Doing business in Pattaya: what seven businesses taught me
I started out managing a bar in Soi 13 and now own seven businesses here across property, hospitality and car rental. Here's what I'd tell a friend who wanted to start or buy one, including the mistakes.
By Shane Ruddle17 articles · 6 chaptersShort answers
The questions I'm asked most, answered in a sentence or two.
Do you need a Thai partner to own a business in Thailand?
For most businesses, yes. A foreigner usually can't hold the majority, so a Thai partner holds 51%.
Full answerDo I need a work permit to work in my own business?
If you're actively working in it, yes, absolutely. A silent investor who isn't working in the business doesn't necessarily need one.
Full answerWhich businesses work in Pattaya?
Entertainment, restaurants and guest houses. My own preference is service businesses: they need less capital up front, and there's a real need here for higher-quality service.
Full answerShould I start a business from scratch or buy one?
It depends where you are as an entrepreneur. Starting from scratch can be cheaper up front, but building a customer base takes far longer than people expect.
Full answerWhy do businesses fail in Pattaya?
The people I see fail usually do it half-heartedly, as something to do. Take it seriously, do your due diligence, and decide with your head, not your heart.
Full answerGetting started
Starting vs buying, ownership rules and choosing partners.
Starting or Buying a Business in Pattaya: You'd Better Be Serious
Thinking of starting or buying a business in Pattaya? What I've learned running seven: start vs buy, due diligence, Thai partners, work permits, and which businesses work.
5 min readBusiness Partners: What I've Learned From Partnerships in Pattaya
A Pattaya owner of seven businesses on business partnerships: why he took on partners, why he'd now rather go it alone, what makes a partnership work, agreements and exit clauses, and why 50-50 is a mistake.
4 min readPeople and customers
Managing Thai staff, keeping good foreign staff, and online reviews.
Managing Thai Staff: What I've Learned Running Seven Businesses
A Pattaya owner of seven businesses on managing Thai staff: how to talk to your team, why face matters, how to keep good people, and why building a team takes longer than you think.
3 min readFinding Good Foreign Staff in Pattaya Is Easy. Keeping Them Isn't.
After 20+ years running businesses in Pattaya, here's what I look for in foreign staff, why people leave, and how I keep the good ones for years.
6 min readCustomer Service and Online Reviews: What I've Learned Across Seven Businesses
A Pattaya owner of seven businesses on getting good Google reviews without pressure, handling bad and unfair reviews, who replies to what, and why response time is everything.
4 min readWorking for someone else
Finding a job, teaching, and working in hospitality as a foreigner.
Finding a Job in Pattaya as a Foreigner
A Pattaya owner of seven businesses on finding work as a foreigner: why you need to be here, the jobs foreigners actually do, why networking beats applying, work permits and visas, and realistic pay.
3 min readTeaching English in Pattaya: Is It Worth It?
A Pattaya owner of seven businesses on teaching English and working in schools: the demand, pay from Thai schools to international schools, qualifications, the lifestyle, and why you must work legally.
3 min readWorking in Hospitality in Pattaya: Jobs, Hiring and How to Get In
A Pattaya owner of restaurants and pubs on working in hospitality as a foreigner: the four main roles, what he looks for when hiring a manager, and how to get a foot in the door at hotels and small restaurants.
2 min readRestaurants and bars
The sector most newcomers want to get into.
My own story
How I built seven businesses, what went wrong, and how I run them now.
Bar Manager to 7 Businesses
From managing a bar in Soi 13 to running seven businesses: the ventures that worked, the ones that didn't, and what 20 years in Pattaya taught me.
7 min readHow I Run Seven Businesses at Once
A Pattaya owner of seven businesses on how he actually runs them: one manager per business, hiring through people he knows, checking everything from his phone, and why AI replaced the team he tried to build.
4 min read16 Years of Pattaya Rent a Car: Trust Runs Both Ways
From 12 cars at a golf driving range to nearly 100 on the road: what 16 years running Pattaya Rent a Car has taught me about trust, cash and service.
4 min readHow My Businesses Got Through COVID, and Came Out Stronger
A Pattaya business owner on living through COVID: closing Hemingways, supporting staff, why low debt saved him, the opportunities that came after, and why every owner needs cash reserves.
4 min readMy Biggest Business Failure, and What It Taught Me
A Pattaya owner of seven businesses on his one real failure, the golf range that gave birth to Pattaya Rent a Car, how he exited the businesses that didn't work, and his advice on when to keep going and when to let go.
4 min readHow I Use AI to Run My Businesses
A Pattaya owner of seven businesses on how he went from no-code tools to building his own systems with AI: the booking system that changed everything, the 80/20 rule, an expensive security lesson, and why your knowledge should live outside any one AI company.
3 min readAlso worth reading
Visas and banking for business owners.
Visas in Pattaya: What 20 Years Here Has Taught Me
A Pattaya business owner's experience of Thai visas: the business visa, retirement visas, the DTV for remote workers, and the costly mistake of choosing the wrong one.
3 min readBanking and Money in Thailand: A Foreigner's Guide
A Pattaya business owner of 20 years on banking in Thailand as a foreigner: opening an account after the crackdown, which bank to try, sending money from home, transfer limits, QR payments and why you should still carry cash.
3 min readAsk Shane
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