jettgunther Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 Some fun wishful thinking: what business or service you wish existed in Thailand that you think would greatly enhance your expat life here? Either it exists in your home country and you wish Thailand had it too or you're thinking purely novel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonQuest Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 Nintendo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackcab Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 Moved to the Business Forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Genmai Posted April 21, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted April 21, 2020 The kind that isn't staffed by pimple popping shlep-shloppers with room temperature iq. Every product/service already exists here. It's just all mostly run by careless idiots. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Surelynot Posted April 21, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted April 21, 2020 Prostitution 3 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post NiwPix Posted April 21, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted April 21, 2020 Fairly "impossible" or too expensive to implement. An app where you can upload a document and / or picture in Thai and have it translated quickly. Option detailed translation or a summary of the document. Also an option to call someone instantly to help with a conversation / translation. Say you're stuck at homepro and want to buy a beach chair, but nobody knows what the hell your're talking about, use the app, call a translator. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Susco Posted April 21, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted April 21, 2020 1 minute ago, NiwPix said: Fairly "impossible" or too expensive to implement. An app where you can upload a document and / or picture in Thai and have it translated quickly. Option detailed translation or a summary of the document. Also an option to call someone instantly to help with a conversation / translation. Say you're stuck at homepro and want to buy a beach chair, but nobody knows what the hell your're talking about, use the app, call a translator. You ever heard about google translate, since that does all that and more? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post jackdd Posted April 21, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted April 21, 2020 13 minutes ago, NiwPix said: Say you're stuck at homepro and want to buy a beach chair, but nobody knows what the hell your're talking about, use the app, call a translator. Google has an option to search for pictures. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post NiwPix Posted April 21, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted April 21, 2020 27 minutes ago, Susco said: You ever heard about google translate, since that does all that and more? really? A random text I saw and was curious what it says. Obviously I have heard of google translate, but I also know that it does not translate well in many cases and can even cause miscommunication. That is why I, not you, wish there was a service that could do this correct and as needed. Sometimes ( or many times ) Google is just not good enough. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiwPix Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 25 minutes ago, jackdd said: Google has an option to search for pictures. an example...does it really need to be bullet proof that nobody else will come with "haha, have you not heard of google? have you been living behind a rock?" I can can up with cases where google translate, google pictures, the gf/wife are just not sufficient for translating. that is why I wish for a service that could handle this better...but I also understand the difficulty of doing this kind of service. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jettgunther Posted April 21, 2020 Author Share Posted April 21, 2020 3 minutes ago, NiwPix said: an example...does it really need to be bullet proof that nobody else will come with "haha, have you not heard of google? have you been living behind a rock?" I can can up with cases where google translate, google pictures, the gf/wife are just not sufficient for translating. that is why I wish for a service that could handle this better...but I also understand the difficulty of doing this kind of service. You're kidding me! I literally was floating this exact idea around with friends last week. I'm half Thai-American, so you can imagine how I'm always the go-to guy among my expat friends. But like you said, making it possible is a bit overwhelming. - It would require an app that can charge you by the minute when you call in - It would need a team of operators on stand-by at all times Not sure if there is going to be enough demand to pay for building the app and managing the team. I also was thinking of a virtual assistant service, where the client just submit various tasks and we bill by the hour. Less costly business to maintain. Would welcome any feedback. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susco Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 13 minutes ago, NiwPix said: really? A random text I saw and was curious what it says. Obviously I have heard of google translate, but I also know that it does not translate well in many cases and can even cause miscommunication. That is why I, not you, wish there was a service that could do this correct and as needed. Sometimes ( or many times ) Google is just not good enough. Do you know the correct translation? If so post it here please, because to me this looks more like a Thai text that isn't formatted correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jettgunther Posted April 21, 2020 Author Share Posted April 21, 2020 2 minutes ago, Susco said: Do you know the correct translation? If so post it here please, because to me this looks more like a Thai text that isn't formatted correctly. This example really drives the point about Google Translate not being sufficient, because that's not just Thai, it's also got Isaan slang! Also the grammar is messed up (which is common because some Thais are not that literate) I think it means "If you can't reach me, try calling me again after 10am" 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackdd Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Susco said: Do you know the correct translation? If so post it here please, because to me this looks more like a Thai text that isn't formatted correctly. We are missing some context and some of it is isaan dialect, my guess: If you don't have a signal / nobody answers call "pee" again. Arrive 10 o'clock (probably means: Don't call before 10) This shows which problems such a service would have. Easy things, like the beach chair example can already be solved by Google translate or Google picture search. But a service to translate for example this text are way more complicated. The person who requests a translation doesn't know how much context is needed to provide a proper translation. And due to the use of slang words / dialect it requires a real person on the other end, this is currently not doable by a machine. Edited April 21, 2020 by jackdd 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1FinickyOne Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 A corona virus vaccine would be nice about now... I want to go out again. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susco Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 4 minutes ago, jackdd said: And due to the use of slang words / dialect it requires a real person on the other end, this is currently not doable by a machine. And I think those services are already available, but not free of course, and also not instantly as that probably would be unachievable at a reasonable cost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiwPix Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 19 minutes ago, jettgunther said: You're kidding me! I literally was floating this exact idea around with friends last week. I'm half Thai-American, so you can imagine how I'm always the go-to guy among my expat friends. But like you said, making it possible is a bit overwhelming. - It would require an app that can charge you by the minute when you call in - It would need a team of operators on stand-by at all times Not sure if there is going to be enough demand to pay for building the app and managing the team. I also was thinking of a virtual assistant service, where the client just submit various tasks and we bill by the hour. Less costly business to maintain. Would welcome any feedback. Thanks I dont think ( and as of now ) wouldnt recommend an app. Developing a good and functional app itself is a lot of work. Then you need 2 sorry 3 different versions ( iOS, Android, Huawei ). Where as Huawei is basically the same as Android, but requires another account and just an extra platform to monitor. I would first look what you need the app to do, and then see if there is an app with a whitelabel option and just pay a monthly or yearly fee to use it ( with research though...you don't want to base your business model on another business...if they go broke or increase the fee's, you would be "screwed" ). Do you really need to charge by the minute? Maybe a monthly subscription with x free translations. and after that a "per request" fee. Similar with ATMs. You have x free withdrawels per month. After that limit is reached, you have x $ fee per transaction / withdrawel The problem will probably lie within Live customer support reps. While their are many that speak good english, what will happen when a scottsman calls for service? ( with all due respect to Scotsman and their language, but I even have difficulty understanding them ). There are just so many different englisch accents. Then the foreigner becomes angry that the support doesnt understand them and starts yelling / getting angry. Maybe focus on "instant" document and / or chat translations. A "per word" translation fee possibly. Don't hire staff. Do it similar to the online English teaching teachers. They signup on a platform. Their documents are verified ( ability to translate should be verified ) and they get a schedule or choose a schedule. PAy them a percent of the per word translation. These are just ideas and not thoroughly thought through, but maybe something to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveK Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 Good quality and reliable pizza delivery, even in smaller towns. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seancbk Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 17 hours ago, NiwPix said: really? A random text I saw and was curious what it says. Obviously I have heard of google translate, but I also know that it does not translate well in many cases and can even cause miscommunication. That is why I, not you, wish there was a service that could do this correct and as needed. Sometimes ( or many times ) Google is just not good enough. Well if you had edited out the 555 which denotes laughter in Thailand and the XiXi from the Thai you might have got a better translation. Google translate is only as good as the content you give it to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFishman1 Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Arby’s and Chick-fil-A 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario666 Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 "Gold On Wheels"....Ladyboy cheap Gold "recycling" by Ladyboys on Roller Skates....Particularly on Beach Road Pattaya!....Or has that already been done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logosone Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 That's easy. German supermarkets with quality German products, like they have in Spain and the UK and the US. You get some European products in Thai supermarkets but the choice could be better still. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianthainess Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Ladbrokes and William Hill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MayPutThai Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Hi, would be nice to allow even retired people to support Thai companies, schools with their job experience without having a business visa and the very high restriction of salary for 50kTHB. I would like to give some lesson per month, say 2 per week for basics in digital technique, automation process and programming for kids in class 9 and above or for adult people who like to learn such new skills. We have that schools in Germany and call it "Volkshochschule". Everybody can offer there an workshop and if enough people come together that will execute. That has chapters of any kind of the life, for cooking, language, technique or just any kind of hobby. Similar to the professional language schools here, but cheaper. While professional schools can give an official certificate, those public schools shall not hit their business, but can support. People may start first to see it suits to them before they go and spent much more money there. That could improve the overall education in Thailand after normal school and may can bring adults to a higher level if they had to stop school at kid after 4 years. Lets call it the "second education chance" But, so as I know Thai leaders, they would be too proud to see learning Thai people from Farang, instead to take the chance of that huge potential they have already in their country. For the retired guys it would also make fun to get some useful to do instead to sit every day from morning at 7/11 and drink beer. The money shall be just for the expenses they have and not be a salary. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surelynot Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 (edited) 8 minutes ago, MayPutThai said: Hi, would be nice to allow even retired people to support Thai companies, schools with their job experience Nice idea, but cannot see it happening. It would be tantamount to admitting they have solicited help from foreigners. Not the done thing. Edited April 22, 2020 by Surelynot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkk6060 Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Easy access and more availability to hire a reliable handyman. There are some handy women here though. ???? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baansgr Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Greggs....I'd kill for one of their steak slices right now 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rumak Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 20 hours ago, NiwPix said: Fairly "impossible" or too expensive to implement. An app where you can upload a document and / or picture in Thai and have it translated quickly. Option detailed translation or a summary of the document. Also an option to call someone instantly to help with a conversation / translation. Say you're stuck at homepro and want to buy a beach chair, but nobody knows what the hell your're talking about, use the app, call a translator. Hey Jett...... That might be for you ???? BTW: for every serious answer you will get at least ten one liners or putdowns LOL sometimes even from me ???? but the idea from niwpix is a good one 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaZa9 Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 (edited) 21 hours ago, NiwPix said: Fairly "impossible" or too expensive to implement. An app where you can upload a document and / or picture in Thai and have it translated quickly. Option detailed translation or a summary of the document. Also an option to call someone instantly to help with a conversation / translation. Say you're stuck at homepro and want to buy a beach chair, but nobody knows what the hell your're talking about, use the app, call a translator. While the 'ap' wasnt what I was thinking of , the application was. Lots of us can get along with basic Thai , but its the nuances and technical jargon for me that lets me down. "Say your stuck at homepro.." is exactly what Im talking about. I need a service where somebody , with building experience PLUS good English and Thai , sees what work on my house is required , discusses it , and goes along to the hardware place ( or more than one ) with me and tells them. Yes it would cost , but maybe the idea is to make a list and take pics of numerous jobs , engage the guy for a 4 hr shift , and go and get the gear. Would that cost 2,000 baht a day ? It'd be money well spent.. How many times have I headed home with 'naam som' or 'emulsion' ringing in my head ...a and no idea of what it means.. and no product in my truck.. Edited April 22, 2020 by zaZa9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natway09 Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Search google for deck chair,, go to a picture & show them in the shop. Done it many times. A picture tells a thousand words,,,,or something like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now