My firiend wants to buy a beer bar.

[Andycoops]

I think a serious in depth risk assessment is required in the current climate, too many bars not enough punters.

Your friend wants to take a walk around for at least a week and he'll see the reality of the situation here at the moment and it's the start of low season, if such a thing exists anymore.

[JimTripper]

It’s not all about opening a profitable gig if it has to be a bar.

Edited May 3, 2023 by JimTripper

[Dan O]

On 5/1/2023 at 4:01 PM, ozimoron said:

All of that is under control and pretty much known. As I said, I'm really only interested in typical gross income and purchase / rental prices. Nothing else at all. I've run bars and been close to others who have also but not lately and not Pattaya beer bars. Again, not looking for general advice, just the top numbers. 

If you'rr that knowledgeable shouldn't you know or be able to Calc that out in your business plan?

 

Fishing for info isn't very effective or accurate and certainly doesnt support your claim to have run bars before. 

 

A few phone calls gets you cost of purchase or rents. Contractors would provide your build outs.

 

Talk to the distributors of your products and you'd have that cost. But being so close to that type business you'd know that 

[Tropposurfer]

Ahhhh ... just 'spit-balling' as the Yanks say but I'd suggest he'd suffer less risk playing in the traffic 

[2009]

On 5/1/2023 at 3:33 PM, KannikaP said:

Depends on the size of the place, but to make Bht 3000 A DAY PROFIT, after rent, wages, overheads, electricity, water, insurances!!!!  etc etc, I very much doubt it.

And also depends on how much of the profits HE is going to sup.

 

I've always been baffled by how difficult people say it is to make money from a bar in Thailand.

 

What wages? They are paid peanuts. And some "waitresses" aren't even staff or on a salary.

 

Electricity and water are very little in Thailand. Most bars are open and don't even have the AC on.

 

Taxes are laughable here. And what mandatory insurance does a business owner need here?

 

Now, compared that to the West where bars pay decent wages, proper taxes, expensive utility bills, and necessary insurances etc etc.

 

Imagine trying to make a profit while heating a bar in a British winter while paying your staff properly?

 

Yet they still make a profit while serving imported top quality beers from all over Europe.

 

Here, you are paying 120+ for a small bottle of local swill in a hot open-air bar that was served by an uncouth good-time girl (not even on a salary and if she was it would be negligible).

 

What makes it so hard in Thailand?

 

They are taking a bottle of local rubbish that 7eleven makes a profit on at around 35 baht and selling it for 120 or more. All the while not paying very much in the way of salaries, utilities, or taxes.

 

You'd think a ham sandwich could run a business like this here. It's child's play.

 

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by 2009

[sidneybear]

33 minutes ago, 2009 said:

I've always been baffled by how difficult people say it is to make money from a bar in Thailand.

 

What wages? They are paid peanuts. And some "waitresses" aren't even staff or on a salary.

 

Electricity and water are very little in Thailand. Most bars are open and don't even have the AC on.

 

Taxes are laughable here. And what mandatory insurance does a business owner need here?

 

Now, compared that to the West where bars pay decent wages, proper taxes, expensive utility bills, and necessary insurances etc etc.

 

Imagine trying to make a profit while heating a bar in a British winter while paying your staff properly?

 

Yet they still make a profit while serving imported top quality beers from all over Europe.

 

Here, you are paying 120+ for a small bottle of local swill in a hot open-air bar that was served by an uncouth good-time girl (not even on a salary and if she was it would be negligible).

 

What makes it so hard in Thailand?

 

They are taking a bottle of local rubbish that 7eleven makes a profit on at around 35 baht and selling it for 120 or more. All the while not paying very much in the way of salaries, utilities, or taxes.

 

You'd think a ham sandwich could run a business like this here. It's child's play.

That's probably true for very basic bars that are in a reasonably busy area. Plastic chairs, stainless steel tables and fairy light places.

[Reginald Prewster]

17 hours ago, Reginald Prewster said:

- fees 40.000 (if Lucky) 

=95.000

 

16 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

You forgot his donation to the police Christmas Party fund.

There is no bribery in Thailand but the "fees" for playing loud music, having a gambling risk (called pool table or dart board) and so on needs to be approven and covered.

Also you want to make sure that the police is available when troubles occur. There are clear regulations for.

And that is just when you run your business by the rules.. 

 

Who remembers the Titty Twister?

The guy was a good entertainer and could make his house getting filled with customers, but that alone didn't sell 100 beers per night..

He finally "left" his debts behind and escaped to Cambodia, untill somebody decided to claim his loan back.

3 local Guys 2000 baht each was the expense and these young local lads wanted to cut him in pieces. 

So he escaped further to the Phillippines where he hit a car with his bike and was free of loans after that because the last shirt has no pockets...  

Beside dishonorable he was surely one of the better barkeepers, who knew how to drag customers in and made them staying.

 

I can only recommend:

If somebody want to sell his Bar, Pub, Restaurant (and many many want) let the alarmbells ring loud, because who want to sell if it is not a screwed up place?

[brianthainess]

Ask yourself this; Who would sell a business that is doing well?

[2009]

1 hour ago, sidneybear said:

That's probably true for very basic bars that are in a reasonably busy area. Plastic chairs, stainless steel tables and fairy light places.

Why wouldn't it be true for other places?

[2009]

34 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Ask yourself this; Who would sell a business that is doing well?

Exactly, I honestly can't get my head around small business owners.

 

Why not just buy a property and live off the rental income passively?

[Mickeymaus]

Does anyone know what happened to the Pattaya Beach Club in Tree Town? I guess it is the most expensive building there with a big pool inside. But it has been closed for a while. Why? 

[sidneybear]

2 minutes ago, 2009 said:

Why wouldn't it be true for other places?

Because other places require more capital and operational outlay. Nice furnishings, top end sound system, salaries for pretties, utilities, higher rent, etc. The business has to do very well to make a profit, unlike the low end place that you described earlier where a few bottles of Leo sold will cover costs.

[sidneybear]

40 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Ask yourself this; Who would sell a business that is doing well?

Well you may want to spend your time elsewhere, and realise that hiring a manager would put you at risk of getting ripped off. 

[FriendlyFarang]

The problem with bars is that many are run just as a hobby, and they don't care if they make a profit.

So you are competing with others who are willing to work for free just because they want a place to hang around with their buddies, difficult to earn money like this.

Same goes for many coffee shops, which are often run by the wives who have nothing to do and just want a place to hang around and chat with their friends.

 

Basically any other business is probably better, you just need to keep your eyes open for what is lacking in an area.

Since I moved to my current neighborhood I always noticed a lack of car washes, in the last few months several new places have opened, obviously other people also paid attention to the situation and reacted accordingly.

Another thing I notice here in my area is a lack of hair salons for women, I actually already thought about opening one myself considering how little investment this requires.

My recommendation would be to not focus on one specific type of business, but decide based on what the area is lacking.

[Hummin]

47 minutes ago, 2009 said:

Exactly, I honestly can't get my head around small business owners.

 

Why not just buy a property and live off the rental income passively?

A perfect time to sell business after making good turnover for an extended time. 

[EVENKEEL]

Would anyone who had actual info and help want to help the OP? I wouldn't. The only people who can really answer the questions are bar owners and if I was an owmer of a sucessful bar I wouldn't help dick all. For me everything would be a secret. 

[JayClay]

9 hours ago, 2009 said:

Imagine trying to make a profit while heating a bar in a British winter while paying your staff properly?

 

Yet they still make a profit while serving imported top quality beers from all over Europe.

Count the bars in your local town.

 

Now count the bars in just a single Soi in Pattaya.

 

That's your first clue.

[transam]

3 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Would anyone who had actual info and help want to help the OP? I wouldn't. The only people who can really answer the questions are bar owners and if I was an owmer of a sucessful bar I wouldn't help dick all. For me everything would be a secret. 

100% correct..............

[2009]

1 hour ago, JayClay said:

Count the bars in your local town.

 

Now count the bars in just a single Soi in Pattaya.

 

That's your first clue.

Come on.

 

My local town is not a popular tourist destination 

[JayClay]

8 hours ago, 2009 said:

Come on.

 

My local town is not a popular tourist destination 

I said it's your first clue. I didn't suggest it was the entire solution.

[4MyEgo]

On 5/2/2023 at 1:41 AM, roo860 said:

Nothing beats blowing your own trumpet!????????

Your entitled to your opinion, but if you don't get what I am saying, can't help you, i.e. there are other alternatives to making an income without putting your money into risky fixed businesses. On the other hand look at what Covid did, how many bars/beer gardens and other businesses survived that ?

 

I don't see it as blowing my own trumpet, I see it as learning new ways to make money and for me it has been very good way, suffice to say, currently travelling around Thailand on holidays at the moment and see many businesses still closed while I trade on the stock market, and it is paying for my trip up to this point, i.e. I am making money while travelling on holidays, could I do that in a bar/beer garden, nope, as that would be a fixed business and there would be tax payable etc.

 

All I need is Wi-Fi and my laptop and I'm good to go, is the stock market risky, sure, as is every business, but if you don't buy for the sake of buying and buy particular stocks that you are familiar with, good chance you'll make money.

 

Bars and beer gardens are not for me, and as you said, I am ......... 

 

 

in your opinion.

 

Have a good one.