Ever did dream of being a bar owner?

[DefaultName]

Thought about it, but there's a certain likeable personality that all good bar owners have.  I don't.  

[Leaver]

 

Never even thought about it. I couldn't think of anything worse, especially in the latter years of one's life. 

 

Dealing with Thai prostitutes and their issues, corrupt police, greedy landlords, thieves, drug addicts, drunk tourists, and Thai bureaucracy for work permits and licenses.  

 

Why would one enslave themselves, particularly to a Thai landlord?  

 

 

[VocalNeal]

On 12/10/2021 at 6:10 PM, SAFETY FIRST said:

Yeh, same here mate. 

 

I wanted to buy the Soapy Massage joint for 470M baht but didn't have the money 

 

Did not go with that plan 

But I did go with my plan. Despite your edited quote from me.

[SAFETY FIRST]

19 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

But I did go with my plan. Despite your edited quote from me.

Sorry about that, I just looked at the original comment, it was not from you. 

 

I've got no idea how that happened. 

 

I did something strange, my fat fingers on this small phone 

Edited December 11, 2021 by SAFETY FIRST

[The Hammer2021]

Was the guy with the biker problem in Issan..? It's an old story. The only reason I would want to own a bar is to control the music and put up prices enough to keep the sad 'penny pinchers' out of the place

[VocalNeal]

1 hour ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Sorry about that, I just looked at the original comment, it was not from you. 

 

I've got no idea how that happened. 

 

I did something strange, my fat fingers on this small phone 

That's OK I have done it before. I'm not quite sure how I did it either. I think if you quote from inside a post if takes the top name in that post.

[The Hammer2021]

On 12/10/2021 at 9:45 AM, bbko said:

Easy to set up, hard to make a profit with added "expenses", rent, key money, pay-offs, protection, possible extortion, finding the right managers/workers, legal & illegal hoops to jump through.

Most of what you mention is covered by a business plan.

[The Hammer2021]

On 12/10/2021 at 5:08 PM, Darksidedude said:

Was the first thing i thought of doing when i arrived first time 1990, basically the main reason being you could stay forever in Thailand and have a multitude of girls at your doorstep.

 

Did not go with that plan only reason was money didn't have it, would have been a great experience as a young one (mid 20s) running a bar in Patts, was so envious of the guys running bars in BKK and Patts.

Most bars don't have girls available.

[mrwebb8825]

Yes, I had "The Dream" and even went so far as to make investigations in location, business practices, pricings, etc. The building owner was an old, well connected Chinese lady. The bar owner I was thinking of buying out was named "Joe" (don't remember his last name now as this was 23 yrs ago). The package deal came with a beach front house on beach road in Pattaya. Even had a level-headed girl lined up to manage the place while I was still working in the states.

The concept (which I still have never seen in Thailand to date) was based on a small beachfront bar I happened upon in Biloxi, MS. called Tropical Best Daiquiris. 12 (number would obviously be based on flavors served) mixing machines keeping the daiquiri mix blended and cold, much like a Slurpee machine in most 7-11s in the states minus the alcohol which would be added at purchase. (or not added for virgin daiquiris)

Operating hours would have been basically during the heat of the day as a nice cold drink would be more popular then so, never an issue with closing times. Could have even added "coffee" flavors as the trend became popular. The place in the states also had "Cherry Bombs" which were Maraschino Cherries soaking in Everclear. (closest equivalent here would be Thai moonshine)

Needless to say, it never came to fruition. While working on collecting the necessary funds (1.4 million THB for papers, ownership transfer and renovations) to get things rolling, 9/11 and following events side-tracked my plans.

Okay, flamers flame away, entrepreneurs, feel free to take the idea and run with it. I'm too old and retired now. 

[HAPPYNUFF]

I would have more respect for myself  if I was just a low life politician, rather than a bar owning pimp.

[OneMoreFarang]

52 minutes ago, HAPPYNUFF said:

I would have more respect for myself  if I was just a low life politician, rather than a bar owning pimp.

There are a couple of these pimp quotes in here. I have to admit I don't understand the problem.

 

Bar owners employ girls. Some dance, some serve drinks, etc. And obviously those girls get paid by the bar/owner.

In traditional bars outside of Thailand you can talk to the hot waitress, but if you want to see her outside of the bar then you have to wait for closing time or her day off.

In Thailand in many bars if there is a cute girl and if you would like to go out with her then you can barfine her there and then. She won't work for that day/night anymore but she still wants to get her salary at the end of the month. So who is going to pay for that? Should the owner just say: Go out and have fun, I will pay you anyhow because I have too much money. Or does it make sense that the owner get compensated for paying her salary?

What the girls do after they go out with the customer is up to them and not the business of the owner.

So what's the problem?

[BritManToo]

57 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Or does it make sense that the owner get compensated for paying her salary?

Assuming she gets a salary.

I used to drink in a bar where the girls paid 100-150bht/night to be there.

[Hummin]

I would not fit in as a pimp for a girlie bar in Pattaya, however it is nice to visit a well run bar, with decent staff, and you can see the owner taking good care of business and the girls, but my best guess, there is not many bars like that. It is a dirty business, and again, no Im not the type for it. 

 

Another thing Im not that social or patient I could put up with all the bar talks with clients with the same topics over and over again and again. 

 

Aussie HA he was talking about? 

Edited December 12, 2021 by Hummin

[Hummin]

13 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Was the guy with the biker problem in Issan..? It's an old story. The only reason I would want to own a bar is to control the music and put up prices enough to keep the sad 'penny pinchers' out of the place

Imagine having a bar with the hottest girls in Pattaya, who are not allowed to go out with customers, not allowed to drink alchohol during work, and school during the day with language, thai and world history, politics and science, and off course updated on premier League, etc. Paid well enough so they kept to the rules. 

 

Would that attract clients at all? After all there is so many customers who know everything, and willing to discuss everything with everyone, so could it be something? 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2021 by Hummin

[clivebaxter]

Anyone remember Titty Twister in Nana Plaza? tiny bar about 20 years ago. The 'owner' with a Mexican sounding name sold large shares in it to a few people, including a disabled Scandinavian in a wheelchair, before doing a runner! From what I saw over the years the Thais were often the least of peoples problems!

[VocalNeal]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Assuming she gets a salary.

I used to drink in a bar where the girls paid 100-150bht/night to be there.

Russians used to pay more.

[VocalNeal]

42 minutes ago, clivebaxter said:

From what I saw over the years the Thais were often the least of peoples problems!

I was told once that if you are going to get scammed in Pattya it will likely be and expat, not a local.

Edited December 12, 2021 by VocalNeal

[The Hammer2021]

2 hours ago, Hummin said:

Imagine having a bar with the hottest girls in Pattaya, who are not allowed to go out with customers, not allowed to drink alchohol during work, and school during the day with language, thai and world history, politics and science, and off course updated on premier League, etc. Paid well enough so they kept to the rules. 

 

Would that attract clients at all? After all there is so many customers who know everything, and willing to discuss everything with everyone, so could it be something? 

 

 

What is this post about?

[Hummin]

10 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

What is this post about?

The dream of being a pimp!?

[Hummin]

On 12/10/2021 at 5:25 PM, Chris.B said:

The only people who have made money out of bars are the ones who sell a bar to a farang and then buy it back at a fraction of the price when it inevitably flops!

Or the girl convince their new bf, it is a good idea, and when money is up, she find a new bf sponsor/owner as she did every time.

Edited December 12, 2021 by Hummin

[OneMoreFarang]

On 12/10/2021 at 5:25 PM, Chris.B said:

The only people who have made money out of bars are the ones who sell a bar to a farang and then buy it back at a fraction of the price when it inevitably flops!

Where does your insider knowledge come from?

I know a couple of bar owners who made a lot of money over the years.

I don't say every bar (owner) makes money. But pre-Covid there were certainly enough bars with a healthy income. 

[Chris.B]

10 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Where does your insider knowledge come from?

I know a couple of bar owners who made a lot of money over the years.

I don't say every bar (owner) makes money. But pre-Covid there were certainly enough bars with a healthy income. 

By "bar owner", do you mean "bar 49% owner" ? 

 

The other 51% being owned by the obligatory Thai partner. Enuff said. ????

 

Edited December 12, 2021 by Chris.B

[Hummin]

Over the years I lived In Hua Hin, I would say by my experience, maybe 20% of falang owners/sponsors made some money, and maybe 10% of them made good money! 

 

To many foreigners jumping onboard without knowledge, social skills or business theft at all. 

 

It's about hard work, know your clients, chit chats, prices, staff, network, location (not necessary if you have all above, but in most cases necessary)

Edited December 12, 2021 by Hummin

[Chris.B]

19 hours ago, Leaver said:

Dealing with Thai prostitutes and their issues, corrupt police, greedy landlords, thieves, drug addicts, drunk tourists, and Thai bureaucracy for work permits and licenses.  

Hey! Less of the drunk tourists please!   

[xylophone]

On 12/10/2021 at 9:45 AM, bbko said:

Easy to set up, hard to make a profit with added "expenses", rent, key money, pay-offs, protection, possible extortion, finding the right managers/workers, legal & illegal hoops to jump through.

I think that's been the case over the past few years, however not long after I arrived here, I got friendly with a lovely guy who owned a bar here (Patong) and it was an extremely successful bar in an extremely successful Soi.

 

Unfortunately he had multiple sclerosis and as this progressed he had to be pushed around in a wheelchair, and I became his "pusher" (the nice sort) and I spent many, many evenings with him in his bar because I had to wheel him around the place and even along to the toilets, so I was an almost constant companion of an evening.

 

He asked me to look at his books as regards the running of the bar, and it was very profitable for him, and after paying all outgoings (including car expenses etc) he was left with about 1.5 million baht profit.

 

He then suggested that I should buy a bar because I seemed to be a personable sort of guy and got on well with most folks and in his words, "I would make a good bar owner". However my retort was that if I owned a bar I would be tempted to drink more than I currently did (which wasn't a lot) and I didn't want to end up with cirrhosis of the liver, of which, by the way, he eventually died.

 

Before that came about, he called me round to his house one day, sat me down and asked for my opinion..........business had been poor for quite a while, and it got to a point where he said that, "after last night I can't make out whether I made 10 baht or lost 10 baht", such was the state of the business, so at his behest I helped him sell it, which was very timely because things were slowly going downhill from there, and they have done ever since.

 

So in a nutshell, I never dreamt about owning a bar, but did consider it on a couple of occasions, and thought better of it, and I'm so pleased that I did.
 

Edited December 12, 2021 by xylophone

[Leaver]

2 hours ago, Chris.B said:

Hey! Less of the drunk tourists please!   

 

Is this you, on a quiet night out, enjoying your holiday in Pattaya?   ???? 

 

(click play)

 

 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3269602/Shocking-moment-bar-manager-smashed-head-bottle-Thai-holiday-resort-telling-two-drunk-Britons-pay-bar-bill.html

 

[Chris.B]

2 hours ago, xylophone said:

He asked me to look at his books as regards the running of the bar, and it was very profitable for him, and after paying all outgoings (including car expenses etc) he was left with about 1.5 million baht profit.

 

So, seeing how he can only own 49% of a bar, how much did that leave him after paying his silent (Thai) partner?

[OneMoreFarang]

7 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

So, seeing how he can only own 49% of a bar, how much did that leave him after paying his silent (Thai) partner?

There are of course many possibilities. The following seem to be common:

a) A farang and his Thai wife/gf. They run the business together and profit together.

b) A farang and his Thai wife/gf who just signs whatever has to be signed. Otherwise she is not involved in the business. 

Both of those businesses can be successful.

[Chris.B]

28 minutes ago, Leaver said:

 

Is this you, on a quiet night out, enjoying your holiday in Pattaya?   ???? 

 

(click play)

 

 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3269602/Shocking-moment-bar-manager-smashed-head-bottle-Thai-holiday-resort-telling-two-drunk-Britons-pay-bar-bill.html

 

No, not me Guv, I was down Pattaya Library that night reading poems.  ????

 

[xylophone]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

There are of course many possibilities. The following seem to be common:

a) A farang and his Thai wife/gf. They run the business together and profit together.

b) A farang and his Thai wife/gf who just signs whatever has to be signed. Otherwise she is not involved in the business. 

Both of those businesses can be successful.

Nail on the head OMFarang................

 

His Thai girlfriend/wife helped out with the running of the bar and the hiring of the staff, as well as looking after the staff house they rented, although she wasn't always at the bar, and she had access to his account and never wanted for anything, and neither did he for that matter.

 

He/they were very successful and considered it their joint enterprise, and she was a very clever/cunning girl, because when she went to pay the yearly tax, which is always hit and miss here, when she was asked how much tax she thought she should pay, she always showed them the pics of her husband in the wheelchair and mentioned that the hospital costs were expensive, and pleaded "hard times" and so on, and the last time they paid tax, it was around 7,000 baht as I recall!!