I Want To Open A Bar In Thailand And Move To Live Downthere!

[alexxx]

"Brilliant idea why didn't I think of that?"

I give up, I don't know?

"Those who do make money normally have many partners who can all front cash when needs be..."

If the business makes money why would they need all of these partners who can front cash.

thank you for taking my side. i repeat i do not want to go chase wild dreams. i want to implement one in reality making sure that this implementation is realistic and well constructed. this idea is a baby now. i want to help it grow and if it does not proove to be good. lay it to rest.

[alexxx]

Why a bar? Certainly with that capitol, another more secure business venture could be launched.

Sitting at the bar.....and running it, are two different things entirely. Don't get caught up thinking...."This will be fun!!"

Bars are risky investments....it's well known. Opening one on borrowed cash is just silly. Work a couple of years in Denmark...save your money and pay cash, if you want to take a risk....(I don't believe you'd get the loan anyway)

You should be asking yourselves..."What sort of business should we be looking to invest in"?

"How much risk is involved"?

"Can we get out safely if we fail"?

There are so many opportunities to be looked at. Take your time and invest in something more stable.

i am asking myself all the questions possible. and i am also looking at other investment businesses. i do not want to particullary open abar but to find a way of making a living so i can live in thailand. the bar thing seemed the obvious choice. do you have some other suggestions?

[AlexLah]

There is no bank in the world that would lend you that amount of money if you do not have a very good bizz plan and some assets which they can confiscate incase things do not work out.

You are 22, I say: Come to Thailand fore a few months, have fun and check what kinda concepts work here.

Start learning Thai so you can sort of understand what people say about you.

Then go back home and try to start a life.

[alexxx]

Alex, if I understand you correctly, you are about to get a degree Electronics and Computer Engineering and you are thinking about utilizing your 22 years experience in life by opening a bar in Thailand. I am sure that would make logical sense to many 22 year olds but I do not think it would make much sense to anyone that has business experience and understands Thailand.

You have made a such a wise decision in your choice of degrees and have such great potential. I do not understand why after making such a wise choice in getting your degree that you would want to pursue such a longshot by opening a bar in Thailand. It is a much easier and a much surer bet to do it like most farangs do which is to make you money outside of Thailand and bring it back to Thailand later to enjoy it. It is possible to succeed in anything in life but people who utilize and understand the odds usually do far better in the long term.

i do not want to waste my potential. i do not want to cripple my life. what i want is to live in thailand while i am young and able to enjoy life. it makes perfect sense to spend 20 yrs from now working outside thailand and then move there but how could i? i would have a family and many many things tying me to denmark. i want to experience life in the best years of my life, the years that matter. i do not want to wake up an old man with many looking back in time and saying i would give 20 years of my life to be able to have 2 when i was young and healthy and full of life. i am not stupid or foolish. i have been through life plenty. if there is one thing that i learned is that tomorrow...is never sure to come. i could live my life and plan and save up but for what? why would i stay in denmark for when all i want is to be in thailand.

half of me, the rational side, agrees with you but my heart tells me different. regret is the worst feeling in the world and i don't think i could forgive myself if i did not try to do this.

i was also contemplating finding a job in my field down in thailand. if you know a place where i could send my CV please let me know!

[alexxx]

I want to see the bank managers face when you tell him you want 7 mill to open a bar in Thailand.

i am a bit worried of that as well. if he starts slapping me i think that would be enough said! but seriosuly, i would not go talk to the bank until i have every angle covered.

[technocracy]

The train wreck is right on course!

I remember reading a football forum I read regularly and one member was going on about his idea for an internet site and was talking about the to off-shore finances etc and ludicruous amounts of money he expected to make from this site (he had some friends as well who thought it was a good idea also).

This was about 2 years ago . . and guess what he ain't made a bean.

Good ideas might seem good to you but putting them into action and them appealing to other is something else!

[alexxx]

You spent only one month in Thailand and want to open a bar????

yes. i won't open the bar tomorrow (if i get that far) i olan to do it in like 1½ or 2 years.

[think_too_mut]

This rubbish is obviously amusing the Mods. How comes this thread has not been killed yet?

Could be, the Mods are running it themselves. To generate more traffic.

[OlRedEyes]

i am asking myself all the questions possible. and i am also looking at other investment businesses. i do not want to particullary open abar but to find a way of making a living so i can live in thailand. the bar thing seemed the obvious choice. do you have some other suggestions?

Your chances of failure are probably above 90%. Even if you all are whizz-kids you are trying to run a business in a HOSTILE environment. I'd like to bet all the money I have that you'd be out in 6 months to a year. What odds can you offer

Rather look at making a living via the internet. The opportunities are legion, especially for young guys like you. Also you could work from wherever, minimize tax etc. There is A LOT of money sloshing around the net.

Don't mess up your life so early on.

[esbobes]

Which bank are you going to borrow 7 million baht from?

Sounds like a really bad idea to me, why not just take a year off and come and tour around.

If you need a partner PM so Ican take you money.

Hope you PM soon so I can help to take you money fast.

[alexxx]

"Brilliant idea why didn't I think of that?"

I give up, I don't know? (BEEN THERE DONE THAT WOKE UP MOVED ON )

"Those who do make money normally have many partners who can all front cash when needs be..."

If the business makes money why would they need all of these partners who can front cash. (ALMOST ALL THE BIG BARS IN THAILAND HAVE MULTI INVESTORS...IT'S ALL PART OF THE GAME)

Because very few make ANY money…easy to be a wise dik splash when you don't know what you're talking about..I do

To be truthful this must be the most imbecilic post ever ………….re-locate half way round the World, open one of the most difficult/fickle (language/laws/culture) business's in the World on borrowed money …all after 1 month holiday

WAKE UP!

with all due respect, i understand you consider our idea supid but i fail to see the constructive part or positive criticism of your comment. i came to this forum to ask for guidence and advice. i again fai lto see that in your reply. if you have any suggestions about what i need to put focus on when building a business plans i would be more than happy to recieve your comment. thank you.

[AlexLah]

Yo Alex.

Find yourself a good well paid job once you are graduated.

Make sure you are the best in what you do so the company (multinational) recognises that.

Then you tell your company you wanna work in Asia (Thailand) within one year and that if they do not have a job for you you will resign and go yourself.

That is what I did and I am very well paid (by my company) , free housing and car and I can do whatever I want as long as I meet my objectives.

Cheers!

[alexxx]

Where were these guys when I was trying to get out of my big mistake in Pattaya in 2003 ?!

did you own a bar in pattya? would you please share your experiences with us? i am particularly curios to know what were the obstacles in opening and then running a bar. what did your bar offer on top of the threshold? what went wrong and why?

thank you for your contribution

[alexxx]

and the strange need to utter the word . .. Troll ?

there... there... Alex is not a troll, i can vouch for that. and as far as his plans are concerned let's take a look back at the dreams we had when we were his age.

what he needs are rational arguments to prevent him making a big mistake.

Well think it will be hard for him to find the capital for such a sound business venture.

i agree. that will be the biggest challenge. but then again so will making wise financial and investment decisions. nothing in life is easy after my opinion i just have to know what i'm doing.

[think_too_mut]

repeating:

This rubbish is obviously amusing the Mods. How comes this thread has not been killed yet?

Could be, the Mods are running it themselves.

[alexxx]

Have you ever worked in a bar before Alex?

Maybe a good start for you would be to get a job managing a bar in your own country to gain some experience.

If you can be sucessful at this then try thailand

yes i have worked in a bar but not a managerial positon...enough said . one my friends with whom i plan to go into this business with is a chef and manages a whole kitchen here in denamrk in an italian restaurant. he has some experience manging an establishemnt. a bar is a very different business so i don't know how that will go. i would like to try see if i'm cut for the business here in denmark but i am affraid that the danish system is radically different then the thai one and that my experience will only serve me on a limited level. despite being only 22 i have worked constantly to keep my self in college so i have tried a bit of eveything. now i am working in my own field in parallel with my studies but before i have been through many a challenge

[alexxx]

Yo Alex.

Find yourself a good well paid job once you are graduated.

Make sure you are the best in what you do so the company (multinational) recognises that.

Then you tell your company you wanna work in Asia (Thailand) within one year and that if they do not have a job for you you will resign and go yourself.

That is what I did and I am very well paid (by my company) , free housing and car and I can do whatever I want as long as I meet my objectives.

Cheers!

interesting. where can i get a list og multi national engineering companies that operate in thailand. it is obvious that this would greatly reduce the risk of living in thailand since no investment would be required.

do you know any place where i could start sending some CV's . maybe i can work in parallel with having a "hobby bar" as one of the people in the forum put it.

[alexxx]

This rubbish is obviously amusing the Mods. How comes this thread has not been killed yet?

Could be, the Mods are running it themselves. To generate more traffic.

what Mods are you talking about? i am just trying to get some advice here. please don't accuse me of something never less than spaming the forum.

[alexxx]

do you guys know any place where i could look for a job in the field of engineering and IT, just so i have a plan B if the bank gives me a big fat NO or if i come to the conclusion that i am litteraly about to do a stupid investment.

i bet you are already bored of me but i really want to live in thailand!! and am therefore looking for any posibility to find a way to make a living down there!!!

thanks for your time!!

[AlexLah]

Sell coconuts on the beach.

Once you are succesfull in that you can take the next step.

[dave111223]

repeating:

This rubbish is obviously amusing the Mods. How comes this thread has not been killed yet?

Could be, the Mods are running it themselves.

Hope they don't kill it; it hasn't even got warmed up yet.

[Lite Beer]

Sell coconuts on the beach.

Once you are succesfull in that you can take the next step.

Sell coconuts in a coconut grove.

[TheChef]

Have you ever worked in a bar before Alex?

Maybe a good start for you would be to get a job managing a bar in your own country to gain some experience.

If you can be sucessful at this then try thailand

yes i have worked in a bar but not a managerial positon...enough said . one my friends with whom i plan to go into this business with is a chef and manages a whole kitchen here in denamrk in an italian restaurant. he has some experience manging an establishemnt. a bar is a very different business so i don't know how that will go. i would like to try see if i'm cut for the business here in denmark but i am affraid that the danish system is radically different then the thai one and that my experience will only serve me on a limited level. despite being only 22 i have worked constantly to keep my self in college so i have tried a bit of eveything. now i am working in my own field in parallel with my studies but before i have been through many a challenge

Hello Everybody!

Just to start off with i will start with this,

Alexxxx has been naming 4 partners in his business idea of opening a bar and i am one of the four. I have worked now in a restaurant for 3 ½ years, and started off nothing more than a dishwasher at the restaurant. I am now head chef of the restaurant and manage 7 chefs, 5 dishwashers, and have a lot of experience in keeping costs low, working to a maximum with my staff, and making my staff feel good. Im not trying to put myself in good light or someone on here trying to offer me a job as a chef in thailand, but merely trying to say i have experience of running a restaurant. I know the ups and downs in the restaurant business and i know the short cuts in managing a low budget. However my point being,

How many foreigners have tried opening up a bar, not only with a good idea (but a great idea), have the experience of running a bar/restaurant, have a trustworthy thai (who like us wants the same by opening a bar), has sufficent funding, and not only are we not jumping into this idea head first but we are working as a team of 4, building each others ideas, so that we can get the most optimal ideas possible....

I like Alexxx is young, and willing to work hard as are the other 2. I am not a 40-50 year old man in a midlife crisis wanting to get out of my marriage and get away from my 2 children because i feel regret in not doing anything in my life before now, by moving down to thailand giving all my money away to a Thai woman who one thinks will help you!

Thank you for your time

TheChef

[bkkmadness]

Have you been to Thailand before TheChef?

Perhaps you could tell us what problems you think you might encounter with running a bar in Thailand?

To be honest I don't think your restaurant experience will help with the ones that most of us can think of.

[britmaveric]

Restaurant/bar is certainly better proposition than a bar itself. You might even think about a small bar/restaurant/accomodations. I'd say good example would be Tropical Berts in Pattaya.

[batami]

when i was 22 I had great ambition and wanted to change the world (it did not run to operating a bar in Thailand). I was intelligent, energetic, I knew everything I needed to know, boy was I so pumped up (And probably an insufferable little bugger as well) but I lacked experience -- repeat this again ... I lacked experience ... so do you. in fact looking back, I really did suffer from an absence of reality that experience brings -- however, such is the joy of youth.

You are a young guy "with a big idea" ... but Alex - reading this thread gives me no confidence that you really have a clue about what you want to do other than to live in Thailand ...

reality - no one in their right mind is going to lend a group of three young expats and a thai a load of dosh to open a bar. And 7million to open a bar .. sure you can get (for example) a street bar in Pattaya for less than that but there bars and bars - go to the plush end of the scale and you can probably multiply your 7 million by a large factor .. however, I digress.

Read the threads here - why are you so different to those who have gone before - at 22 you think you have that secret formula - that something different ... chances are it is not unique at all and it is being exploited or has already failed.

reality number 2, in your thread and replies, you talk about a bar - then you want a business - then you want help to find a MNC --- you do not know what you want to do - you are scrambling for ideas with no clear agenda (except I repeat come to thialand - and why might I ask...??

I imagine (And of course I could be wrong) that you and your mates have sat round a table with a few beers and thought -- hey -- we know what we will do - we have this great idea "let's open a bar in thailand" - of course, strongly encouraged by your Thai friend. Sidebar discussion ... their are other cases (not yours I am sure because you have completely trustworthy friends) where the Thai friend uses a shedload of farang money to open a business, which is then populated by his family and mates, on the payroll (do you really know who is who), then he starts to distribute some finacial support from the business to local dignatories, minor politicians, men in brown -- etc -- just to give the Thai partner face in the community (Happens and is important in all Asian countries, Thailand is not unique) and the business has cash flow crises - the farang partners are trying to figure out where the money went -- how many of you are accountants? And, the business crashes. By now the Thai partner has a good face in the community, experience, and can find new Thai partners, family, friends, investors who are willing to back this great proven idea -- but you are not in the picture -- this is not a criticism of Thailand or Thai per se, but read Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, China... this is doing business in the Asian developing world ...

with the greatest of respect, complete your studies, work for a while get some cash in the bank and then get off your arse and come out to Thailand for one or two years travel around, learn Thai, see how money drips away and leaks in seemingly viable businesses. Go to Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, Malaysia and China - study the business in Asia. Read as much as you can -- there are many many good books and papers on doing business in Asia. And then, and only then, think about what business might be viable and how much you are going to need.

If you have a sound business plan, money and financial support will be no barrier - finding the right business partners, employees and managers will be.........

Don't let people steal your dream ... but listen to wind, listen to what is being said here. Sure their are doom sayers but there is a lot of quality comment in this thread and you would do well to take heed...

Speed and haste will propel you forward into losses and despair, patience and research and clear thought might (just might) make you rich.

good luck

[mrtoad]

Have you ever worked in a bar before Alex?

Maybe a good start for you would be to get a job managing a bar in your own country to gain some experience.

If you can be sucessful at this then try thailand

yes i have worked in a bar but not a managerial positon...enough said . one my friends with whom i plan to go into this business with is a chef and manages a whole kitchen here in denamrk in an italian restaurant. he has some experience manging an establishemnt. a bar is a very different business so i don't know how that will go. i would like to try see if i'm cut for the business here in denmark but i am affraid that the danish system is radically different then the thai one and that my experience will only serve me on a limited level. despite being only 22 i have worked constantly to keep my self in college so i have tried a bit of eveything. now i am working in my own field in parallel with my studies but before i have been through many a challenge

Hello Everybody!

Just to start off with i will start with this,

Alexxxx has been naming 4 partners in his business idea of opening a bar and i am one of the four. I have worked now in a restaurant for 3 ½ years, and started off nothing more than a dishwasher at the restaurant. I am now head chef of the restaurant and manage 7 chefs, 5 dishwashers, and have a lot of experience in keeping costs low, working to a maximum with my staff, and making my staff feel good. Im not trying to put myself in good light or someone on here trying to offer me a job as a chef in thailand, but merely trying to say i have experience of running a restaurant. I know the ups and downs in the restaurant business and i know the short cuts in managing a low budget. However my point being,

How many foreigners have tried opening up a bar, not only with a good idea (but a great idea), have the experience of running a bar/restaurant, have a trustworthy thai (who like us wants the same by opening a bar), has sufficent funding, and not only are we not jumping into this idea head first but we are working as a team of 4, building each others ideas, so that we can get the most optimal ideas possible....

I like Alexxx is young, and willing to work hard as are the other 2. I am not a 40-50 year old man in a midlife crisis wanting to get out of my marriage and get away from my 2 children because i feel regret in not doing anything in my life before now, by moving down to thailand giving all my money away to a Thai woman who one thinks will help you!

Thank you for your time

TheChef

TROLL

[TheChef]

Have you been to Thailand before TheChef?

Perhaps you could tell us what problems you think you might encounter with running a bar in Thailand?

To be honest I don't think your restaurant experience will help with the ones that most of us can think of.

Yes I have! My father lives in Bangkok, and i have been there twice before!

The main problems which i have so far thought about, other than the location, and size is the staff.

1. Looking after the staff. I have one theory is that if you make your staff feel worthy and you show a sign of trust within them (you dont neccesaryly have to but act like you do) they will respect you a bit more

- ex. them not stealing from the cash desk, not giving out any free drinks, not drinking for your bill

2. Paying the staff an extra 5-10% compared to other attractive bars (as ours will be), so they will feel as though they are getting a good working atmospehere (of course this will be researched)

3. The police, and bribs will be a problem

4. Trying to overcome funny laws which thais have placed on bars/restaurant businesses, however this is where our thai friend comes into place

5. A main delivory company, who our negotiable with prices.

6. Stock coming on time, our stock coming in at the prices firstly agreed with our delivores, however again this is where our thai friend comes into place

7. Insurance on the bar, but this is where our lawyer, and possibly our thai friend comes into place

8. Our rubbish. Where is this going to be put and how much are we going to pay for this is get taken away.

9. Getting a good clientel. Of course this has part in the location of the bar.

10. Good marketing

11. i know it sounds shallow, but back to the staff, the girls who work at the bar must look good!

That is just off the top of my head!

[TheChef]

Have you ever worked in a bar before Alex?

Maybe a good start for you would be to get a job managing a bar in your own country to gain some experience.

If you can be sucessful at this then try thailand

yes i have worked in a bar but not a managerial positon...enough said . one my friends with whom i plan to go into this business with is a chef and manages a whole kitchen here in denamrk in an italian restaurant. he has some experience manging an establishemnt. a bar is a very different business so i don't know how that will go. i would like to try see if i'm cut for the business here in denmark but i am affraid that the danish system is radically different then the thai one and that my experience will only serve me on a limited level. despite being only 22 i have worked constantly to keep my self in college so i have tried a bit of eveything. now i am working in my own field in parallel with my studies but before i have been through many a challenge

Hello Everybody!

Just to start off with i will start with this,

Alexxxx has been naming 4 partners in his business idea of opening a bar and i am one of the four. I have worked now in a restaurant for 3 ½ years, and started off nothing more than a dishwasher at the restaurant. I am now head chef of the restaurant and manage 7 chefs, 5 dishwashers, and have a lot of experience in keeping costs low, working to a maximum with my staff, and making my staff feel good. Im not trying to put myself in good light or someone on here trying to offer me a job as a chef in thailand, but merely trying to say i have experience of running a restaurant. I know the ups and downs in the restaurant business and i know the short cuts in managing a low budget. However my point being,

How many foreigners have tried opening up a bar, not only with a good idea (but a great idea), have the experience of running a bar/restaurant, have a trustworthy thai (who like us wants the same by opening a bar), has sufficent funding, and not only are we not jumping into this idea head first but we are working as a team of 4, building each others ideas, so that we can get the most optimal ideas possible....

I like Alexxx is young, and willing to work hard as are the other 2. I am not a 40-50 year old man in a midlife crisis wanting to get out of my marriage and get away from my 2 children because i feel regret in not doing anything in my life before now, by moving down to thailand giving all my money away to a Thai woman who one thinks will help you!

Thank you for your time

TheChef

TROLL

You must be one of those midlife crisis men between 40-50 who lost all his money to a thai woman because you trusted her too much!

[bkkmadness]

edit: sorry just noticed you post!

Edited September 12, 2007 by bkkmadness