This paper presents the results of a survey of the impact of regulations and taxes on small and micro enterprises, considered here as part of the informal sector, in Thailand. The survey covered a large sample of enterprises (more than 500) in Bangkok and ten other provinces. Three sectors were studied: restaurant stalls, garment manufacturing, metal goods manufacturing. In fact, these are activities in which there are the greatest number of "manufacturing" enterprises in Thailand's urban informal sector. Their study permits a comparison of the behaviour of enterprises active in different markets.

The study shows that small enterprises in Thailand are well integrated in the economic development process, especially through subcontracting, and their growth is not particularly hindered by institutional constraints. Moreover, even though small entrepreneurs complain about the attitude of official inspectors, they often accepted the reasons for regulations, for they served to ...