What Kind Of Business Would You Buy In Los?

[canadiangirl]

Huh? Not sure of your question. Thais and farangs are running the hundreds and thousands of different companies that, collectively, comprise the Thai economy. The retail sector is of course the one you see on the streets, but like every economy, there are hundreds of types of business behind the scenes.

Retail is what I was referring to specifically, earlier, when I commented on the lack of variety.

[samran]

Huh? Not sure of your question. Thais and farangs are running the hundreds and thousands of different companies that, collectively, comprise the Thai economy. The retail sector is of course the one you see on the streets, but like every economy, there are hundreds of types of business behind the scenes.

Retail is what I was referring to specifically, earlier, when I commented on the lack of variety.

you should have a chat to steveromangino who is in the retail sector, specifically in the area you are talking about.

[Felt 35]

I would not buy business. I would buy a good building in a good location and open Fitness, Spa and massage. But it has to to be a quality place, and have better equipment, more alternatives for training and better instructors than the next-door centre.

With today’s sedate lifestyle around the globe it’s only a question about time before it will be as important with Fitness centres as with hospitals.

[obsession]

How should I know? I have absolutely no idea of the OP's skills, experience, business aptitude, personality, likes and dislikes etc etc. Surely they need to be taken into account before identifying what he can do.

All I see in this thread (and some others he has featured in) is an overwhelming desire to be in Thailand at all costs, for whatever personal reasons he may have. My personal experience of that dominant drive is that it's dangerous and common sense gets thrown out of the window, but that's another thread entirely.

If I had the time, business savvy and creativity to spot sexy little niche areas, I certainly wouldnt share them here. I'd work out ways to exploit them myself.

I have rental apartments in the uk and am only looking for a business in los to keep myself busy and the profit would be spent on rent of better quality of accomodationt to live in.I am not considering this out of desperation, but thanks for your concern. Im touched. Maybe its because Im a landlord that I hate paying rent, and see it as dead money. However I wouldnt risk buying in los. I would therefore like los to pay for itself rather than spend my hard earned on it. I am also thinking of the future and school fees etc as they will no doubt keep getting more expensive.

Disclaimer - I have no intention of buying a bar. But, contrary to what you think, some of them make very good money. Im sure it was sunbelt asia who said on a previous thread that some made over a million baht a month. I will search for the thread. And I know someone who makes 200,000 a month from a bar with some guest rooms. They are the exceptions though. 90% of them probably lose money and are subsidized by the owners savings.

[obsession]

A post from sunbelt asia. 3 million a month net.

For some, owning a business has a high degree of risk. For others, they have found that owning a business has been very profitable. There is no guarantee you will lose just like you will find there is no guarantee you will win. This goes for every business in every country.

Common misconception all bars lose money in Thailand. I know four bars that make over three million net a month (not gross sales either) When it’s good it can be really good. On the other hand, I’ve seen people lose money in the bar business. Most of the times it was a small beer bar which was just a hobby for the owner.

I would recommend coming over to Thailand and investigate investment opportunities. Be sure only to choose a business you have passion for. A laundry for most people will be zero passion.

If you insist on a laundry, you will need to find a genuine Thai investor. Have a good lawyer draft a partnership agreement spelling out any potential issues such as hours expected to work by the partners, bank account, distribution of any dividends, etc.

If you go into manufacturing or export, you can own the business 100% as a foreigner.

You should get a visa in your home country before coming to Thailand. If you arrive in Thailand with a tourist visa, it will be very hard to change this to a non immigrant visa. You can own shares in a company but if you will be working you will need a non immigrant visa in order to get the work permit.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[MikeRay]

If I´d be there I´d start with chip customizing for Diesel & Turbo engines. First produced under license of wellknown customizers and later if I could find qualified staff sell under my brandname developed chips for the common engines in SE Asia. I have never really thought carefully about that, just an idea.

But the people that can afford a car in LOS/SE Asia , many like customizing and buyinmg additional parts for their cars

[youbet]

Obsession - OK you wanted some straight and sensible advice ..... here's my two pennies worth.

If you're stuck for ideas, then you're reading this using one of the best business ideas tools around - the Internet

**snipped **

Gaz

With a post like that you are clearly on the wrong forum...........or a Troll

I for one though GAZ's posting is the only one that has made perfect sense in this thread so far (still more reading to do there may be others) and is in the right thread

[steveromagnino]

Huh? Not sure of your question. Thais and farangs are running the hundreds and thousands of different companies that, collectively, comprise the Thai economy. The retail sector is of course the one you see on the streets, but like every economy, there are hundreds of types of business behind the scenes.

Retail is what I was referring to specifically, earlier, when I commented on the lack of variety.

Hmmm. Fascinating. This is indeed my area of work, as a 'ahem' consultant to parts of the industry, and I disagree with you.

Retail has many elements....

Retail formats

Massive variation in formats - wet markets, dry markets, talard nut 'short time' markets, markets indoors (MBK), markets outdoor (JJ), markets planned annually (.e.g. Minor market at Westin each year for 4 days), shopping centres with short term/long term/30 year leases, shopping centres of all manner of sizes, shopping centre concepts e.g. Siam Future J Avenue, Health mall in Ekamai, factory outlet malls by Pena House, mom and pop shops, street side sellers, night time sellers, etc

The range of retail formats is certainly no less and most likely considerably more than most other markets (including Canada) - perhaps not that innovative (excluding some of the market concepts like JJ which are hardly innovative in themselves, but remarkably clever in terms of certain aspects of management) but certainly a wider range than the plethora of Westfield malls that most of the western world sees (same concept of box with retail inside, same tenant range)

SCM

For many products, same as in most of the west (but not NZ where grey market parallel importing is allowed for almost anything) there is a licensee, thus closing off the supply to non authorised dealers. For many other categories, major sophistication in wide scale distribution e.g. 7-11, DTAc, AIS, wholesale clothing markets, etc - ANYone can start these businesses with a little cash, and there are almost no barriers to entry or exclusive zones - hence why you see so many me-too shops.

Retail outlets

As per the rest of the world, a range of brand names including all the big ones, plus home grown Thai ones such as Naraya, Fashion Society clothing brands, homegrown category killers and dept stores. You have retail concepts like The Loft and Central Food Hall which rate near the tops of their categories among their peers worldwide. You have retail outlets such as the 'kong fahk' type tourist store which I am simply not familiar with in USA or NZ - a tourist souvenirs shop featuring only food? Not really seen that, but that may be due to not going to the right places. Certainly, major innovations in pricing for attracting tourists for that type of store.

Certainly plenty of me-too shops. But that is because with wages and supply chain management and range of retail formats being what they are, it is very simple to set up a shop; virtually no barriers except financing, and for MBK and market style places, you see tons of me toos precisely because anyone can do it. No different to the hords of farang opening bars, internet cafes and other no brain required businesses - you don't need specialist expertise or cash to set up a motorcylce rental business or 7-11 so you see tons of them. Tell me how many boat builders you see using vacuum bag techniques to produce high performance sail boats in Thailand - I can answer that for you - probably less than 10, and for sure less than 5 decent sized ones. THAT takes skill. opening a fake billabong shop takes little skill.

Retail promotions

Massive numbers of promotions involving mobile phones, credit cards and all manner of poorly executed CRM, Thai retailers are FAR more active than overseas malls and brands for the most part in trying to market; whether successful or not...well some like Club 21 are highly successful and some are not.

Far more innovation here in retail promotions for the most part compared to the work i am doing for some of the same brands abroad; particularly in the last year of so with the market getting a little softer.

Retail product categories

There are only so many categories worldwide; there are some home grown ones here, and a few that do incredibly well e.g. Thai crafts, silver jewelry, certain services such as Healthland.

hard to say whether there are more or less than elsewhere, certainly Thailand's F&B offerings in a retail format blow away North American and NZ shopping malls which have a standard substandard foodcourt serving deep fried/sugary slop.

Plenty of innovation occuring; just hard to see through the plethora of me-too shops, sustained by low cost of capital, low outlay, low value of own time, low barriers to entry for SCM and retail space, lack of intellectual property enforcement and high consumer demand.

[Creeper]

At the end of the day, why on earth would you want to start a business in a country where you have no rights?

You have to weigh up the pros and cons, and in Thailand, everything is against you, don't listen to the people that will try to convince you that they have made fortunes here, the whole system is set up to prevent such things happeneing.

I'ts an extremely difficult place to do business, better you keep your money in a Bank unless you have lived in Thailand for years and know many people ( non farang) in the community, Farangs will never be able to help you, most are on their last legs and will rip you off.

[bendix]

I'ts an extremely difficult place to do business

Unless, of course, you're intelligent, innovative and have something to offer that is both needed and, more importantly, unavailable here.

Which, let's face it precludes . . . . oh, never mind.

[obsession]

I would also look at self-storage as a business, especially in Bangkok and Pattaya. Just some ideas........but, again, if you want to make money, I would avoid Thailand and start something in Cambodia, Philippines, or Vietnam--especially Vietnam.

I agree many farang are looking for storage and a drive through carwash is something they dont seem to have. Possibly have to pitch it too expensive for thais after paying for the water. I think Bendix was maybe right about the ice business though. You woudnt want to wake up with a buffalos head in your bed

I think its maybe a good idea for someone who hasnt lived there long to buy an established proven business. Earning from day one and no start up hassles in a difficult language and different legal system.. And you know it works.

I disagree when people say about being innovative. Here in the uk you get 6 fast food outlets within a few hundred yards of each other. Usually half of them are kebab shops. Not an innovative idea or even an new location. Thats why every shopping centre in the uk has the same shops. Best to copy what works. Richard Branson has become one of the richest men in the world copying other businesses. He started with a student magazine, to mail order record store to record company to airline etc.

[canadiangirl]

Hmmm. Fascinating. This is indeed my area of work, as a 'ahem' consultant to parts of the industry, and I disagree with you.

Retail has many elements...

Hi Steveromagnino,

thank you so much for this post. It was very informative, and more detailed than I could hope for. I meant my comment not as a criticism, just "this is my impression -- is it true?" -- so you've clarified things for me. Very interesting.

[Ski_Goong]

Well.....after doing small time business at my GF's house, we've taken the plunge and rented a brand new building to open up our business. It's a 4 story building/shop house so bottom 2 floors will be our "Photo Studio", 3rd floor-provide English lessons and we'll live on the 4th floor. We decided to do this after being rather successful "in the village".

I like this type of business because 1) low start up cost 2) VERY high profit margin. We scouted several location in Korat and found a perfect building right next to several major schools and shopping. But my GF did not want to be too far from her family so we had to settle for a building next to the Seagate factory.

If any of you guys ever pass by Korat stop by for a free English lesson Seriously, we should be finished moving in sometime in September and would love to have TV members stop by for a free portrait.

Ski and Goong

[steveromagnino]

Hmmm. Fascinating. This is indeed my area of work, as a 'ahem' consultant to parts of the industry, and I disagree with you.

Retail has many elements...

Hi Steveromagnino,

thank you so much for this post. It was very informative, and more detailed than I could hope for. I meant my comment not as a criticism, just "this is my impression -- is it true?" -- so you've clarified things for me. Very interesting.

Pleased to hear you got some use out of it!

I can totally understand your point; because 80% of the shops you see are not innovative at all - selling much the same products and ostensibly the same as their next door neighbour -e.g. MBK telephone zone.

But behind that, is some fairly slick SCM (supply chain management) same as King Power; often the appearance of competition is in fact one single shop that has discovered the fascination with market style set up increases sales compared to a single large shop. And within the other 20% there is some cool stuff happening; cool enough that Central Food Hall received recognition as a top 3 food retailer worldwide by their peers; that the Tescos guys claimed that they actually learned stuff from Lotus when they bought it out a few years back; that the innovation you see from the hyper markets now in circumventing the retail laws is downright cunning in playing the law makers (and CP) at their own game.

Have a think about public transportation Canadian Girl, and intially for sure Thailand seems like a total mess with zero innovation. However, I think if you think long enough, you will conclude that it is actually fairly amazing; bus rides for about 25c Canadian; private/public sector cooperation in vans/buses/boats/minibuses; motorcycle and taxi services for amazing prices; signage innovation - of course it is still a mess but there is definitely some innovation going on there!

[steveromagnino]

I would also look at self-storage as a business, especially in Bangkok and Pattaya. Just some ideas........but, again, if you want to make money, I would avoid Thailand and start something in Cambodia, Philippines, or Vietnam--especially Vietnam.

I agree many farang are looking for storage and a drive through carwash is something they dont seem to have. Possibly have to pitch it too expensive for thais after paying for the water. I think Bendix was maybe right about the ice business though. You woudnt want to wake up with a buffalos head in your bed

I think its maybe a good idea for someone who hasnt lived there long to buy an established proven business. Earning from day one and no start up hassles in a difficult language and different legal system.. And you know it works.

I disagree when people say about being innovative. Here in the uk you get 6 fast food outlets within a few hundred yards of each other. Usually half of them are kebab shops. Not an innovative idea or even an new location. Thats why every shopping centre in the uk has the same shops. Best to copy what works. Richard Branson has become one of the richest men in the world copying other businesses. He started with a student magazine, to mail order record store to record company to airline etc.

ok, you seem to be thinking drive through carwash is a good idea. here is why it probably won't work for Thai people in BKK anyway unless you can get beyond a run of the mill place:

- you can get a carwash for 280b at any shopping centre

- there are well known stand alone carwashes all over town including various franchises

- most service stations have a worse service for about 80b

- you can also go to the places where taxis wash their cars for about 50b

- luxury car owners tend to either use an existing car wash service that comes to them; their driver does the work or if it is a luxury sport car, many do it themselves

- you may struggle to find a suitable location - the best ones are taken already by existing operators

- Thai people will not stand outside and wash their own car at your facility when they can do the same thing at their condo/house; there is only minor value add; they just get someone else to do the work for them

- your business will be the same as most carwashes; it is highly seasonal and only works in winter/Summer and not the monsoon season

- you will have issues getting the top quality foams and cleaners as most of these have licensees already; so you will not make money as the importer of the 'nam yah' products

- you will probably struggle to get and maintain staff

- because parking is so cheap at a shopping centre; you are going to struggle with the concept of wasting someone's time while they sit in the car when they could be shopping; the time of the drive through is lost time; the time washing the car while shopping is not

- there are drive through car washes now at Mobil etc; most have closed already due to lack of business

I could more easily see this working upcountry somewhere; but it is not an easy business at all IMHO. In case you are wondering, i have done due diligence for a car wash operator, so I know a little about this business.

For storage...well this is a much more interesting idea. But I know nothing of it; suffice to say storage is a real estate play; you are probably going to do best with a massive facility in the middle of nowhere. Joint business/residential usage - primary market will NOT be farangs living here (that would be a few thousand people maybe) but rather companies needing warehouse space.

To give you an idea who you'll be competing against, warehouse space in the centre of BKK is going right now for 400b per sq m; for a 10m space (about 3.3m X3.3m) that would be costing 4000b a month; so if you can find customers willing to pay 5000b a month and can run at 100 capacity the whole time, well then you have a decent business.

Out in the middle of nowhere, my off the top of my mind guess is that you might be able to get space as cheap as 50b per sq m; so you could sell the same 10m space for double that, 1000b a month storage, and be making money. Of course, doesn't factor in the cost of the walls/barriers/marketing etc.

For your scenario of me too businesses, the issue in the UK is all the kebab shops make an ok profit; in economic terms this is something like a perfect competition scenario; everyone makes their WACC and a bit and is happy. Same as here. Except if you want to be running a business and earning say 30,000b the same as the shop house selling noodlies 16 hours a day, well you have an appetite for lower earnings than I do.

The reason why shopping malls all have the same tenants is to do with retail management. I would, as a mall owner, do one deal for 400 malls nationwide with Levis for a std price less discount, and I have spent maybe 50 hours to get 400X100sqm= 40,000sq m leased. If i have to do them all individually, then that is going to take me probably 25 hours X 400 shops = 10,0000 hours of time. Plus I have to take responsibility for the reality that retailers are goign to lose money/go bankrupt/be irresposible/etc - easier to do one deal and manage them as a key account - that is why you see the same retailers in multiple malls; on the retailer side there are so many issues of SCM and economies of scale favouring multiple locations.

Have you ever studied any business subjects e.g. economics, entreprenuership, basic accounting, finance, retail management? You might do well to read a few books on this; otherwise I suspect you will lose your shirt.

IMHO you don't even have to be that good to run a succesful business here; it isn't hard. But.... do some planning first; flying by the seat of pants approach is a sure recipe for failure.

[chinthee]

Yes, I agree with Steve again. I looked seriously at the car wash investment in Phuket about 7 years ago, even thinking multiple locations. Walked away shaking my head no, no,no. for cities like Bangkok, even worse idea.

[Doro22]

If I had the money, I would go for ready to eat meals, preferably organic and low on calories, but still got the taste of real food. The market is growing, but the selection and taste is pretty daft in my opinion.

A lot of innovations out there , that will assure of good quality and long shelf life for the products. It will however cost a small fortune to enter the market. But their is a lot money to be made.

Yes, I agree with Steve again. I looked seriously at the car wash investment in Phuket about 7 years ago, even thinking multiple locations. Walked away shaking my head no, no,no. for cities like Bangkok, even worse idea.

[samran]

If I had the money, I would go for ready to eat meals, preferably organic and low on calories, but still got the taste of real food. The market is growing, but the selection and taste is pretty daft in my opinion.

In a country where basically every steet corner has a variety of freshly made food and where people turn their noses up at meals that are only slightly different in taste and cost from the bloke down the road? Even the hi-so people I work with eat their day to day meals from decent vendors, and home meals are made by maids or cooks. Good food is eaten out at some fancy restuarant.

Healthy meals though or very good fruit dringk, from a vendor...then maybe, just maybe...

One lady and her husband on the top floor of All Seasons Place do a roaring trade.

[soundman]

Healthy meals though or very good fruit dringk, from a vendor...then maybe, just maybe...

Healthy, good tasting meals contracted to the conveinience store chains..... 7/11, FamilyMart, Jett, Tesco Minimart.... Would work well.... All those stores sell heaps of those Ezy-Go meals which, IMO, are crap.

However you'de have to anti-up substancial money to get that going.

[Doro22]

To clarify, I am talking mainly about fresh ready to eat meals.

I do believe there is a healthy market amongst Thais and foreigners that wants nice and clean restaurant quality food to pop into the microwave. I am not only talking Thai food, but Western and pan Asian food as well.

Plenty of suppliers doing this already (although not my cup of tea). Tesco is trying with their own brand for example. The market is there already.

Food safety, organic and low calorie/carb food will massive in the near future.

Street food vendors might be history in five years (for healthy reasons or something else).

If I had the money, I would go for ready to eat meals, preferably organic and low on calories, but still got the taste of real food. The market is growing, but the selection and taste is pretty daft in my opinion.

In a country where basically every steet corner has a variety of freshly made food and where people turn their noses up at meals that are only slightly different in taste and cost from the bloke down the road? Even the hi-so people I work with eat their day to day meals from decent vendors, and home meals are made by maids or cooks. Good food is eaten out at some fancy restuarant.

Healthy meals though or very good fruit dringk, from a vendor...then maybe, just maybe...

One lady and her husband on the top floor of All Seasons Place do a roaring trade.

[obsession]

Have you ever studied any business subjects e.g. economics, entreprenuership, basic accounting, finance, retail management? You might do well to read a few books on this; otherwise I suspect you will lose your shirt.

IMHO you don't even have to be that good to run a succesful business here; it isn't hard. But.... do some planning first; flying by the seat of pants approach is a sure recipe for failure.

No I havent seriously studied those subjects in an educational course. I dont even believe entreprenuership can be learned and I dont see the point in reading a "Basic Thai Accounting For Retired Farang" book or the finance, retail management or economic equivalents. I have been in business since leaving school 28 years ago (yikes).I have never had a "real job". Since I am about to retire, I must have been ok at business without those unneccesary educational qualifications usually written by professors etc, who have never owned or managed a business. You are right about a seat of the pants/ lack of planning approach being a recipe for failure. I would recommend anyone going in to business in a foreign country to start with a small established business. Especially if theyve never had a business before. If they the small business successfully, they could then try a bigger business or startup venture. Personally, a small business will do me in Thailand, with all its visa/ ownership issues etc. You might have to walk away from it.

[Jersey_UK]

No I havent seriously studied those subjects in an educational course. I dont even believe entreprenuership can be learned and I dont see the point in reading a "Basic Thai Accounting For Retired Farang" book or the finance, retail management or economic equivalents. I have been in business since leaving school 28 years ago (yikes).I have never had a "real job". Since I am about to retire, I must have been ok at business without those unneccesary educational qualifications usually written by professors etc, who have never owned or managed a business. You are right about a seat of the pants/ lack of planning approach being a recipe for failure. I would recommend anyone going in to business in a foreign country to start with a small established business. Especially if theyve never had a business before. If they the small business successfully, they could then try a bigger business or startup venture. Personally, a small business will do me in Thailand, with all its visa/ ownership issues etc. You might have to walk away from it.

Whilst I see where you are coming from, I think you are discounting what you have learnt over the 28 years (and probably especially what you learnt in the first 5!).....a few books are not of course a magic solution (despite what the dust jacket may suggest), but they will usually give folk who are starting from scratch a heads up about what questions they need to be asking (including of themselves!).....even if not the actual answers.

[Rainmon]

I owned and started 3 businesses in USA for 15 years. I moved to Thailand a year and half ago and live off my investments. I have several friends in business here and another that is looking to start a restaurant. So, I have heard many things first hand about starting and running a farang owned business and participated in some of the research.

One of my successful friends is a condo salesman, with a very good referral base he makes over 70,000 US a year, he has a niche market mainly selling to successful gay men.

I have another friend that owns 4 hotels, 3 in Pattaya, and a resort in Koh Chang (he is friends with the guy that owns Royal Garden Mall, so he has very good connections and was a multimillionaire before he came here).

Other business's that seem to be doing well:

http://www.ajarn.com/

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/

I don't know much about the 2 above dot com's, if anyone else has input on what their profits might be, I don’t really know. I really like the dot com biz, my background is media and sales related. I enjoy building websites and photography as a hobby. I would be interested in doing something in this area if I was to do a business again.

http://timeoutgelato.com/

I think this timeout gelato guy is doing very well. I saw their booth at the franchise show last year and they have 3 locations here in Pattaya, plus I think there are in Koh Samui now.

My favorite business is the Thai mobile Kabob guy here in Pattaya, when I get the munchies, my girlfriend calls him and I get a delicious kabob delivered to my room for 60 baht (closest thing to a Taco Bell burrito supreme in Thailand).

Just a few ideas...

[wolfmanjack]

How about he finds a gf when he arrives, and opens a .. . . . wait for it . . . . beauty salon?

Get back in your box you. Your just showing off now. That sort of out of the box thinking is too innovative for me. I think youve been partaking in the magic funghi again

I like the table tennis idea but it would need to be topless table tennis to add a touch of class Or what about a Hi- So topless darts venue for the more sophisticated gentlemen. Sounds like a winner.

Doesn't have to be topless. I am pretty sure that is technically illegal. It could be a string bikini table tennis bar to keep it legal and interesting.

[obsession]

I owned and started 3 businesses in USA for 15 years. I moved to Thailand a year and half ago and live off my investments. I have several friends in business here and another that is looking to start a restaurant. So, I have heard many things first hand about starting and running a farang owned business and participated in some of the research.

One of my successful friends is a condo salesman, with a very good referral base he makes over 70,000 US a year, he has a niche market mainly selling to successful gay men.

I have another friend that owns 4 hotels, 3 in Pattaya, and a resort in Koh Chang (he is friends with the guy that owns Royal Garden Mall, so he has very good connections and was a multimillionaire before he came here).

Other business's that seem to be doing well:

http://www.ajarn.com/

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/

I don't know much about the 2 above dot com's, if anyone else has input on what their profits might be, I don’t really know. I really like the dot com biz, my background is media and sales related. I enjoy building websites and photography as a hobby. I would be interested in doing something in this area if I was to do a business again.

http://timeoutgelato.com/

I think this timeout gelato guy is doing very well. I saw their booth at the franchise show last year and they have 3 locations here in Pattaya, plus I think there are in Koh Samui now.

My favorite business is the Thai mobile Kabob guy here in Pattaya, when I get the munchies, my girlfriend calls him and I get a delicious kabob delivered to my room for 60 baht (closest thing to a Taco Bell burrito supreme in Thailand).

Just a few ideas...

Id like to visit the franchise show. Where is it held and advertised,thanks.

Thats a good profit the condo salesman makes. Any more details on that?

[Rainmon]

Id like to visit the franchise show. Where is it held and advertised,thanks.

Thats a good profit the condo salesman makes. Any more details on that?

The franchise show was last month and I believe is an annual event, see calendar of events here:

http://www.bitec.net/eventcalendar/default.htm

My condo sales friend works for a developer here in Pattaya, there are many such companies in Thailand, not sure the best way to get a job with one of them. Maybe just visit condos you like and find one you think would be a good company and ask for a job selling. I don’t think they pay a salary it is straight commission sales, but most here in Pattaya have farang sales people, not sure about Bangkok…

[canadiangirl]

But behind that, is some fairly slick SCM (supply chain management) same as King Power; often the appearance of competition is in fact one single shop that has discovered the fascination with market style set up increases sales compared to a single large shop.

And within the other 20% there is some cool stuff happening; cool enough that Central Food Hall received recognition as a top 3 food retailer worldwide by their peers; that the Tescos guys claimed that they actually learned stuff from Lotus when they bought it out a few years back; that the innovation you see from the hyper markets now in circumventing the retail laws is downright cunning in playing the law makers (and CP) at their own game.

That's interesting. I didn't know that at all! It's very interesting to talk to you. :-)

Have a think about public transportation Canadian Girl, and intially for sure Thailand seems like a total mess with zero innovation. However, I think if you think long enough, you will conclude that it is actually fairly amazing; bus rides for about 25c Canadian; private/public sector cooperation in vans/buses/boats/minibuses; motorcycle and taxi services for amazing prices; signage innovation - of course it is still a mess but there is definitely some innovation going on there!

Hmm, interesting and very true. I would almost say the same about food in Thailand. I never cease to be impressed by how easy it is to feed oneself easily in Thailand, the variety and quality of what's available. I find it so clever and convenient that some vendors buy a giant jackfruit and chop it up to sell it, or that people make noodles on the soi at midnight. I like seeing the little "tricks" that the vendors use, they get good at it from doing the same thing 100 times a day. How they tie the little bags of iced coffee (Drinks in a bag is a great innovation, if you ask me. :-). A few days ago, I learned that there's a reason the people who make iced coffee pour condensed milk into a glass, then stirr in the coffee, before pouring all of it into a bag: I tried to make Thai coffee for my friend, and I realized that if you put the condensed milk later, it doesn't melt.

I'm always impressed by details like this. But I think many countries could learn a lot from Thailand in the food department. In many places, the only cheap, convenient, easily available food is junk food.

I'm curious -- what is the signage innovation that you are talking about? The one cool thing I've seen is the mileposts with the Garuda -- I love those!

[baabaabobo]

A car-wash operated by bikini clad girls. Hand washed while you sit in the car. Sorry I'll get my coat.

[mikethevigoman]

Totally agree. never met a millionaire that owned an internet cafe ,.

Tell that to Stelios Haji-Ioannou, owner of EasyInternet.

Where abouts in thailand is he ?

[mikethevigoman]

Invest into a beer bar , with a side line for motorbike rental , and buy a noodle stall ...

Just watch the cash flow in Easy !

Like I said an over load of smart ass comments!

Usually from non buisness people,.