Fex Bluse

@spidermike007 @GinBoy2

Interesting comments above. 

I agree that it is the Thai "elite" (almost alway Thai Chinese) who are most hostile. I suppose they understand (quietly and unspoken) that they could never compete with the educated world outside their artificial, protected Thai environment. So, they necessarily fear competition they can not unfairly control. However, like most of Asia, the values of the non-elites are malleable and easily influenced by their elite power brokers. Poor Thais desire to be like rich ones. They have little other guiding principles. 

However, I agree that they will play nice for the time being for a couple reasons:

1. The country faces a real risk of being left and stuck in the middle income trap for another decade or longer if it does not attempt to learn from the outside world 

2. If the country pushes a xenophobic agenda too forcefully, countries like the US and others, having now tasted nationalism ala Trump, will push far harder and could quite literally destroy a tiny, insignificant economy like Thailand's. 

On 10/6/2016 at 6:28 PM, khunpa said:

 

I agree that the general population properly feels very much the same. At least towards Farangs. With other foreigners the issue might be different.

 

However, I worry if this might change due to the signals from above. After all, Thais seem pretty easy to convince to just follow the flow. 

 

One thing I do not understand, is that a country being so exposed to tourists for so many years, still can be so afraid of the outside world.

I agree. 

Though they have been exposed to mass tourism for several decades, Thais, in the main, I think it's fair to say interact with outsiders on a single, mostly superficial plane. 

"You like Thailand?" 

"Where you come from?" 

"You like Thai food?" 

For 30 years, very few Thais want to know much more than this about me or almost any Farang I know. 

Thais generally view Farang in a transactional sense only. 

On 10/30/2018 at 10:38 PM, Katia said:

If it has the ability to go so horribly wrong, why not just let it be and find a girl old enough that you don't have to deal with her parents? Surely there are other fish in the sea without ending up in hot water over some kind of he-said/she-said, did too/did not game with the parents, and surely 18 is not too old to be a dealbreaker.

Have you ever felt the smooth, taught flesh of a teenager in your older body? Or smelled the sweet aroma if a 18 or 19 year old? Silky hair, white teeth, clear eyes. 

That's why. It's heaven on earth and NOTHING can approximate it. 

I'd rather have an average teenage girl than even the most beautiful 30 year old woman in the world. 

Seems many guys here shopping for sales.

Just as one poster earlier pointed to the obviousness of smelling meat before purchase (particularly in a developing, hot country), it should be common sense, given the business practices here, that anything heavily discounted should IMMEDIATELY 'raise the red flag' of caution and suspicion. 

I'm surprised every single one of us farang don't automatically know this stuff. 

3 hours ago, Ks45672 said:

I would agree with assessment, Thai women covered in gold or massive earrings with a fake smile are probably the ones that should be avoided but..... To each his own lol

Most of these commenters are just jealous. Typical responses when they see another farang with an attractive Thai woman 

2 minutes ago, lionsincity said:

 

Good heavens.......some of you got a raw deal.

Well we all like different types of girls. I'm flexible in my tastes

9 minutes ago, bermannor said:

All Thais I know who don't eat beef are good Buddhist and don't eat it because of religious reason, same (?) as Hindus.

Many Blacks in RSA dpn't eat beef because they don't eat "red meat".

I suppose it's a mixed bag. 

3 minutes ago, bermannor said:

Because it is much more expensive!

And sh1t quality. Not much better than chewing flavored rubber bands. Usually required to be swallowed without mastication . Not good for digestion. 

2 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

And please tell us where you came up with this gem?

 

"all older People"?    " horrific quality, chewy meat might be OK for many. "?

 

Are you serious?    Please edit with a Big smiley face.

 

Sorry not all but most. It's a natural aging process. If the average age of farangs discussing this topic was 30 years younger, the opinions would be dramatically different even just on account of them being able to properly taste and smell. Lol

I'm one of the older gentleman 

30 minutes ago, poanoi said:

i havnt asked any hindu, but the thais i asked

claimed it to be due to big animal

The reasons are mixed, but generally Thais have no problem eating beef except that they do not eat much of it. 

This thread provides some insight. 

https://www.quora.com/Is-it-generally-the-Thai-culture-where-people-dont-eat-beef-What-is-the-origin-of-that-culture

4 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

If you buy good quality meat sauce is not needed.  Some of the top steak houses in the world have no sauce.

I agree. There are a few South American (Argentinian, Brazilian) steakhouses in Bangkok. Generally no sauce, especially for beautiful meat like beef and lamb. 

Where I would make an exception is in the case of what is called French Dip in North America. The "au jus" is great. 

12 minutes ago, Bassosa said:

There's good beef to be had in Thailand, even Thai beef...

 

So that would be my suggestion to the OP; before you do anything make sure you have a firm understanding of beef in Thailand. Provenance, prices, availability etc. Some of the cheaper cuts (brisket for instance) can be super nice if cooked in a certain way and served sliced. Why not experiment with 'sous vide' cooking method? It's actually a method that can really help you streamline your cooking process as the meat needs only little time on the grill once removed from the sous vide bath.

 

Perhaps offer the Aussie, US stuff as a premium?

 

Sides are pretty much always done very badly here (mash, veg, sauces), so there's your opportunity to set yourself apart from the rest.

Other than that I would recommend eating at all similar restaurants in your area. See what they do right and what they do wrong. It will help you formulate your offering and possibly your USP's.

Thai restaurants are good for what they are, but one thing you'll never ever get in a Thai restaurants: a caring host who wants to look after you. I sometimes go to a French restaurant with a very hands on owner. Such a breath of fresh air to have someone around that gives a sh*t whether you're having a good time or not. In Thailand, you normally get a few Thai kids hovering around your table, if they're not too busy on their phone. You've got to set the example, leave it to them and service levels will slip, no doubt.

 

Once you're trading, keep the place clean (not just the floor) to have a one-up on the competition. Be different and remove the clutter from your premises before it accumulates. 

This is sound advice given the OP's stated objectives and constraints. 

The sousvide cooking method could be particularly helpful. There's a decent place doing sousvide called "Trust Me I'm Chef" https://www.facebook.com/trustmeImchefkhun/

As for the quality of Thai beef, I suppose it's highly subjective, but I can't agree that any Thai beef I've had anywhere in the country in my 30 years has been quality. 

I do agree that you can make lower quality beef reasonably edible if cooked properly. And, most Thais have no idea that flash cooking or rapid high heat cooking without tenderizing is not appropriate to get a soft, succulent piece of meat. 

6 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

I gave up with buying beef at our local markets. It`s mostly buffalo meat and so tough that it`s probably possible to sole shoes with it. I do miss a nice tender piece of lamb, but too expensive here in Thailand.

?? Agree. Thai food, in the main, is wonderful, but Thai "beef" is the pitts. First thing I do when I get to Singapore or Malaysia or Indonesia is have some decent beef (usually imported from Oz). 

Thai beef is truly appalling stuff and no wonder Thais barely eat any "beef". 

I should add that target age matters quite alot. All older people begin to loose their taste and find it more difficult to distinguish qualities. So the horrific quality, chewy meat might be OK for many. 

As another poster above noted, 10,000 Baht rent for such a restaurant seems high. Will depend on all the other dozens of factors of your business plan. Generally, though, in Thailand, keeping costs as low as possible is preferable. Most Thais are less interested in higher quality than they are in lower costs.

I agree with you, OP. Thais do eat steak for those prices, but, from a Westerner perspective, that meat is terrible quality. Thai beef (even Thai French) is the worst I've had in any country. And, Thais generally don't know how to cook it western tastes. 

To answer your questions about business plan, it would help to know alot more detail you are considering such as:

1. Location (province, urban vs rural?) 

2. Competition (other similar restaurants?) 

3. Management (will you manage or perhaps leave it to Thai lady) 

4. Target customer profile (farang/age, Thai/age) 

5. Property (established already or will build) 

It's not easy to really say much of anything useful without seeing a draft business plan. There are a few farangs who have been wildly successful in Thailand in Food & Beverage. The Wishbeer guys are a great example. A few years ago when they were putting their business plan together, they did some research on thr forums. You might be able to search and find the forum topics. 

Good luck 

8 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

But if they come up and tackle you from behind, whattaya gonna do?

Probably succomb in that case 

41 minutes ago, bermannor said:

What is a dense woman ??

• Breast density is not based on how this area feels or the size but rather how it looks on a mammogram
• Obviously never dated a black well fed woman.

When you grab the thing, you can feel the weight of it. Indian women have particularly heavy breasts. I've been with black women as well. Same thing but particularly with that butts. Very heavy butts with lots of muscles. Their butta are even more muscular than those of average Asian men. I dont like it. Prefer soft, youthful and lighter weight breasts and butts. 

28 minutes ago, balo said:

Iranian women can be stunning , never been to Iran , maybe just go there and see what happens. 

 

I find the middle eastern women along with black and Indian women to be too dense. Compared to Asians, their butts are more muscled and their breasts heavier and a bit harder too. They are too sensual to enjoy more than very occasionally 

There are two main reasons most blokes like Thai/Asian women. 

1. They are diminutive in stature, making them appear youthful even into their middke age which satisfies our hebephilia instincts. 

2. In the case of Thai women, many hundreds of thousands are available and undiscerning 

In short, teenage- pubescent-looking women that will have us without much fuss. Powerful combination! 

On 7/7/2018 at 12:16 AM, bermannor said:

To name a girl "ugly" shows your character. Also those, you applauded you also. Obviously a meeting of 60+ Patty expats.

I don't think saying this is a bad character reflection. There's a difference saying something anonymously and saying to someone's "you are ugly" or "your lady is ugly". Beauty standards for women are by and large more similar than not. 

Thai women that the vast majority of farang end up with tend to be:

1. Highly undesirable to local men

2. Poorly educated (even by Thai standards) 

3. Unable to converse in a mutually intelligible language 

4. Dark, but we can discount that as Asians only dislike dark skin

5. Splay-toed

6. Former "bar girls" or "massage girls" or "hair dressers" which we all understand to mean hookers

7. Short and relatively stocky by Asian standards 

To each his own