The Gold Shops

[undercover]

Why are all the gold shops painted and decorated the same ? I take it they are all owned by the same people, if they were individual owned they would all be different, If it is a monopoly, who are the big boy's running the show ?

Edited January 14, 2007 by undercover

[adad]

Yes, the same people. The Chinese.

If you go to a gold shop in Malaysia or even Singapore, chances are they will look very similar to the ones you see in Thailand.

[undercover]

If it's the same people then, the Chinese, these are very powerful people, tied in with goverment but on whos side ?

[dee123]

i think its just a case of the chinese history of trading.

[Acquiesce]

These are traditional Chinese-Thai gold shops, distinctive for their red and gold interiors, red symbolises the positive aspects of life such as happiness, wealth, fame etc. Red is always associated with good luck, this colour is also meant to ward off evil spirits.

Ever seen Chinese new year celebrations?

[COBBER]

I thaught that this indicated that the shops were properly licensed and sold the genuine article. Nothing to do with being franchised or owned by the same company.

[tropo]

I thaught that this indicated that the shops were properly licensed and sold the genuine article. Nothing to do with being franchised or owned by the same company.

They are not franchises. If they were, they wouldn't be lined up along the street side by side as they are in certain parts of Pattaya, and on Yaowarat Road in Bangkok.

A lot of these shops have been going for over 100 years. The government is working hard to keep the trade honest, but still a lot of gold sold as 96.5% is still only 91-92%. Be careful where you buy it.

[cdnvic]

They are not franchises. If they were, they wouldn't be lined up along the street side by side

Never stopped Starbucks

[Acquiesce]

They are not franchises.

Some are actually, Tang Toh Kang, Thailand's oldest goldsmith shop founded during the reign of King Rama V 120 years ago, capitalised on its goodwill in 2004 by becoming the first Thai gold outlet to expand into the franchise business.

[tropo]

They are not franchises. If they were, they wouldn't be lined up along the street side by side

Never stopped Starbucks

Maybe I've missed it, but where can you find 50 Starbucks lined up on one street?

[Rinrada]

Seems that there is about 5 big Chinese families who own most the the shops and have connections all over SEA.

Biggest in LOS is called Huat Seng Heng who is believed to have 1000 shops with a Mr ( Khun) Thoc Gang coming in as No 2 .

Tang Toh Kang is up there with the best but down the list and with a different setup......

[cdnvic]

They are not franchises. If they were, they wouldn't be lined up along the street side by side

Never stopped Starbucks

Maybe I've missed it, but where can you find 50 Starbucks lined up on one street?

Seen three on one short block before.

[Heng]

Seems that there is about 5 big Chinese families who own most the the shops and have connections all over SEA.

More like a hundred or so families if you're talking about gold.

[Briggsy]

Whilst we're on topic, what is the going rate for a policeman to spend the day sitting in a gold shop?

[Sing_Sling]

It's not some big Chinese conspiracy as some would like to believe. As mentioned before, it is part of the trading background of the merchant Chinese . . . more like 100 families rather than 5.

[undercover]

Conspiracy or not these are some very powerful people, as with other countrys the real people running them you never hear about, with the help of some goverment members you can bet these gold familys are pulling a lot of strings regarding the running of this place.

[thaihome]

Conspiracy or not these are some very powerful people, as with other countrys the real people running them you never hear about, with the help of some goverment members you can bet these gold familys are pulling a lot of strings regarding the running of this place.

There are much more powerful families than the gold traders. There are several family run conglomerates that are huge and probably exert a lot more influence.

TH

[fxm88]

Maybe I've missed it, but where can you find 50 Starbucks lined up on one street?

http://www.starbucks.com/retail/locator/Pr...3a1123+Broadway

http://www.starbucks.com/retail/locator/Pr...1400+W+Broadway

http://www.starbucks.com/retail/locator/Pr...ambridge+Circus

Edited January 15, 2007 by fxm88

[johnnyk]

If it's the same people then, the Chinese, these are very powerful people, tied in with goverment but on whos side ?

They are the owners. They are on the Chinese side.

Tied in to governments in SE Asia in the sense of employer-employee.

[pampal]

The gold shops in yaowarat are Chinese owned.

The Chinese have immense influence in Thailand and the Thai gov't have historically admired the chinese work ethic.

Over a hundred years ago, the Thai gov't encouraged marriage between the Thai and Chinese in order to instill some of that work ethic in their native Thai populace.

Definitely a failed effort, as the Thai are as lazy and bumbling as ever, and the Chinese are as industrious as ever.

Interestingly, many of the workers in Chinatown are now from Issan(not sure about the spelling,Isarn-Isaan).

[HenryB]

Conspiracy or not these are some very powerful people, as with other countrys the real people running them you never hear about, with the help of some goverment members you can bet these gold familys are pulling a lot of strings regarding the running of this place.

We all should known its the Rothschild's even in Thailand.

[jbowman1993]

Ah yes! The big "Chinese Conspiracy". A Thai Visa Classic!!!

[Rinrada]

It's not some big Chinese conspiracy as some would like to believe. As mentioned before, it is part of the trading background of the merchant Chinese . . . more like 100 families rather than 5.

If you say so......

[Heng]

The Chinese have immense influence in Thailand and the Thai gov't have historically admired the chinese work ethic.

Over a hundred years ago, the Thai gov't encouraged marriage between the Thai and Chinese in order to instill some of that work ethic in their native Thai populace.

Well, not exactly. It's been more of a love and hate relationship. Easily within the past 100 years the Thai-Chinese have been forbidden (by the gov't) from opening Chinese schools, speaking Chinese, and harrassed by the police and army - this only stopped when the Thai Chinese finally took control of the police and army... first by supporting/sponsoring friendly Thais to rise up through the ranks and then in combination with pushing Thai Chinese candidates to the higher up posts. I think any admiration has only come from the fact that nowadays there aren't too many other folks to emulate: the Thai Chinese have pretty much taken over (and where there are gaps, there is probably only one degree of separation involved) the entire economy, from toothpicks to telecoms.

Resistance is futile.

[steveromagnino]

Actually, most of the supposedly 'anti-farang' measures posters object to (land ownership, business ownership, spouse until recently unable to own land if married to a foreigner) stem from anti Chinese measures. Not dissimilar to many western countries such as NZ that charged a poll tax for Chinese immigrants to enter NZ which was then used to subsidise english to emmigrate there. And that was still around until probably only 50 years ago.

Supposedly 55% of the Thai economy is controlled by Chinese ethnicity; 70% of the Indo economy is supposedly controlled by Chinese ethnicity (some article from Economist a few years ago, cannot remember the details more than this). Hongcouver, Singapore, Chowick, are all other places with massive Chinese money and control.

It is not just a 'Chinese work ethic' thing that some people would like to believe. It is primarily an immigrant thing; people prepared to put their butt on the line and move halfway across the world in debt to start over again tend to be a lot more motivated than people who just sit around picking their nose. That's why smart countries like immigration and is a critical reason for success in America (getting in brains, Indian doctors and so on), Singapore and other places.

We is takin' ova; all of your flied lice jokes and liches and lesorts is now berong to us.

[chuchok]

The Chinese have immense influence in Thailand and the Thai gov't have historically admired the chinese work ethic.

Over a hundred years ago, the Thai gov't encouraged marriage between the Thai and Chinese in order to instill some of that work ethic in their native Thai populace.

Well, not exactly. It's been more of a love and hate relationship. Easily within the past 100 years the Thai-Chinese have been forbidden (by the gov't) from opening Chinese schools, speaking Chinese, and harrassed by the police and army - this only stopped when the Thai Chinese finally took control of the police and army... first by supporting/sponsoring friendly Thais to rise up through the ranks and then in combination with pushing Thai Chinese candidates to the higher up posts. I think any admiration has only come from the fact that nowadays there aren't too many other folks to emulate: the Thai Chinese have pretty much taken over (and where there are gaps, there is probably only one degree of separation involved) the entire economy, from toothpicks to telecoms.

Resistance is futile.

great post Heng.didn't it all start with Taksin after he helped fight the Burmese?