My wife and brother in law asked me to invest 50% for an existing massage shop in Pattaya. What are the ups and downs 

and is it a viable Return on Investment? 

Not visa related. Moved to here.

No one can answer that without knowing the income/expenditure of the existing business and how much you’re paying.

 

I suggest, with a naive question like that, you should only invest money you’re prepared to lose. It’s very possible you’re not going to have a happy ending!

I think you are being ultra optimistic expecting a return on your investment, but you never know. Questions you should get satifactory answers to before stumping up any money:

1. Is the business making money already? Look at the "books"

2. Location is key. Is there plenty of potential customers passing by?

3. Is there any competition nearby?

4. If the answer to 3 is Yes, what makes your proposed shop stand out?

5. Do you, your wife or her BIL have any experience of running a massage business or any business?

6. Who will be managing the business on a day-to-day basis? It really needs to be one of the investors. OP cannnot; no work permit; so it is down to the wife or BIL. Who do you trust more?

7. Do you intend to personally check all ingoings and outgoings on a weekly basis to find out if the business is viable?

Whatever you decide, good luck.

Edited February 13, 20188 yr by champers

@DJ54 Out of interest, how much money are we talking about?

Like any business one may think of buying, spend 2 weeks parked across the road at all hours, might be helpful. I have refused similiar offers, the girl would be too busy to look after me.

Edited February 14, 20188 yr by Colabamumbai
spelling

Any venture is a risk if you can afford to lose your investment then good if not don’t invest and with all the news that the government have cracked down on these type of establishments I would suggest it is a very risky investment but as they say in Thailand “ Up To You “

19 hours ago, DJ54 said:

What are the ups and downs

The up is that you can get as many massages as you want.

The down is that you are grossly overpaying for them, even though they don't charge you.

a very very naïve question,wife and here BROTHERINLAW.does he live in also.

I suggest they are putting the squeeze on you.

Involving her 'brother' makes me feel less confident too.

What will you get, 50% 'ownership' or shares, and responsibility for the debts. Have you been to see the place?

 

Pattaya is a saturated marked as far as MPs are concerned, most are simply covers for brothels. I doubt many make much money,  most of it is 'tips' given directly to the girls for extra services.  Don't trust any figures presented to you, better classified as fiction.

Edited February 14, 20188 yr by jacko45k

After coming to Pattaya first time many years ago I met a middle aged lady who worked in a massage shop. When business was slack in the off season the owner would bring "younger" ladies in from her home village to bring in some customers...thus leaving my friend with little or no work. I felt sorry for her and opened up for her a massage shop of her own. ....She had no idea however about how to run a business and it was soon in trouble. I suggested I get some flyers printed offering promotions and she could hand them out around the local bars....Her response was...."people get 300 bt. a day for doing this"...she wanted me to pay her that? ..I immediately closed down the shop after that and lost a lot of money.

  PS. I won't go into the ins and outs of it now....but she even threatened to go to the police on me for selling off (at least trying to) all  the contents like beds, curtains, the TV, ornamental fountain etc.,

  She had not invested one baht in the shop.

  You know the old saying......"No good deed goes unpunished".

Go next door its cheaper.

Sounds like you have Thai math skills already. "My wife and her brother in law" now get out a calculator. That is TWO people, now add YOU that is 3 people ok. Now divide 100% by 3 and you chip in 50%.  I really think you should jump on this once in a lifetime opportunity!!  

45 minutes ago, dotpoom said:

After coming to Pattaya first time many years ago I met a middle aged lady who worked in a massage shop. When business was slack in the off season the owner would bring "younger" ladies in from her home village to bring in some customers...thus leaving my friend with little or no work. I felt sorry for her and opened up for her a massage shop of her own. ....She had no idea however about how to run a business and it was soon in trouble. I suggested I get some flyers printed offering promotions and she could hand them out around the local bars....Her response was...."people get 300 bt. a day for doing this"...she wanted me to pay her that? ..I immediately closed down the shop after that and lost a lot of money.

  PS. I won't go into the ins and outs of it now....but she even threatened to go to the police on me for selling off (at least trying to) all  the contents like beds, curtains, the TV, ornamental fountain etc.,

  She had not invested one baht in the shop.

  You know the old saying......"No good deed goes unpunished".

Behaviour like that astounds me.

 

I have seen it in a lot of asian counties  such as china, vietnam

The staff usually get 50% of what they bring in so to split the remaining 50% three ways minus overhead there is not really enough skin in the game...  so to speak. 

Edited February 14, 20188 yr by csabo

That's probably not her brother.

You should invest 100%, you'll get free massages.

Translation - they want you to give them an amount of money.

 

Only give them what you can afford to give as a gift. Your chances of getting a ROI or ever being repaid the capital are pretty slim IME.

 

They won't want to discuss the business finances with you and you'll get more run around the Usain Bolt! 

 

It'll be "leave it to us, let us manage, need some more cash darling, etc etc etc".

 

Every time you ask about repayment or a ROI payment, they'll be stories which if challenged will escalate to arguments, the usual shouting, foot stamping and sulking to avoid actually answering your questions.

 

Seen and heard the same stories from so many well intention farangs. 

 

All Thais seem to want to run a business and many believe any idea will be an instant success - as long as someone else does the work and you pay the costs!

 

I know a few success stories where the couples have made a business work. But the ration is about 80/20 with 80 failing and leading to marriage difficulties.

Edited February 14, 20188 yr by Baerboxer

Don't get involved sounds like no happy ending and it will go belly up along with your G/F

1 hour ago, alex8912 said:

Sounds like you have Thai math skills already. "My wife and her brother in law" now get out a calculator. That is TWO people, now add YOU that is 3 people ok. Now divide 100% by 3 and you chip in 50%.  I really think you should jump on this once in a lifetime opportunity!!  

The OP never stated "My wife and her brother in law". If you have problems reading, do it slowly to get it right: it says My wife and brother in law. And there was no mention of partners, their respective shares, etc.

If its a legit massage shop, like a normal massage. Just drop by and have a look in the afternoons and at night to see how busy it is with tourist. If the shop is in a good location with many tourist coming in and out. Its fair to say its doing fine, unless the rent is expensive.

 

If its those shady massage places, forget it, you will run into trouble sooner or later with either the police and local mafias. Not worth the hassle.

A long times ago I said to my wife (baiting the trap), honey, you know I have money, now what can I invest into in Thailand to make money.

 

Her reply was; darling, you want to make 1 million baht in 6 months, you can open bar for 1.6 million baht, boom boom girls for 6 months and then sell bar for 1 million baht, only way you can make 1 million baht in Thailand, better you leave your money in your country and just boom boom girls when you want, no overheads, no eeeewectricity, no coluption money.

 

Smart girl my wife 555

 

Better chances of making 1 million baht in 6 months on the stock market, depending on how much you have to invest, to add, no partners, wife doesn't get to touch it and you control when to sell or just keep collecting the guaranteed returns.

Edited February 14, 20188 yr by 4MyEgo

14 minutes ago, Borzandy said:

You should invest 100%, you'll get free massages.

You still give tip and some extra for happy ending.

18 minutes ago, hobobo said:

The OP never stated "My wife and her brother in law". If you have problems reading, do it slowly to get it right: it says My wife and brother in law. And there was no mention of partners, their respective shares, etc.

My wife (1) brother in law (1)  OP (1) 

thats 3.  And if you don't think the whole topic is a wind up that's cool too!!  

Just what Pattaya needs, another massage shop. A viable return on investment? Are you serious? Only invest if you can afford the lose because  that is exactly what will happen. Otherwise respectfully decline. 

Yes, I would copy a winning shop in the building next door to it. Rarely would some one sell a winner. Someone is more likely to sell 49% than 50%. Why would a knowledgeable person sell 50% to a newbie? Asking for trouble.

 

After my favorite restaurant closed and a massage parlour opened I observed that there are lots of massage and ink parlours. I think you should open an ink joint that gives you a massage as you are getting the tat. Or vice versa. This is amazing idea for free. So what if the tat is a little blurry?

15 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

My wife (1) brother in law (1)  OP (1) 

thats 3.  And if you don't think the whole topic is a wind up that's cool too!!  

My oh my, you're still struggling with this. OP just said that two people asked him to invest half the money in a business venture. It could be that the wife's entire extended family want/hope that he could put up half the money, as they can only find the other half. No mention of equal shares between any partners. And if it's a wind up, it's a wind up...

Do you live there if not don’t invest.

if you invest be prepared to loose it.

Personnal returns of experiment.

If I not do I will be already living in Thailand since July.

Must work one year more .

If you invest be prepare to loose wife and money.

if you don’t be orepare to loose only your wife 1000% chance find a new wife 0% to recover your money 

Edited February 14, 20188 yr by pby92

There's a saying: if you want to make a small fortune in Pattaya, you'd better come with a big fortune!

Edited February 14, 20188 yr by Brunolem