Thailand is one of Southeast Asia’s emerging economies. It is one of the top five in the region and has a strong auto industry and agricultural exportation. Recent climate-related incidents have affected the country, but it has since been recuperating and has made a steady comeback. Thailand has also been a hub for foreign tourists and its tourism industry is one of the leading markets in the region. They also have cultivated great relations with foreign businesses that many of them have operated their business in Asia from here.
Here some ways to diversify your portfolio, if you’re looking into making an investment in Thailand.
Property Investment
The Government still mandates that only citizens can own land in the country. However, foreigners can still own the property it sits on. Usually, they can do this through a Thai Limited Company or through a Leasehold Agreement. The company will own the land and you will be limited to 49% of the shares unless you’re American. For a Leasehold Agreement, a foreigner can use the land for 30 years and can be renewed 3 times.
A great opportunity right now in real estate are condominiums. With people moving to the big cities as businesses continue to flourish the demand for places for people to live in rises. With the policies in place for ownership, a lot of foreign developers and property managers have invested heavily to capitalize on the market of making tall skyscrapers and affordable housing.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand
Financial education has already been active in the country and the people are starting to learn not only to save money but investing it to reap its rewards. The landscape has been good for local and foreign investors. Regulations have allowed foreign investment funds to be sold to the local market and many affluent citizens have taken the opportunity to directly invest in foreign businesses easily.
Technology has also caught up with the investment business with the rise of many online stock brokers. However, wise diligence to get to know your Thai investment website is important so as not to lose your hard end money from unsavory associations.
Tourism Business
With the country’s rich, beautiful natural resources, hospitable people and relatively modest prices it has become a haven for many foreign tourists. Investing in this sector can be tricky considering that infrastructure has been lagging to the demand due to the increased arrival of foreign visitors. It’s noteworthy that a lot of the visitors are backpackers and are not looking for luxury accommodations and are more inclined to get close to nature as much as possible. Air BnBs and dormitories are in increasing demand with some offering tour services to the nearby destinations.
Stressing the importance of preserving the environment, a lot of policies and regulations have to be studied before you engage in any business that relates to tourism. Be careful of foreign parties that are only interested in money, disregarding the harm they may cause to the environment.
Saving money is not enough, you must learn to invest and make money work for you. Learn to diversify your assets and learn more about the market terrain. Thailand is a hub of opportunities both foreign and local entities have made a commitment to make it so. Due diligence is required, but it will always pay off.
