’m Nattawat and i’m currently working in Thailand and used to study in USA.

    If any of you would interesting in doing business on importing Thai products to your hometown.
    I would say i could help you with contacting the suppliers, wholesalers or give you some suggesting products that might be able to sell in your countries.

    If you are interesting i’ll left my number down

    I can use English well since i graduated from USA. So no worries about language barriers 🙂

    Thanks for the nice articles

    Hope to be helpful for some of you

    Nattawat Chantanapokul

    Reply

  64. Ray says

    Shay:
    Agreed, great site.

    I have found a product that i think will do well in my home country(ireland).
    I am working here already with a teachers work permit.
    I was wondering what do i need to do to set this up legally???
    Set up company here or in Ireland???

    hi Shay I am in Ireland and I think a have found a product that will sell well in Ireland. I now am looking at import tariffs VAT and import duties to see if there’s any profit left maybe we can share cost of transport and shipping.

    Reply

    • Haze says

      Hi Shay and Ray,
      Hi! Im a mother and wanted to do start a small business. Can you please give me an idea on how much that it costs you to import products from thailand to Ireland? I am from Italy and i am still in the process of research/ getting some ideas.
      Thank you so much.
      By the way, thank you “thethailandlife” for this site. You’re such a great help! God bless you more.

      Reply

  65. Nelii says

    Hello sir/madam,
    I’m looking 4 best thailand fashionable cloths and shoes items from thailand.. Pliz, do favour me to make contct with the company or a wholsaler.
    Pliz, suppliyer may contct on my :
    Facebuk I.D : Nelii Gobin

    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi JP, I’m not currently selling anything on the side because my other work and young family is taking up my time. But who knows, I’m sure I’ll get back to wheeling n’ dealing sooner or later.

      Reply

  70. Brenda says

    Thanks so much!! This has been extremely helpful! I just registered my corporation here for an import number, so hopefully will be able to just send packages to my existing, though small, corporation in Canada. Hopefully my sister in law will be willing to help out! Thanks again so much, you have a wonderful, very informative website!

    Reply

  71. Brenda says

    We are planning to move to Thailand this May and are looking at options to supplement our income overseas. We have been looking into exporting Thai products. We have had success in the past selling products on Ebay.

    What I’m wondering is the legalities of selling products to North America from Thailand. We will be applying for a B-Visa through our corporation and then apply for a work permit. Do you have to register a business in Thailand to sell products online? Or would it be considered working from your home country? I apologize if this seems like a silly question, I just don’t fully understand how it works. Thanks!!

    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Brenda…. Many expats work on the web here and do so with visas that don’t permit work (tourist visas). They go under the radar because they aren’t actually going to a workplace in Thailand and aren’t working for a company, rather sitting in their room coding or writing via US-based websites, or selling on eBay, etc. There is no specific law that says you can’t send work-related emails from Thailand while on holiday, and so this is a slight loophole that gets exploited, but one I’m sure will be clamped down on sooner or later.

      That said, many people say the rule is straight forward; without a work permit, you should not be doing any sort of work while in Thailand.

      However, because your B-visa is business based and obtained through your corporation – I assume you are applying on the basis of seeking opportunities for your company, right? – Then doing some work at home or in a cafe can be linked to your corporation, and would therefore fall under the terms of that visa. Sourcing products to sell on eBay would also fall under the terms of the B visa, but actually selling them from Thailand to the US probably wouldn’t. That said, no one is going to batter an eyelid at you sending parcels to the US, but IMO it’s always best to go by the book.

      As an example; I had a friend visit Thailand for 6 months a couple of years back on a B visa. He was seeking opportunities for his company in the UK. His B visa allowed him to visit trade shows and conduct meetings with potential clients here. Under this visa he would also work on his laptop from home, sorting out business in the UK.

      The fact that you will be applying for a work permit too will cover you for selling goods overseas, and would be the best way to go if you are looking at setting up a fairly big eBay operation. You wouldn’t have to form a Thai company, unless of course you’d rather pay tax locally on the earnings – which would be less.

      Hope this helps!

      Reply

  72. bibblies says

    “Since my first few endeavours I have now found a niche sideline, and I am happy to say I am making a tidy profit each month. I am not going to name the product I am exporting from Thailand…”

    Ah, go on! 😉

    I’ve never tried it, it’s not my line and it seems to have a really low barrier to entry now, with so many farangs here. However, I get curious about it from time to time. How did you know your product that you’ve got now was going to sell? Did you test it in small amounts on Ebay first and then do the supplier, buy-in-bulk, thing? Just a question of guessing and trying everything?

    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Ebay is difficult now because of the final value fees wiping out profits, but I found someone back home who was already successful on eBay and started supplying then with a few products. One did pretty well so I kept doing it. It isn’t major money but since a kid I always enjoyed buying and selling stuff, even for just a few quid here and there.

      Reply

    • Shay says

      Agreed, great site.

      I have found a product that i think will do well in my home country(ireland).
      I am working here already with a teachers work permit.
      I was wondering what do i need to do to set this up legally???
      Set up company here or in Ireland???

      Reply

      • TheThailandLife says

        Hi Shay, you will have to ask a lawyer if the current work permit will allow you to conduct other business. My feeling is that you could set this up in Ireland and simply conduct the correspondence and arrange shipping under your current work permit – but make sure you check first! Best of luck.

        Reply

      • TheThailandLife says

        Hi Rajkumar,

        If I knew that I’d be pretty rich 🙂 Start but thinking about things that are made in Thailand cheaply and in demand in other countries at a considerable markup. This could be clothes, technology, natural cosmetics. It’s a case of sitting down and doing lots of market research I’m afraid.

        Reply

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