klubex99

There are thousands of Western Unions around.

Every Big C, Bangkok Bank, Bank of Ayudhya, Thanachart Bank and every post office are agents.

I don't even think that the UK government even claim that they have that right.

As much as I think they are control freaks, I have never heard of them banning their citizens from wherever they want to get married. They may say no to Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey or The Houses of Parliament.

Maybe you want to marry your Thai gf in the UK... am I right?

If so, then yes, they can actually block that if your wife does not meet the standard criteria for entry, you don't get extra points on the visa application for your wedding.

C'mon everyone, the op is only trying to

Help out his millionaire friend who also owns a property worth £250k.

He obviously needs to keep working as his million wont do him justice.

I would say open a street vending operation in several location in as many cities as possible. Get Thai staff to work them for minimum wage and as they will enjoy taking cash on your behalf they'll declare it all to you. Furthermore, as all the locations have never been thought if by any Thai person this millionaire will probably make another million quick time

I wish I had thought of doing this years ago.

It's a shame this millionaire has the idea first!!!!

Better luck next time

Has anybody who uses this forum NOT had a mobile phone stolen at one time or another.

OK! Thousands will now chip in, but you get my point?

I do understand the OP's desire to nail the barsteward though. I emphasise with his need for revenge.

Official channels will not be the slightest bit bothered by such a "minor" crime.

Bribe a BiB and you may, just may get a result.

I was man handled by a gypsy girl in Prague back in 2005, and I wasn't so blitzed that I didn't realize that this was a pickpocket, and yes, my phone was gone. She didn't get more than 5 feet away from me when I hopped on her and held her. She wriggled free and 2 Czech guys knocked her over while she started to run away.

She landed on the pavement chin first and had a the most terrible bleeding wound as a result. They took the phone out of her pocket and apologized to me, and I thanked them both.

Watching her stagger away on buckled legs, was probably one of the single most satisfying images I have of my travels.

House is in wife's name and so is the car.

I refused to buy either with cash, she wanted them in her name. So they are in her name as she wanted, and so is the finance I made her take out, although I pay for it all. But if the crap hits the fan, then she can have both no problem. But she takes over the payments.

Not being a tight arse. Just been scammed already back in the UK with a house and car, and now i am careful. If we split, then I will buy a car for cash.... and drive off into the sunset.

You are young, you will learn.

ps It must have really annoyed you, you keep going about it.

Its all relative really. I am almost 48, so yes maybe I am to be considered young compared to some here. But I don't think I have too much left to learn, although we never really stop learning.

Not annoyed really.. Just chipping in my tuppence worth.

But anyway, I have little desire to become an adversary of yours, so lets get this thread back on track, and I apologise to anyone if I dragged it down.

So where were we?

Oh right... Expats scrimping by in LOS.

I have to say that when I first got here, I was throwing money around like a man with no arms. Admittedly I had spent a few years working my ass off in the UK with not a lot of time to enjoy myself, and so I was in full holiday mode. But my Thai GF soon pulled me down to earth.

If I remember correctly, If I went a bit 'over the top' I would kid myself by comparing the bill to what I would have paid for the same in the UK. It seemed to cushion the blow and made it all feel justified. But obviously, maintaining that lifestyle would have been foolish and counter-productive considering I was here to improve my life, not drink myself half to death.

I have to say that it is not the same as BKK, Phuket or Pattaya here. It would be very hard to spend half a million in 3 months in Korat without dying as a direct result. Even though there is a farang drinking scene here, it is very cheap, and I have grown out of my heavy drinking days.

I don't think any expats will live over their means when the funds are dwindling, even an out and out alcoholic is clever enough to downgrade his surroundings in return for a longer return on investment. I really don't think it can be comparable with those expats here on almost in-exhaustible funds.

I have really only known of one farang who truly hit the skids here, and I really don't think I can put the blame on him for it. He ran a local bar/restaurant with his Thai wife. He was doing well, so well in fact... that he moved to a larger premises. He made sure that all his customers knew where he was moving to (less than half a KM). Strange thing was, nobody really followed him there. I would ask the other expats why I never saw them going in there much, they didn't seem to know why. They just for some reason thought the spark was not in this place that was in the other.

Anyhow, they struggled to pay the bills etc etc.... and in true Thai style, his wife dumped him and left him 'holding the baby'.

He lost his house to the wife and blah blah.... you heard it all before.

But this guy, never went home to Germany... I would see him sitting outside a mom and pop shop drinking a 42 baht Chang, and moaning about his situation. I did what I could to help him out, as did a few of the other locals, and he stayed here and there, crashing in spare rooms, and I believe he was getting some assistance from his parents who would have helped him out a lot more by buying a plane ticket for him.

Last I heard, he is hanging out in BKK. I really hope he is well. A lot of us got a bit concerned about him because he really did spiral downhill. Hard to watch. But I doubt he would go home, even though I tried to drum it into him, to go back to Germany and regroup. Get some work for 6 months and come back and try again. But alas, he would rather be here broke it seems, than face 6 months back home... funny that.

I think there are a lot of folks flying by the seat of their pants hoping things will get better before they get worse... reminds me of when I was first here, and kidding myself. Sometimes people will choose the path of least resistance, no matter what the outcome.

Well me too......I fly Business Class 8 times a year......I spend more on holidays than most people earn in Thailand, including farangs, and yet on this thread someone says I can't afford to live in Thailand.

Unbelievable.

I could put myself in that class a while ago, and I am very comfortable and well able to live in Thailand with style, but to be honest. I think anyone who posts it as a way of showing off, is usually full of crap. IMHO.

Almost everyone I know who is able to afford that lifestyle, would not even consider posting it on here, and I know a lot of affluent folks here. They would consider it the same, either gross or BS.

Give him some space....I think he is missing a few people in his life as recent posts have revealed.

Eh??

Anyway, don't be feeding the trolls, he's just been boasting about £250K houses and Million pound businesses on another thread.

"A friend of mine" indeed.

Yes, I didn't name names or make out it was me. Just explained that my friend was business astute, and had the bank account to prove it. Neither me nor him would brag about his affluent lifestyle or his decadent swish capabilities with all his 'disposable', especially on a thread about people who are struggling to exist in LOS.

His lifestyle is actually quite humble and modest considering, and even if it was as 'extravagant' as yours, he wouldn't see what use it was telling everyone in detail. Apart from trying to make yourself look better.

8 business class flights a year indeed.

Well me too......I fly Business Class 8 times a year......I spend more on holidays than most people earn in Thailand, including farangs, and yet on this thread someone says I can't afford to live in Thailand.

Unbelievable.

I could put myself in that class a while ago, and I am very comfortable and well able to live in Thailand with style, but to be honest. I think anyone who posts it as a way of showing off, is usually full of crap. IMHO.

Almost everyone I know who is able to afford that lifestyle, would not even consider posting it on here, and I know a lot of affluent folks here. They would consider it the same, either gross or BS.

It all sounded plausible until you mentioned where he wanted to set up. I fancy those sites will be well and truly sewn up.

But elsewhere such a business can do very well from nothing here, especially with a smart Thai in tow.

That is an excellent point, and to be honest, I never thought of it that way.

That made me think of alternatives, which could be Big C and Makro entrances for example. Or anywhere there is a large footfall. Up here in Korat, there are stalls around these places. But not so many as to create competition of any volume.

Maybe that is a better option, and there is plenty of room for expansion if that is what he wants. Rather than go for the biggest market, go for lots of chunks of the smaller ones and make the money from pure volume.

To quote a post on another thread which I enjoyed reading.

A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him - David Brinkley.

However, my personal fave....

Success is not built on success. It's built on failure. It's built on frustration. Sometimes it's built on catastrophe.- Sumner Redstone.

'Success is built on knowing the right people in power'

R Abramovich.

Ok if he is wanting to sell farang food in these places his market will just be farangs as the thais in these places can't afford anything that will make him a decent profit and very rarely stray from Esarn food anyway.

Most people eat from vans etc in the UK because it is cheap and because nothing else is open. As posted previously there plenty of places open 24 hrs up there.

Most western food done by thais is quite frankly rubbish so why risk a fast food van instead of getting a cheese burger at macdonalds for 39 Baht or a subway from about 90 Baht ? Pizza or curry 200-300 baht all in clean air conditioned places ?

Many farangs won't eat off tolleys here for fear of Thai hygeine standards, as his trolleys will have to be fronted by Thais people will think the same.

Many other farangs want to eat Thai food while here and you can buy lots of different dishes for 30 Baht. If you want cheap trolley eats then this could be a better option.

Setting up in tourist areas he may just find the same as most the bar owners do, there is just too much competition already and no where near enough western tourists anymore.

That is a very good post.

What you said about the investing in properties, is good sound advice, I will mention that to him. I think he has over a million and I know he is not selling his house, but is renting out through an agent. So that may be something he may well do.

I think really he is just looking for something to do here, he can't sit still. He made a nice chunk from selling his business when an offer was made that he couldn't refuse and considering his position. Like me, he has become pig sick of the way the UK is going. He wants out, he no longer wants to pay tax to that government. I can understand this, its been a driving force in my decision to leave.

I doubt he is going to put much money into what he wants to do here, probably less than a million baht. But at least it will serve to set his new (coming) Thai family, and at least they can do most of the work, and we all know that eventually they will 'inherit' it as their own, so why not. It will give him a buzz and if he loses it all, then I doubt he will cry for too long.

What I don't want to see, is him descending into a wasteful lifestyle of drinking and whatever every day like a lot do when they get here with a lump of cash. But neither do I want to see him get involved in something that could end up creating some big problems for him.

Been a great thread so far. I will email the link to him.

To quote a post on another thread which I enjoyed reading.

A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him - David Brinkley.

However, my personal fave....

Success is not built on success. It's built on failure. It's built on frustration. Sometimes it's built on catastrophe.- Sumner Redstone.

£250.000 for a house in the Uk,is no big deal.

Must be a small house.

In the north.

Really?

No actually.. It is in Oxfordshire and is a 4 bedroom detached.

Small house in the north? I come from the north, and a small house is not £250,000 a small house is less than £100K

Just Google the online estate agents to show how much you are talking <deleted>.

Of course there are always exceptions in the nice little conservative villages. But on the whole, your post is full of crap and most UK folks know it.

Try buying that £250K house off in less than 4 years and that gives you an idea.

Ooooops.... Sorry, I said I wouldn't bother answering trolls.... My bad.

K99 wrote:

"Horsemeat?

Did I miss something on the news?, I heard from my wife that there is a story flying around the internet saying that there is a current scandal with beef in the markets actually being buffalo, I am not sure if she means the farm animal or farang meat. Horses would be a new addition to the gossip.

I can get fish and chips in Korat, but its never the same as a UK chippy. Pattaya has some decent fish and chips, but few and far between."

The current food scare throughout Europe concerns the fact that horsemeat has been detected in many processed meat products.

I am not so sure that it is the actual horsemeat issue that is causing too much concern (although it is a bit of a taboo thing in the UK, for example,) but more the mis-labelling and the fact that the handling of this product cannot be traced back to source ie. the condition of the animals slaughtered etc. Mafia groups in as far away and poorly regulated Romania are said to have been involved in this scandal.

More significantly, it seems to have led to a general awareness about just what goes into some of these processed meat products. A pork sausage (or hot-dog) could contain a mixture of hog's <deleted>, sow's ears and rusk and it would still be correctly labelled as pork.

I personally do not think that this is a 'fly-by-night' scare and that many, many people are now re-considering their eating habits. All, from Supermarket lasagnes to the street vendor's burger will be viewed with suspicion to the extent that this would not be the ideal time to launch such a venture.

We need to know what exactly we are eating. I liked the horsemeat I eat a lot in Belgium some time ago and knew that it was correctly sourced. I have eaten dog twice in Cambodia, although I could have sworn that the second time it was crocodile meat.

Awesome last line.

I also have eaten chevalle (Horsemeat) in France. I thought it was very nice, not eaten dog though (to my knowledge) but I have been to most of the countries that serve it.

This all reminds me of being back in the UK. I have worked in a few towns and cities there in my time, and no matter where you are, the locals all have the same story of the local Chinese takeaway was found with a dead dog's head in the fridge, or similar stories. But the truth is, even if that is true, there would be no danger of them serving it to the public, they would likely keep it for their own consumption.

But I just think it is mostly gossip, I also heard a similar story in South Africa.....lol.... word gets around.

Personally, I don't really care too much what is in my food so long as it is not harmful, and is tasty, and of course.... I don't know about it.

He knows what he is doing.

Signing in to TV and ask these questions by himself could not be to difficult IMO. But as usual, it's always 'a friend' who's asking.

I doubt he even knows about TV.

He is not asking me to ask, I want to give him better advice than I have already and I really don't know how it goes on in BKK/Pattaya.

In my opinion, I wouldn't do it. It's too high profile for my tastes, I like to be low brow over here.

Is your friend's Thai GF business minded, better for him to have a Thai to check out with Pattaya City Hall etc for any legal issues with him staying in the background.

Your friend may be a smart businessman, but does he know Thai "'style", stay well away from "influential people" both Thai and Westerners.

Are you 100% sure the product is unique and cannot be relatively easily copied?

That is one of the things I already told him.

If something is going well, it gets noticed and then copied and the Thais don't have a problem setting up within 3 feet of your cart.

Street food that appeals to farangs? That sounds ominous.

The current horsemeat scare means that burgers and hot-dogs are strictly off the menu for most Europeans. Eating habits are changing overnight and that's one form of 'street meat' that I, personally, would no longer be interested in.

Now,a nice bag of fish and chips would be fine. I would be there every other night.

Horsemeat?

Did I miss something on the news?, I heard from my wife that there is a story flying around the internet saying that there is a current scandal with beef in the markets actually being buffalo, I am not sure if she means the farm animal or farang meat. Horses would be a new addition to the gossip.

I can get fish and chips in Korat, but its never the same as a UK chippy. Pattaya has some decent fish and chips, but few and far between.

First thing that comes to my mind, why on earth did he sell his business in the UK before he did actually did all the necessary legwork in Thailand. I mean he was in Thailand several times, enough time to find out if his business plan is possible. Does not sound like a well thought out plan at the moment, at least not with the "big brain".

Well that is what he is doing isn't it?

He sold his business because he is moving here in 4 months, so what do you want him to do? sell it after he has moved here? He has made a lot of money and has walked away with a huge amount of money for his business as a going concern. All from £1000 initial investment. I would say if anyone can turn £1000 into more than a million and have a £250,000 house is not stupid.

He has already researched all the official side of it, it is ME who is warning him that there could be 'unofficial' pitfalls, which is why I am asking here. As far as he is concerned, he is coming and he is going to do it come hell or high water.

There are things here that lurk in the shadows, that only people who have actual 'feet on the street' experience of. The rest just make it up.

Theres gonna be politics. Especially selling on others turf.

I don't doubt that one bit.

But then there is a difference between being careful about siting your carts, and downright taking the piss.

I am uncertain whether others will feel I am a success story as I have made huge mistakes and lost a good business all through my own mistakes and wild living. However I came here with 100K USD and started a business which I eventually lost. Nearly 6 years after arriving in LOS I own a 10 million baht home which is paid for. I have a secure job with a European company paying a western salary, A decent partner, friends and a normal life working monday to friday. I am not rich but I am happy which is worth more than money. I can pay my bills, save money and do most things without worrying. There was a time I was spending ridiculous amounts of money and playing on the darkside of the street. I am lucky I am not dead or incarcerated. For me I am a success story despite my self destruct button. I can't name names but there is an Australian therapist in Central thailand who played a major part in turning me around. Thank you.

Nice.

What does this australian therapist do exactly ?

Therapy perhaps?

Great idea I have been doing the same but not 24/7. Everything in wife name for 24 years. It is making lot of money And nobody knows I am behind it.

Please tell me that why should help your friend make 20 million baht a year for nothing? However if he pays another story

Wow.... Much kudos to you. Great to see that someone is making a killing at it. I think there is plenty of room for him and he knows what he is doing in that business.

I wouldn't ask him to pay me for advice. I already have my own businesses in Korat and me and wifey are more than comfortable here in our own little niches. I suppose he would be happy to pay the odd backhander for things to go smooth. But I told him that I don't even know if he would have to. You would need to pay certain people up here in Korat but not a lot. I was assuming that in Pattaya and BKK it may be a different story. But you seem to be doing very well, so I think this is more than possible for him.

I am posting this in the general section because I think it relates more to general conditions and attitudes here than just a decent business idea.

I have a friend who is moving here in 4 months. He has sold his business in the UK and wants to emulate it here in LOS, and has been asking me or should I say 'picking my brains' for answers on the subject.

His background is already in the food industry, with his business running several street food carts in the UK. He knows what he is doing. But we all know that the 'UK is the UK', and 'LOS is LOS'. Totally different. I have been living here in Korat for 3 years and I know how it all works round here. But he is wanting to set up several food carts in Pattaya (Walking St etc....) and BKK (Soi Cowboy, Kao San Rd.....etc.)

He has been to LOS a few times, so he knows the score. I have also been to a lot of these 'high trafficked' falang ' havens where he wants to site carts. I must add that I said i wouldn't mention the food product, but is very popular with falang and Thai alike. But for some reason there is no or 'close to no' competition.

Here are my concerns.

Without knowing who he is needing to pay baksheesh to, he could be in for trouble from the 'official' side of things. City Hall, Police, etc etc....

Local Thai mafia, as well as local 'non-Thai' mafia. Not sure exactly how bad that is in these places.

Local businesses selling food, not too happy with someone else feeding the falang.

Official pitch rates to site a food cart in these places. Permits etc...

Apart from that, the guy has overcome problems in the UK from local muscle trying to push him out when they saw a good thing. He is more than capable, but again this is LOS.

He will be running these stalls almost 24/7 and will hire Thais to run the carts meaning he can set up here and get the work permit no probs, he does have a Thai gf.

Can anyone here offer any other advice?

Good idea? or bad idea?

I am expecting a huge negative response, and that is a good thing. But surely there must be some positives to come out of it. I would prefer advice from someone who knows what they are talking about, even more preferable from experience. Don't just come on here because you heard that a friend of a friend who has a Thai wife who has a friend who has a falang husband has had this or that problem. We all know how much BS gets distorted here and blown up out of proportion.

It's always better to give advice from experience, not from gossip.

Personally, I think his idea is very good if he can overcome the humps. I like to remain positive and I don't just try to put people off because I think that I know best. He can get that negative crap anywhere, there are plenty of people who don't like to see other falang do well, usually because they failed themselves and it doesn't taste too good.

I think we all have noticed that. So if you have personal experience of your own business problems encountered here in LOS, please feel free to tell your story. Trolls, just go elsewhere, I won't even answer a troll post.

Thanks in advance.

klubex99

Guy may be rich, but doesn't sound to smart.If he lets you use the land for 10 years and no lease agreement. By right of use in the civil code you [wife] then own it. Jim

Which is obviously why up until now, he hasn't let just anyone work it apart from the daughter of one of his best friends. Maybe he feels he can trust us to step aside as and when he requires it back again.

I don't really want to be on it in 10 years anyway. I would much rather transfer to my own land eventually. I really want to live on one of the farms. Living in the city is driving me nuts. I have been a country dweller for 10 years prior to moving to LOS, and I really miss the peace and quiet. Where we live used to be a nice quiet area, but it is getting more and more noisy. when someone walks down the road it sparks a barking contest between about 20 dogs and they don't stop for about 5 minutes. Hardly anyone had a dog in this street until a family moved in with 4 of them, and for some reason, everyone started getting dogs. Wifey says it is for security, we have an alarm system, cost 2500 baht and don't have to feed it or clean up after it.

It's not always use it or lose it. Near my favorite watering hole up the mountain, an old man farmed a small flat piece of land for many years. The Forestry officials came and decided to build an office there. The old man and the locals fought it but there is now a Forestry office there. The old man did finally win and the generous government gave him a whopping 10,000 baht.

Yes, I have heard similar stories. It's a big shame, and a form of bullying. The government has huge swathes of idle land they could build offices on. I doubt very much that the old chap's land was an absolute last resort. Doesn't appear to have stopped them though.

OK,now be careful. Ask the wife about the need for spirithouses, pigs head kit and monks, maybe a few drinks inthe village. Gotta keep the locals happy!

Oh, by the way, let herdo all that, your job is to smile and have empty pockets!

Haha.. You obviously know how it works around here. Yes, the MIL has already told me I need a spirit house, and the monks and the party, so I might as well go along with it (again).

The pockets will be getting drained once again, but all in a good cause. At least these country types will be happy with Hong Thong, not like my wedding where the city types rejected it and demanded Johnny Walker.

On a slightly different note, but just as relevant.

Just goes to show that no matter how much work you put in and fail to find what you are looking for, as you give up and stop looking, you end up tripping over it.....

My FIL had been talking to one of his friends the other day, and telling him about our projects and the land we were looking for to rent or buy to accommodate these projects. This guy just happens to own hundreds of rai all over Korat. He said that he has a lot of land he doesn't use and asked us if we wanted to look at it. So he sent his wife over yesterday and she took us literally 10 minutes from our house to a 30 rai parcel of land with a small mango orchard, 3 large ponds and lots of spare land. It also has 2 buildings on it, one I would say was a classic cinder block outbuilding/workshop type structure about 35 x 15, the other a very large barn with 2 floors approx 40 x 20.

This land is perfect for my wife's mushroom and fish project and the buildings will save us a fortune in building mushroom houses. We only need to have half a dozen more ponds dug out and we are pretty much up and running, although there is no electricity on site, I will bring in a dozen solar panels and hook them up with an inverter to give us all we need.

The land is also fenced and gated and there is an old woman that lives there taking care of the place. She lives in a small hut, I have to look at putting up something a bit better than that and getting her a TV and decent bed.

I asked how much to rent, he said he did not want any money and we were welcome to use the land for 10 years if we wanted, I had to insist that we pay him rent and get a contract together so he said "fine.... pay me 10 baht per rai per year". Totally shocked.... But the guy is minted after all. He has known my wife since a baby, and wants to look after her and make sure she is ok.

What a nice fella.

Let me take a guess here, land is of low title, use it or lose it. He's not using it and may lose it.

Wife hand some type of Aunt in Krabi, wanted to give us 50 rai for free. No good to us live in Issan, Land Department gave the land to a landless family.

Wife's Grandfather gave her 25 rai, I didn't know about the use it or lose it at the time. [ Land can be seen on you tube, river picnic ] Army came, a bit of wating and smiling and took the land. When they leave if ever we may get it back, or it may be given to someone else. Jim

Wifey said it is full Chanote, all the land along there is chanote. He is sitting on it and waiting for it to be bought off him by developers. It is about 1.5KM from the the perimeter of all the current development and is moving out in his direction. Moo baans, commercial developments and the like. I seen a lot spring up over the past 3 years. When I bought our house we were right on the very edge of the city, we are about 400 meters in now. Every available scrap of land is being built on. Much faster than I seen any town expand in the UK.

When I look on Google maps, our house is not there, it is a pond surrounded by fields, now it is in the middle of an urban sprawl. The owner reckons about 10 years and he will be approached by a developer. He paid 2000 B a rai for it years ago, and he is hoping it will be worth between 2.5 and 3 million pr. Nice investment. He has other brown belt land all around the outskirts of Korat city.

He is one of your mob Jim.... A big rubber guy.