EstellaRk

Hi! Simon43

I am just wondering if this message of mine will interest you or not but I just want to let u know first I have no ideas or suggestion to share with the business you are trying to get opinion from us. Hwvr, I have a much better proposition to you that I only hope you would be more interested but also concern with business in Thailand. Hwvr, I think this would be much better to discuss with you directly.

My E-mail address is : [email protected] and my name is Rhick Estella / (087) 815-1842. Looking forward to hear from you. Thanks.

Sincerely yours,

EstellaRk

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My wife and I have a good little hotel business in Phuket, but I always prefer to have 2 income streams. Previously, I relied upon income from writing application software for SMS mobile phone services in the Uk. This has provided me with a good, (but wildly fluctuating) income for the past 10 years or so. However, with the increased mobile phone regulations in the UK (and other territories), my income has been gradually reducing from this source. I think it's time for me to think of another business venture!

So, I've been considering all sorts of ideas. Many of these fail the 'defensible' test, (ie - the business idea can easily be copied, or is at risk of 'legal' means to close it, or is at risk of 'upsetting' an existing Thai business etc etc). The typical bar/restaurant/hotel is not usually a defensible business. (My own hotel is reasonably defensible because it addresses the niche market of single night stays from the nearby airport).

Anyway, here is my idea! (I'm happy to discuss this on an open forum because I believe that it is an idea which cannot easily be copied - see below)

I'm a radio amateur and there are about 3 million radio 'hams' worldwide. Most of these hams are men, with a good disposable income to purchase their expensive amateur radio equipment and antennas. The antennas are typically similar to TV aerials, but physically much larger. A large ham antenna sells in the USA for maybe $500.

My idea is to manufufacture ham antennas here in Phuket and sell them to overseas radio hams.

Why is this idea defensible?

- You need a good technical skill to design and test these antennas. I have a relevant First and Master's degree in this skill area and some 15 years of industry experience. Somchai (or Pete) down the road cannot simply copy what I'm doing.

- My background means that my business would also be 'credible' in the eyes of my potential customers.

- The manufacturing cost is quite low, so the product can be sold at a competitive price. (I imagine that the existing products sold in the USA, UK etc are probably manufactured in the Far East anyway. But the companies sell them at a high mark-up to cover the costs of their overseas offices/staff etc.

- These items are not subject to any export restriction from Thailand, or import restriction into the USA, UK, australia etc.

- The items are quite sturdy, and can be easily shipped, (although I need to check maximum package size allowed by the Thai shippers.

- This is a 'real' business that can be slowly built up and then could be sold at a later stage, if that was something that I wanted to do.

There is a large number of potential customers who regualry upgrade their existing antennas.

As an export-only business, I think that Thai employment rules allow me to own this business 100% as a foreigner. (Need to check this, but it's not a problem if my wife has to own the business - she is not very good at making complex radio antennas...)

Anyway, that's my idea. Can anyone shoot my idea down in flames or punch a thousand holes in it?? Please do give your comments.

Simon

From Wikpedia....

Mothballs can also be used as a snake repellent. Mothballs (or sulfur) is usually used along with the aid of naphtha for these purposes. When mixed together, the snake sampling the air senses its acrid stench and its scent sampling is overloaded by the stench. It can't sense prey or danger as well with this smell, so it turns away. Put the mothballs around the perimeter of your yard leaving an "escape" for the snakes to get away or they will be locked in your yard. Caution should be exercised, as mothballs are not child or pet friendly and they can kill some types of plants. Rain or water will disintegrate the mothballs, so frequent reapplication will be necessary.

Perhaps the landlord left no "escape route"?

Hi! pumpuiman, thanks for yr comment and adv really appreciate it. I didn't know mothballs applies to snakes its good to know for I only used it for roaches and other insects especially those that leaves unpleasant odour at home and cabinets esp kichen areas. I will try it and will perhaps leave our garage the escape area as that is the only place they might get out unless otherwise this kind of snakes can crawl on fences. Thanks also for the caution will take extra care. Have a nice one.

Oh! by the way yes! the landlord left no escape route he just pour that sulfur around the yard.

I've read that lemongrass and citrus trees will help keep away snakes.

Hi! Smithson, thanks for yr suggestion, I think what you said seem perhaps acceptable but I need to research on that first .. at least sounds okey to me than my landlord ' sulfur powder ' .. still I been trying to get the connetion and idea on that. Who knows its also correct but then again research and expert advise still a good thing for this sulfur powder?? Thank you.

A proper Thai-trained dog is a good solution.. As is educating your kid to stay the heck away from snakes. This means not showing him/her those Animal Planet programmes featuring idiots in shorts grabbing snakes.

Hello! Citra, thank you for yr time and advise. Well, I have to talk to my wife first about a dog as she doesn't welcome the idea of having pets at home ... sometimes I ask her why she wants me around ? Well, about my son we have no cable so thats not a problem at all except some pics on his story books. Good Day!

It's a golden tree snake. Not venomous , at least not enough to affect a human.

Golden Tree Snake

Very partial to the odd gecko and lizard.

They spend most of their time in the trees etc elevated so unlikely to stand on one.

I have at least 3 or 4 around my house and they keep themselves to themselves.

Showed them to the dogs once who normally chase anything . Dogs looked at me , and at the snake , and at me, and said nope that's not in our contract !

Hi! cmsally, much oblidge on yr comments and info it did educate me well to me snake is a snake but at least it lessen my worries knowing its not venomous .. " at least not enough to affect a human ". And besides you makes me also smile .. I just hope the dogs did not make any recall or sudden renewal of their contracts. Thanks again.

tell the landlord to cut the bushes in the garden, remove the debris. Having a dog in the yard will scare snakes from nesting there

Thanks londonthai for the advise .. I already did trimmed myself the bushes well my landlord is a non-reasonable person and he insist to me that when I rented his place all are package deal and I need to deal with all of them when I decide to rent his place. About having a dog I have to negotiate with my wife as she don't like having pets at home ... which reason I wonder why he wants me around

Hi! everyone, this is my first time posting a topic here so let me know if I am doing it wrong. I have this scenarion in my home especially in my yard regarding a a kind of snake my wife has killed ... by accident and surprise ( attach is the photo ) and just a couple of days ago while tending my yard I saw another one trying to prey a small house lizard but quickly disappear when I tried to get near. No idea what kind or type of snake it was. Anyway, I need yr kind advise by experience and expertise on what to do and any advise on any technique to scare them away out of my yard and home?

I have a 3 year old boy at home which is a very good reason why I worried and add to that is I have a feeling there maybe a mother who is nesting in my place. I already complain this to our landlord but he just bring ' sulfur powder ' and put it around the yard which I feel will not help the problem at all. Pls help

Thank you/ Estellark

ps. I already read old and past topic of similar but did not get the advise of interest I want.

Suicide has as its goal the idea of reducing the emotional pain that becomes so severe that normail coping mechanisms are overloaded and a person wants an immediate reduction in the pain and suicide, in their mind, is the only way to achieve that fast reduction.

So, the goal of pain reduction is a productive one, it is just the method to achieve that goal that needs to be changed to something more productive than suicide.

Just two cents for anyone thinking that very same thing this and others may be thinking.

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Appreciate your comments and thoughts on this subject. At this point of time I need lots of support and words of wisdom on the subject as one just recently younger sister undergone to such an awful decision , bless the Good Lord she was saved.

I agree with Sneef, whe I was younger it crossed my mind when things were bad. As I have discovered it is never that bad, I have my health, and my very suportive family and friends. I have asked and I have gotten help when I needed it.

As I have become older I now realize it is not they way out, patience and preserverence, with a good helping of friends will win out in the end.

May God and Buda be with his.

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Thank you on your kind thoughts and words on the subject. I like it when you said : " with a good helping of friends will win out in the end ". or more importantly family members will win out in the end.

well... if u have to top yuorself.... i guess here is the place to do it.... at least you'll make the news... !!!

Sad that anyone would do this... but i have been in low low low places myself and somtimes wondered id this was the answer....

Gods Speed to him, and budha look out for him.

If i were able to choose a planet to live on....this night not be it.

Sneef

(scuse the speeling... am drnk)

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sneef, thank you for your thoughts it gives some perpective on what happened to my younger sister in USA just yesterday afternoon. She is safe now but I still got a lot of things to think about of what & why it happened??

I don't know why this is national news (I saw it on the Nation website). Why can't they let they poor guy die in peace and anonymity? There could be many reasons for him doing this: health, mental problems, finances, romance, etc.  Happens all the time in the West, and at least where I come from, it's not reported in the local papers.

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Unfortunately incidents ( like this suicide case ) has some advantage and disadvantage effects to people when its goes into national news. Avantage in the sense it can give people second thoughts on the subject ... hopefully, and especially to those who are contemplating to do such awful thinking/plan, also it can at least let those who knows the victims particularly their immediate families, friends or those who knows them to be be informed if they unaware of what happened. And disadvantage, in the sense this is an awful decision or act a person in his right mind to do to end his/her life.

I like when you said quote: " there cud be many reasons behind such " and I am sure those people who decided to take their own lives just fall short of reasoning due primarily they were overcame by any of the above reasons you mentioned. Which for me the one major possibility to stop it is for the victim to have someone to talk to, a friend. For being alone will only makes it worse and pushes the thoughts to do it.

My apology to share these thoughts ... my younger sister in USA attempted suicide just yesterday but thank God and for the quick response from the police saves her life and she is now under recovery but the impact of this incident will have a long and uncertain recovery impact to both her(especially) and from ( ME ).. all of us her love ones.