Do you invest money in Thailand?

Question

Especially Expats what kind of things can you put your money in and what kind of return? If you just put you money in the bank what kinds of return can you expect?

Answer 1

Thanks K. Bob. I’m flattered.

In fact, I myself invest all my earthly belonging in Thailand in many forms. I also have several financial consultants of my own, and still many times I s***w up like investing in Thai stock market at the moment, but who doesn’t?

My brother was a very famous investment banker in Thailand that at one time Princess Sirinthorn asked him to be her financial advisor. He sort of consulted me whether he should or not, and I (anti-personal political participation) advised him to decline. He did (but may be because of many other reasons not based only on my advice). The Princess asked him to write a letter explaining the reason of his decline, he did. The Princess said she couldn’t understand it; he needed to come in and explain. As he tried to schedule the audience with the Princess, she declined his request for the audience all the time. Probably was a pay back. But, the Princess might have had million of financial advisors any way. My brother passed away already from a natural cause.

The reason why I mention him because he always taught me to manage my wealth by dividing it into four portion: one for uses, one to pay for the past (parents) and one for the future (children), and the last one only is for investment.

In investment portion, he advised me to divide it into three portions; one invest in highest risk highest return investment (stock market etc.); the other in semi liquid (short term deposit, etc.); the last in secure place (government bond, secured long term investment properties).

So that’s it K. Bob. That’s the best advice I can give to you, that I do the same. Whether one should invest in Thailand or not; think this way; is Thailand an overall a high risk high return market? Do you want your investment in this kind of market? If yes, go ahead.

There have been trillions of Thai baht investments from overseas in Thai stock market, making it very fluctuating and volatile from time to time since these funds come in and out very quickly. Trillion baht isn’t much coming down only to a few billion USD, while investment funds from the US have port exceeding 100 billions. The foreign direct investment into Thailand is much greater than that. What do you reckon?

Answer 2

Invested in a home here.  Otherwise I am waiting for Ice Cube to become my financial adviser and help me make millions like Thaskin did.

Answer 3

I have a couple properties including the one I live in, but I don't believe they have appreciated much, if at all. I also have some Thai Govt. Bonds which are presently paying between 4.3-4.4%, they are 6 month and 1 year deposits and are tax free. Regular passbook savings accounts are paying somehwhere around 2.25-2.50%, although there was a quarter point interest rate increase about a week ago to help curb inflation which was running about 9% the last couple of months and should bring the rate up slightly. Unless inflation is curbed and brought back down to the 1.5-2% level, bonds and savings accounts aren't much of an investment, but it's better than nothing.

Answer 4

NEVER invest in Thailand - the laws are totally against you if you are not a Thai citizen.  PERIOD