Jaydillon

i can rememeber before (probably not now) I could buy a case of San Miquel which worked out about 27 baht in those wholesale shops which are scattered everywhere..... so then a bar sells it for 45 baht.. thats an uplift of approx 60% which is pretty good considering how easy the product is to handle as it doesn't go off like, say, fruit and veg where you have to allow for waste...

Anyway I'm talking about "bars" that consist of 4 counters, a fridge and a couple of fans.... so if someone can't see the common sense of paying less for a beer in a bar in the same vincinity thats up to them....

"thats sums up about 85 % of Pattaya day time clientele.. even though I'm not a business guru, thats not a bad share of the market...especially if your bar consists of the open air tin roof variety..."

William, maybe I can educate you just a little on how owning a bar works. First off an open air tin roof in Pattaya is not cheap. In fact an enclosed bar in BKK costs less. Pattaya rents are really high. I looked at an open air tin roof place on Soi 7 last month. Let's assume I took it. There was one million Bht a year key money and the rent was 70,000 a month. Take the one million and devide it by 12 months, that comes to 83333 Bht add the 70,000 Bht per month and you get the true rent for a month 153,333 a month.

Now that 27Bht San Miguel you talk of actually costs 34 Bht delivered. Sell that beer for 45 Bht and there is a profit (not really, I'll explain) of 11 Bht That is 7.5% profit, not 60%

I'm sure that you like your beer cold, so I will have to buy ice every day to keep it cold. One bag won't do it. Lets say that I only spend 1,000 Bht a month on ice, because I really don't care how cold the beer is, after all I give you a condom for the bottle, and a cool cloth to wipe the sweat off you. Oops, another 1,000 Bht or a month

You will not go in if the lights are not on or fans running, so lets add 2,000 Bht a month for electricity.

Now we will assume a light bulb never burns out, a glass never brakes, no one ever knocks over a speaker, and chairs never break or get worn out, and coolers run forever. WE will make maintenance 0 Bht

My clientele only cares about price of beer, and not service, or ladies, so I skimp on those. I hire one casheer at 5,000 a manager at 10,000 and have two ladies serving during the day, and two more at night, the cheapest rate for a fat 35 year old woman with bad strech marks is 2,500 Bht each. (we are all the same here, and a bar with only two ladies working will attract us right in) we have a total staff costs of 25,000 Bht

We won't add in the cost of things I had to buy to open the bar. Like furniture, glasses, a sign, light fixtures, fans, sound system, after all, they are cheap, and I shouldn't need to recoup the cost anyway, after all, I'm the bar owner. That should be enough.

Let's add those costs up. Rent 153,333 Keeping beer cold 2,000 electricity 2,000 maintenance 0 staff 25,000 that equals 183,333 Bht I have to pay to serve you a half warm beer by an ugly lady. If we take that 183,333 and divide it by the 11 Bht "profit" I make on a beer and we get 16575, the number of beers I have to sell per month to break even. Divide that by 30 days in a month and we get 552 beers a day I have to sell to break even. Or 552 times 45 Bht per beer equals 24,863 Bht per day my bar has to make to break even.

Lets talk about you for a minute. You will come to my bar because of my cheap prices, and the fine lady company I have available. I'm going to guess you'll take up one of my seats for about two hours and buy three beers got a total profit to me of 33 Bht Now I only have to make 24,833 Bht more today, to break even. Wow. Break even means I don't make any money. That's OK though, I'm only in business to make you happy and comfortable. I don't have to do the things you do,, like have a place to live, eat, drink, take my lady out, or send her family money. It's OK if I can't go to a movie, or pay for a taxi, they are extravagances anyway.

Is there anything else I can do for you?

Maybe I should give you my girlfriend for 33 Bht for 2 hours also. dam_n, I'll be rolling in money then.

OK point taken. So if the cost of running a bar is unbearable and lucky if you break even, then on top of all that you have to put up with guys like Osborne and my self why are you even considering to rent a bar in Soi 7 you must be bonkers. Come- on even a chimpanzee with a half a brain can suss it out.

Difficult to compare apples and apples here - if a person were to mirror their lifestyle exactly in both locations then yes, Thailand is less expensive than England. But people don't do that, instead they adapt to their location. For Brits in the UK there is a an opportunity to work on occasion and therefore to increase their income should they wish, that option doesn't exist in Thailand. Similarly, the person who lives in inexpensive accommodation in Pattaya and spends a lot of money on cheap beer is unlikely to have adopt that same lifestyle in the UK I would guess. So the variables in this debate are not only the cost of consumer goods etc but also the changes in lifestyle that take place based on where a person lives. For me personally, I maintain that UK and Thai living costs are broadly very similar. The fact that I don't spend a portion of my income on taxes means that I now spend that money in a different way.

So to adapt one must consider:

hot water a luxury

a microwave a gift from above

a fridge the size of a shoe box as normal

No clothes dryer as normal

No dish washer machine as normal

driving a crappy car as normal

Forgetting that there is such a thing a central air conditioning

etc etc....

Then after all of that adapting..... living life in Thailand is cheap.....

and I contend, if I lived the above life style in the states, life would have been very cheap too.

The wife and I live on a budget of about 80K a month, and we have no rent no utilitis. Just food, gas, insurance etc. We sock away about 15K USD a year. But that 15K even if I were to spend it rather than save it would not push me up in to the BMW life style I had in the states.

All the consumer items you've listed are pretty much standard every day fare in Thailand and easily available - good quality cars and appliances are very much the norm for most expats and indeed, many Thai's also.

Yea, that must be why there is a western style kitchen complete with a dish washer on display at our local museum. I get a chuckle when I see the crowds gather around so they can watch it "work." The museum had a plexi glass front placed on the dish washer so people can watch the "miracle machine" spin and spray water. Folks stand around in pure shock and awe for hours. They also have a microwave and an oven in the kitchen. The funny thing is, the museum "claims" that the western style bathroom and kitchen on display represents today's "Thai" life style!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Living in denial, seems to be contagious in Thailand.

BTW, as I was walking through a 100,000 baht a month rental property yesterday, my wife and I saw the house was equiped witha clothes dryer. My wife was surprised, as was I, because it was the first one I have seen in 4 years. Now lets see, 100,000 Baht rent, in an economy where most people earn 7-12K a month......

Nahhhh Thailand is cheap!!!!!!!!! Yea.... right

I never stated that the above items were not available, I questioned if they were affordable in the Thai economy. Something else to consider, when and IF one does find quality goods, one of the reasons it is evensive is because the Thai market can not obtain high volume discounts. Not many people can affor quality, so the shops can only purchase small quantities, equaling higher whole sale prices, it is a big cycle.

Good point made

Just go back to Australia my friend you will be OK

The majority are obviously not Millionaires in there home country and are not ex astronauts excetra but not everyone here is broke/liar,i know plenty of people who run bars here that are financially well off and only run a bar here as a hobby,maybe you are a tad bit cynical.

Hobby LOL so you don't think that there are glorified pimps

CSBC Law.

Sathorn Rd. at Nawatiwat Rd.

Hi Have you got a email address or phone number.

Anyone who opens a beer bar in Pattaya is an idiot

Or as pimp. The usual way to make money.

Well all beer and gogo bar owners are glorified pimps

Go to ISUZU Thailand web site and look at new prices,with regards to extras it's always good to ask for it,The figures shows that new and used car sales in Thailand has dropped considerably,it's a buys market specially as we are approaching christmas.

If you are a cash buyer you should look around for a good deal.

Good luck

Thanks , do you have a link for the IZUZU site , only one i can find is all in Thai and no mention of prices

Yes the once that I can find is also Thai,walk in to your local dealer.Have a look at Thai-Visa classifieds adds as well you might find a good used one.

Go to ISUZU Thailand web site and look at new prices,with regards to extras it's always good to ask for it,The figures shows that new and used car sales in Thailand has dropped considerably,it's a buys market specially as we are approaching christmas.

If you are a cash buyer you should look around for a good deal.

Good luck

Thanks guys good info

Regards

Well there is a lot of BMP guys in Thailand specially Pattaya and more towards Rayong. Majority of Thais do not understand due to lack of education ect. I have been told that There are few bars in Pattaya which are own by BNP guys.

I think they will fitting very well in Thailand as Thai's do discriminate there own.For example a darker skin Thai gets discriminated by lighter skin Thais when it comes to jobs ect. They look at them as 3rd class citizens My Thai mats have told this to me.

Any way these sick bastards are all over the plant,I my self will NOT put up with it.

Sir you are an a$$

bodypaul Are you a man or a mouse,if you got something constructive to say come out with it,be a man abot it.

Well there is a lot of BMP guys in Thailand specially Pattaya and more towards Rayong. Majority of Thais do not understand due to lack of education ect. I have been told that There are few bars in Pattaya which are own by BNP guys.

I think they will fitting very well in Thailand as Thai's do discriminate there own.For example a darker skin Thai gets discriminated by lighter skin Thais when it comes to jobs ect. They look at them as 3rd class citizens My Thai mats have told this to me.

Any way these sick bastards are all over the plant,I my self will NOT put up with it.

Yes I am looking to buy one in my name as well,as the post before any info will be great

Well if you are a plumber or a builder I have been told that there is plenty of work in POLAND

Tomster,

Cool bro thanks for the input,take care

The place is far from a shit pit, and you'll sometimes see rats in any bar that has an open area in Bangkok, they pop up from somewhere underground then tear round the place trying to get out before they get whacked. A rat doesn't imply poor hygiene standards in an area that has a direct link to the street - it's the ones in the kitchen you have to worry about...

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Ok so how do you know that the Rat or Rats dint find them selfs to the kitchen?my common sense tells me that there is a good possibility that the restaurant might be contaminated.With regards to the hygiene standards let me ask you a question:-

"If a cat has kittens in a pillar will you call the CATERPILLAR"

So if you import a bike the legitimate way and pay import duty aren't you allow to register and tax the bike and get the green book??

Of course.. But thats a 100k plus proposition..

And with the new emissions regs theres a lot of question marks.

Thanks Pal tell me a bit more about the emissions regulations in Thailand LOL and any grey areas.

So if you import a bike the legitimate way and pay import duty aren't you allow to register and tax the bike and get the green book??

Ya I went there a few days ago and saw a RAT running around,I just left.The place is a shit pit

Pattaya, November 7 [PATTAYA ONE NEWS] : In the early hours of Saturday Morning, Police were called to the Naklua Road in front of the Garage Beer Bar by Khun Barichart aged 42, the owner of a Toyota Corolla which was parked close to the Bar. She returned to her vehicle to find a naked and semi-conscious foreign man lying on the front bonnet. He had apparently defecated on the car and all over himself. Police arrived and eventually persuaded the man to come off the vehicle. He then fell to the ground and went back to sleep. The drunken man was identified as Mr. Karl-Heinz Leinthaler aged 57 from Germany who lives in Naklua according to the stated address on his driving license. Eventually the man was taken to the Police Station along with the car owner, Khun Barichart who made a Police Report concerning damage caused to her car. Mr. Leinthaler was placed behind bars for his own safety until later in the morning when he was interviewed by Police in relation to the incident which will undoubtedly require him to pay compensation for the damage he had caused to the car.

Source:

http://www.pattayaone.net

What a sad way to end the night out

We (wifey & I) used to ride bikes in the UK and had quite a collection before we jumped ship and left the country. It is quite possibly the single most thing that I miss since we began our travels- although real ale is alos on the short list. I like all kinds of two wheelers but top of the list is still the super sports bikes a la R1, the Fireblade, the Ninja, etcetera (apologies to the non-riders on here; that list may not mean much to them).

Anyway, I am yearning a fix to tear around on a mid range (600 cc) to top of the tree (full on litre) and wonder if there is anywhere around the Bangkok area that hires out similar styles of bikes for the day/weekend? Do they have a national track or some sort for a track day? I seem to recall watching scooter racing that looked mental and wonder if they allow some time on the track- for a price.

I appreciate this may be a niche request and that it may not get much response, but you never know. Cheers,

I I know a British guy that rents a Ducati 998S nice clean bike with 50mm Trmi's and slipper clutch if you like I'll PM his info.

Take care

Hi all.

After a whirlwind 3 months I'm planning on moving to Thailand and purchasing a business. Currently I qualify for a retirement visa (over 50) and will qualify eventually for a spouse visa but can envisage that I will want a "Work Permit" at some time in the near future.

I have scoured the forums and spoken to a number of Thai consulate officials but some other requirements make it a bit too complex for any one to give me a difinative answer.

My problem is that I have a considerable amount of "personal possesions", "household items", "tools" and an old (20yr) vehicle that I would like to bring to Thailand with me. Also the business that I am purchasing is not capitalised sufficiently to employ a foreigner at the moment (though this will change after/during purchase).

I am seeking advice on a number of points:

• Which visa is appropriate? From what I understand the customs exemption doesn't apply with an O visa (not permitted to post link but see "customs dot go dot th").
  
• If I get the B visa but dont get the work permit (immediately) will I still be allowed to import my belongings free of duty?
  
• As the business I am buying isnt capitalised to the required extent for employing a farang (but will be after I purchase it) will this effect the application for a B visa?
  
• Can anyone recommend a moving company (from Sydney to Pattaya/Bangkok) who have experience with this sort of move?
  
• Does anyone have experience with importing a vehicle of this age - it is more of a restoration project and is incomplete?
  

No doubt I'll have some more questions but any advice would be appreciated

Cheers 2SS

Hi email Stein with all your questions very good service and highly recommended.Good luck

United Relocations:

www.united-relo.com

United Relocations (Thailand) Co. Ltd

360/21-22 Moo-Ban Sri Krung,

Rama III Road, Yannawa

Bangkok 10120, Thailand

Tel: 02 285 3974/5

Mobile: 08 9665 2050

Fax: 02 285 3976

Recommendations:

At this end, receiving into Bangkok and forwarding to my home on the Gulf, I used:

United Relocations:

www.united-relo.com

United Relocations (Thailand) Co. Ltd

360/21-22 Moo-Ban Sri Krung,

Rama III Road, Yannawa

Bangkok 10120, Thailand

Tel: 02 285 3974/5

Mobile: 08 9665 2050

Fax: 02 285 3976

Email: Stein Krakholm [email protected]

The Bangkok based office of this company is managed by Europeans.

and had excellent service. Stein responded to my queries, answered very clearly and specifically, including information about beverage costs, which I very much appreciated.

Highly recommend him and his firm for receiving goods into Thailand. If I was shipping anywhere, I'd ask him to see if we could organize it.

Unfortunately, I did not have him and United Relocations on the shipping end. That was a ferkin' disaster, and I got ripped off!

So, with the positive for United Relocations, I'll also include a negative for a company called Euro Transport (aka Internic Services) out of Montreal, Toronto, etc. and particularly Florida, USA.

I prepaid an estimated amount - they charged me twice but immediately refunded one charge. However, I was stuck with the difference in buying and selling rates of US dollars! They did promise me an eventual refund for this, but it never happened.

I delivered my boxes to them and they were simply stacked on a pallet; I had measured it all but without appropriate stacking, they apparently remeasured and increased the volume by 40%. i.e. increased charges

Just a few days before my shipment was to arrive in Bangkok, and I had been crying for their Bill of Lading so it could be released here, they sent me another invoice, increasing the fee again.

Ever felt you're over a barrel with your naked butt stuck up in the air?

And they even had a "clause" in the payment authorization saying "I Will not dispute thes charges neither with my bank nor credit card company." (Yes, that's exactly what it said.)

And they'd tossed in an additional 5% "service" charge.

I definitely felt that I'd been serviced, in the bovine sense!

But what choice did I have. Until I authorized that payment, Stein here in Bangkok would be left looking at my pallet and unable to do anything.

So, I signed it. However, I added a small notation, that it was "Coerced." I had not signed it voluntarily!

I have been in contact with my credit card company, and the only thing they can credit me for is the unpaid refund. They say that the rest of it is a matter for the police, although they didn't specify which police - Thai, Canadian, Montreal, Interpol?

So, for the matter of about a hundred and a half dollars, my real recourse is to members of ThaiVisa, who move or know people who do. Take close note of that name: Euro Transport, Internic Services, and pass it around as one to avoid!

To finish on a positive note again, Stein Krakholm and United Relocations are highly recommended by me. If anyone wants further information, please don't hesitate to PM.

Yes I agree with you on United Re-locations and Stein Very good service and Highly recommended.Good luck

the problem is that the average Somchai will just change lanes without looking in his mirrors. ride the wrong direction to save fuel. not have working lights at night time.

I dont think I need to say anymore!

Yet it's okay for "average Somchai" to get in his beaten up old truck, with one headlight facing to the moon and the other lined up to blind oncoming drivers, no seatbelts, brakes last serviced when Prem was PM, pile the family onto the back and crab along the expressway with the front pointing 45 degrees to the direction of travel? Get real. How many average Somchai's own big bikes? How many big bikes are there in the country? Do you really think the expressways will become crowded with lane changing idiots riding the wrong way? You'll find the vast majority of big bike riders in Thailand are the safest road users. We have to be, with so many car driving idiots around.

100% spot on the problem is there are lot of anti bike people around.I have been riding 1000cc+ bike on UK motorways for years without any problem.I must say motorway big bike riders ride with care and respect to other road uses and I feel much safer.This pissed me off that when I come to Thailand I am NOT allowed to ride my Ducati on the motoways.The law is outdated and needs changing we should run a poll and see the results.The majority will be in favour allowing big bikes on Thai motorways.

you couldn't pay me enough to ride/drive a bike on an express way in Thailand and this has nothing to do with being small minded, it has more to do with wanting to live

Not only that, but Thais treat motorcycles like bycicles, riding in and out of traffic etc etc. Thais will not have ANY regard to saftey at all. There will be fatalities every 10 minutes or so....

After a while, Thailand would have a population issue on their hands.

Population issue don't worry I can help to resolve that issue

Are There Many Guys Like Me In Thailand?

No, you are unique!

Nice one