Opening A Retail Shop In Chaweng

[wmk0005]

I am a foreigner from America and I am going to open a retail shop in Chaweng. In the course of my research I have begun to speak with my foreign business owners out here and one of them suggested that I post my questions on here. So here it goes.

I am going to be opening up a retail shop that will deal with tobacco. I have found a way to get the tobacco here into the country and will have a license to sell imported tobacco. But what I want to know is how the cops in Chaweng treat farang owned businesses. I will not have any employees to start and I do not really speak much Thai. I know a few Thais here and am getting to know more and more farangs. But I can not say that I know anyone who has any real connections with the local police here. I have heard many horror stories of farangs opening up businesses here and they range from run-ins with the mafia to getting shut down because they could not afford to pay the bribes to the police. Just wondering if I will need to worry about that or not.

Secondly, I was wondering if anyone might have any suggestions on location. I am dead set on Chaweng as I feel that opening anywhere else will simply not have the tourist traffic that I will need to make any money. I know that it is expensive and I have already began to look at some locations. One in particular that I have looked at is Khun Chaweng Shopping Center. I know that they have not been open that long, but does anyone know of anything either good or bad in relation to this property?

That is about it for now, but I encourage and would really appreciate any advice or opinions that any of you may have. Thank you very much.

By the way, I have never used a discussion forum before I hope I am doing this the right way.

[Mark Wolfe]

I will be blunt, so don't take this personally.

Even in the best of locations, selling tobacco products will be a complete bust. You will go out of business in no time flat. Foreigners buy smokes in 7-Elevens and Ma and Pa shops for a fraction of what they have to spend in many countries because of sin taxes at home. I gave up smoking a couple of years ago (doesn't that cause cancer or something?) but I believe a pack of Marlboro Lights runs 60 baht or something. That's less that US$2 a pack. I don't know any Western countries that sell smokes so cheaply.

There would be next to no market for specialty tobacco or cigars.

If you are thinking of Thai customers, forget it. Either they buy the same things as the foreigners or they buy loose tobacco in the markets for a song.

Oh, and you can also get many different cigars and cigarettes here, not just a few brands (not every brand in the world, but enough to keep smokers happy).

I believe the shopping area you refer to is the new one in the center of the beach road and it is a real pink elephant. A cluster of well-kept shops (running away from the beach and the main road -- read: away from where people want to congregate) and housing expensive mall-favorite brands.

Frankly, I rarely see anyone wandering up there -- who wants to shop for brands you can buy in the mall back home?

My advice to you would be to come here and live for a month or so and scope out the scene.

To be honest, making money in a shop here is rare. You might be lucky enough to break even, but don't count on it. I've only been here two years and I've already seen numerous shops fold, only to see the next gullible foreigner come along and make the same mistake.

Basically, all the retail space along the main beach roads are taken (not all, of course...there is a big one in Lamai across and down from the Lady Thai boxing ring area that is a failed Italian restaurant...but I think the next failure is on the way as some of the debris inside seems to have been cleaned out), and the shops that are there have an absurd number of clones.

T-shirts, glasses, beach stuff...the list goes on and on.

Taking over a girlie bar rarely does more than give you headaches and enough money to stay open long enough to try to sell out. Some bars can become hangouts for a certain group of people, but unless you can attract regulars (and depending on them is iffy), you'll be scrapping by.

Of course that doesn't mean that all bars fail, but just most.

What are your aims? To make enough to live on? That and to save money? To keep your Thai lady occupied in a legit occupation?

[Dingojoe]

I am a foreigner from America and I am going to open a retail shop in Chaweng. In the course of my research I have begun to speak with my foreign business owners out here and one of them suggested that I post my questions on here. So here it goes.

I am going to be opening up a retail shop that will deal with tobacco. I have found a way to get the tobacco here into the country and will have a license to sell imported tobacco. But what I want to know is how the cops in Chaweng treat farang owned businesses. I will not have any employees to start and I do not really speak much Thai. I know a few Thais here and am getting to know more and more farangs. But I can not say that I know anyone who has any real connections with the local police here. I have heard many horror stories of farangs opening up businesses here and they range from run-ins with the mafia to getting shut down because they could not afford to pay the bribes to the police. Just wondering if I will need to worry about that or not.

Secondly, I was wondering if anyone might have any suggestions on location. I am dead set on Chaweng as I feel that opening anywhere else will simply not have the tourist traffic that I will need to make any money. I know that it is expensive and I have already began to look at some locations. One in particular that I have looked at is Khun Chaweng Shopping Center. I know that they have not been open that long, but does anyone know of anything either good or bad in relation to this property?

That is about it for now, but I encourage and would really appreciate any advice or opinions that any of you may have. Thank you very much.

By the way, I have never used a discussion forum before I hope I am doing this the right way.

Sad to say, but I agree with Mark Wolfe not 100% but 150%

Everything he said is correct as far as I know.

Especialy that shopping center and also the tabacco.

If you found a bar or a restaurant near to Green Mango area you would do better but even your restaurant would have to have a very good chef.

As for paying cops etc, I havent had to, but I am low profile and have a Thai running it, actualy no one knows that i have anything to do with it and its just for fun, but with GREAT potential if someone had the drive to do it right, I cant be bothered.

My advice is to keep your money in a bank back home earning interest and come to Samui and rent, relax and have fun.

On the other hand you can buy my place for 2.8 million but its not a shop.

PM me if your interested and are desperate to loose your dosh, just a joke haha, but really you can have my place for that price, its a very good business idea that i cant disclose on here, and probably not allowed, i think i might have said too much already being new on here and not knowing the rules 100%, moderators please forgive me if i did wrong.

[Khun Jean]

That 'failed' italian restaurant (if it is the one i thinkit is) was doing ok until it was time to extend the lease. The new key money and monthly rent were so outrageous that the owner just said 'scr*w you' and left, never to return.

Mafia and police was not a problem i have seen, at least in Lamai.

Chaweang is expensive and getting a good rental contract is already very difficult. The 3 year contracts look nice but wait for the surprise after 3 years, i would say if you are serious about a retail shop, get a lease for at least 10 years, preferably without keymoney. Will be very difficult, but not impossible.

[Lucifer]

What are the chances he'll ignore the(sound) advice and go ahead with his planes anyway?

[Dingojoe]

What are the chances he'll ignore the(sound) advice and go ahead with his planes anyway?

Yep he will go ahead with it, they all do.

Lets hope he proves us wrong.

[Lucifer]

What are the chances he'll ignore the(sound) advice and go ahead with his planes anyway?

oops, that's plans NOT planes

[Dingojoe]

I am a foreigner from America and I am going to open a retail shop in Chaweng. In the course of my research I have begun to speak with my foreign business owners out here and one of them suggested that I post my questions on here. So here it goes.

I am going to be opening up a retail shop that will deal with tobacco. I have found a way to get the tobacco here into the country and will have a license to sell imported tobacco. But what I want to know is how the cops in Chaweng treat farang owned businesses. I will not have any employees to start and I do not really speak much Thai. I know a few Thais here and am getting to know more and more farangs. But I can not say that I know anyone who has any real connections with the local police here. I have heard many horror stories of farangs opening up businesses here and they range from run-ins with the mafia to getting shut down because they could not afford to pay the bribes to the police. Just wondering if I will need to worry about that or not.

Secondly, I was wondering if anyone might have any suggestions on location. I am dead set on Chaweng as I feel that opening anywhere else will simply not have the tourist traffic that I will need to make any money. I know that it is expensive and I have already began to look at some locations. One in particular that I have looked at is Khun Chaweng Shopping Center. I know that they have not been open that long, but does anyone know of anything either good or bad in relation to this property?

That is about it for now, but I encourage and would really appreciate any advice or opinions that any of you may have. Thank you very much.

By the way, I have never used a discussion forum before I hope I am doing this the right way.

There is one more important thing you need to know, there are jobs here that you cant do, that are only for local Thai people.

what your thinking of doing now should not be a problem for anyone i dont think, So cops and mafia should not bother you.

but for example if you start selling chicken on a stick from a Som Loi out side green mango, youll be shut down very quick.

I think there was a guy selling Tacos from one and he lasted about 4 days, ohh hes still alive they just told him to stop doing it, you do get told twice, second time they'll burn your business third time they'll kill you.

Am i been too negative here, i better lighten up i think,

back to "reversing the roles"

by the way, that business was 3 million its now 2.8 million so dont try and get me down more, when you find out what it is, youll think i am crazy for selling it so cheap, God is all this leagal on here? or am i going to get kicked off?

[Mark Wolfe]

Khun Jean wrote:

That 'failed' italian restaurant (if it is the one i thinkit is) was doing ok until it was time to extend the lease. The new key money and monthly rent were so outrageous that the owner just said 'scr*w you' and left, never to return.

I stand corrected; however, let's call it forced suicide rather than failure. This happened to The Rising Sun restaurant and bar just up the road.

On that same score, I'd like to point out the restaurant across from MacDonalds in Lamai, the one where Cafe Del Sol used to be (where I liked to sit on the comfortable chairs along the front watching the tourists go by, which was replaced by a low WALL! Nice touch, guys!). There was serious money put into the construction of the place and frankly, it's beautifully done. Trouble is, the times that I have gone by I never notice more than a couple of people there. My guess is that you could have at least the same number of customers or more if you'd put in picnic tables with peanut shells on the floor and a few pot plants here and there.

My humble observation is that this place is a testament to the apparent fact that the beaches are saturated with restaurants/bars/similar shops and even making the appearance nice is not going to draw in custom.

By the way, this absurdity of "key money" here really puts a damper on things. Paying this in the UK or the States is illegal. Anyway, the idea is to buffer the situation in instances where rents are below market value.

Here it seems an arbitrary and exorbitant way to bilk the tenant. Something is off when the rent on a place is 10,000 baht a month and the key money is 1,000,000 baht (or twice that).

Oh, and unlike security deposits, which you get back if the place is in good nick, the key money is a one-time transaction.

So, Triple-O-Five....what do you think?

[lazeeboy]

I am a foreigner from America and I am going to open a retail shop in Chaweng. In the course of my research I have begun to speak with my foreign business owners out here and one of them suggested that I post my questions on here. So here it goes.

I am going to be opening up a retail shop that will deal with tobacco. I have found a way to get the tobacco here into the country and will have a license to sell imported tobacco. But what I want to know is how the cops in Chaweng treat farang owned businesses. I will not have any employees to start and I do not really speak much Thai. I know a few Thais here and am getting to know more and more farangs. But I can not say that I know anyone who has any real connections with the local police here. I have heard many horror stories of farangs opening up businesses here and they range from run-ins with the mafia to getting shut down because they could not afford to pay the bribes to the police. Just wondering if I will need to worry about that or not.

Secondly, I was wondering if anyone might have any suggestions on location. I am dead set on Chaweng as I feel that opening anywhere else will simply not have the tourist traffic that I will need to make any money. I know that it is expensive and I have already began to look at some locations. One in particular that I have looked at is Khun Chaweng Shopping Center. I know that they have not been open that long, but does anyone know of anything either good or bad in relation to this property?

That is about it for now, but I encourage and would really appreciate any advice or opinions that any of you may have. Thank you very much.

By the way, I have never used a discussion forum before I hope I am doing this the right way.

There is one more important thing you need to know, there are jobs here that you cant do, that are only for local Thai people.

what your thinking of doing now should not be a problem for anyone i dont think, So cops and mafia should not bother you.

but for example if you start selling chicken on a stick from a Som Loi out side green mango, youll be shut down very quick.

I think there was a guy selling Tacos from one and he lasted about 4 days, ohh hes still alive they just told him to stop doing it, you do get told twice, second time they'll burn your business third time they'll kill you.

Am i been too negative here, i better lighten up i think,

back to "reversing the roles"

by the way, that business was 3 million its now 2.8 million so dont try and get me down more, when you find out what it is, youll think i am crazy for selling it so cheap, God is all this leagal on here? or am i going to get kicked off?

if i was new to thailand i would be scared off with all this talk of mafia and murder ,burning your business down ,come on be real this has not happened in samui ,if the op wants to sell tobbaco then he will ,if he fails so be it ,if he succeeds it will be copied by some of the negative posters on this forum

[SamuiRes]

I will not have any employees to start and I do not really speak much Thai. I know a few Thais here and am getting to know more and more farangs.

Whether or not the business is viable - this statement alone suggests he has not done his homework and needs serious legal advice.

[wmk0005]

I will be blunt, so don't take this personally.

Even in the best of locations, selling tobacco products will be a complete bust. You will go out of business in no time flat. Foreigners buy smokes in 7-Elevens and Ma and Pa shops for a fraction of what they have to spend in many countries because of sin taxes at home. I gave up smoking a couple of years ago (doesn't that cause cancer or something?) but I believe a pack of Marlboro Lights runs 60 baht or something. That's less that US$2 a pack. I don't know any Western countries that sell smokes so cheaply.

There would be next to no market for specialty tobacco or cigars.

If you are thinking of Thai customers, forget it. Either they buy the same things as the foreigners or they buy loose tobacco in the markets for a song.

Oh, and you can also get many different cigars and cigarettes here, not just a few brands (not every brand in the world, but enough to keep smokers happy).

I believe the shopping area you refer to is the new one in the center of the beach road and it is a real pink elephant. A cluster of well-kept shops (running away from the beach and the main road -- read: away from where people want to congregate) and housing expensive mall-favorite brands.

Frankly, I rarely see anyone wandering up there -- who wants to shop for brands you can buy in the mall back home?

My advice to you would be to come here and live for a month or so and scope out the scene.

To be honest, making money in a shop here is rare. You might be lucky enough to break even, but don't count on it. I've only been here two years and I've already seen numerous shops fold, only to see the next gullible foreigner come along and make the same mistake.

Basically, all the retail space along the main beach roads are taken (not all, of course...there is a big one in Lamai across and down from the Lady Thai boxing ring area that is a failed Italian restaurant...but I think the next failure is on the way as some of the debris inside seems to have been cleaned out), and the shops that are there have an absurd number of clones.

T-shirts, glasses, beach stuff...the list goes on and on.

Taking over a girlie bar rarely does more than give you headaches and enough money to stay open long enough to try to sell out. Some bars can become hangouts for a certain group of people, but unless you can attract regulars (and depending on them is iffy), you'll be scrapping by.

Of course that doesn't mean that all bars fail, but just most.

What are your aims? To make enough to live on? That and to save money? To keep your Thai lady occupied in a legit occupation?

Well I asked for advice and I got it. Thank you for being honest and blunt. I do not plan on the Thais buying any products from me and I do not even really plan on the ex pats buying any products either. What I will be selling does not exist here in Samui at all. It does exist in a few places here in Thailand, but not only will my prices be much better my quality and selection will be much better as well. I agree about the shopping center. That was one of the things that worried me. I have not seen hardly any people at all there. My main customer will have to be the tourist that has plenty of loose money to spend here. They can get what I am selling in some restaurants and hotels, but again the prices and selection are horrible. The fact that my product is sold in restaurants and hotels here tells me that someone is buying this stuff, and one employee of a restaurant told me that he has heard complaints of the lack of a retail shop here. I have also heard from a guy that runs the majority of these types of shops here in Thailand, and he is considering a shop here in Samui. So I don't think that you are completely right about an utter lack of a market here. I don't know, I'm sure that my differences of opinion are clouded by my desire to open a business such as this.

[wmk0005]

That 'failed' italian restaurant (if it is the one i thinkit is) was doing ok until it was time to extend the lease. The new key money and monthly rent were so outrageous that the owner just said 'scr*w you' and left, never to return.

Mafia and police was not a problem i have seen, at least in Lamai.

Chaweang is expensive and getting a good rental contract is already very difficult. The 3 year contracts look nice but wait for the surprise after 3 years, i would say if you are serious about a retail shop, get a lease for at least 10 years, preferably without keymoney. Will be very difficult, but not impossible.

I have found a nice place in Chaweng for 2 years with no key money. The good thing is that it is on the beach road the bad thing is that it is more than 25,000 baht a month and it is in the shopping center I posted about.

[wmk0005]

What are the chances he'll ignore the(sound) advice and go ahead with his planes anyway?

oops, that's plans NOT planes

Do any of you who have posted about what a bad idea this is own a business in Thailand or have you in the past?

[wmk0005]

I will not have any employees to start and I do not really speak much Thai. I know a few Thais here and am getting to know more and more Franks.

Whether or not the business is viable - this statement alone suggests he has not done his homework and needs serious legal advice.

That is exactly what this post is for. I did not post to get a pat on the back or to get told that I am an idiot and will fail. The reason that I posted was to give a general idea and see if any of you had some ideas other than "don't do it" that could really help. For instance, when I say that I do not speak Thai and that I do not plan to have any employees to start don't tell me that I have not done my homework tell me why (aside from the obvious) this is going to hurt me. I am looking for real help here not just pointless insults and harsh criticism.

[Prakanong]

Restaurants and hotels! - Its got to be Cigar's has it not?

I have never smoked but its not those Dominican Republic things that I have heard aficianado's of cigar's slagging off is it - sold around the bar's in Bangkok and Pattaya?

There used to be a cigar place in Patpong too - next to Goldfingers as it?

[Samuian]

....That was one of the things that worried me. I have not seen hardly any people at all there. My main customer will have to be the tourist that has plenty of loose money to spend here. They can get what I am selling in some restaurants and hotels, but again the prices and selection are horrible. ....

lock away your money and RUN!

Read the quote of whta you wrote again and again.... you know already!

Cigars? Go and ask the guys in the Coco Blues Pub how many of them are sold in a month time!

Pipes?

Shisha tobacco?

And do NOT forget the low season and the rainy season where everything not taken really care of starts to rot!

And read the advice given here in honesty and for free!

[lazeeboy]

I will not have any employees to start and I do not really speak much Thai. I know a few Thais here and am getting to know more and more Franks.

Whether or not the business is viable - this statement alone suggests he has not done his homework and needs serious legal advice.

That is exactly what this post is for. I did not post to get a pat on the back or to get told that I am an idiot and will fail. The reason that I posted was to give a general idea and see if any of you had some ideas other than "don't do it" that could really help. For instance, when I say that I do not speak Thai and that I do not plan to have any employees to start don't tell me that I have not done my homework tell me why (aside from the obvious) this is going to hurt me. I am looking for real help here not just pointless insults and harsh criticism.

25000b on the beach road ,must be down an alleyway ,as rents on the beach road itself start at 75000b ,to go down an alley you need to advertise ,you said in an earlier post you dont need to sell to thai and tourist ? why then do you have to be in chaweng when theres many more towns a lot cheaper than there ........

[wmk0005]

I will not have any employees to start and I do not really speak much Thai. I know a few Thais here and am getting to know more and more Franks.

Whether or not the business is viable - this statement alone suggests he has not done his homework and needs serious legal advice.

That is exactly what this post is for. I did not post to get a pat on the back or to get told that I am an idiot and will fail. The reason that I posted was to give a general idea and see if any of you had some ideas other than "don't do it" that could really help. For instance, when I say that I do not speak Thai and that I do not plan to have any employees to start don't tell me that I have not done my homework tell me why (aside from the obvious) this is going to hurt me. I am looking for real help here not just pointless insults and harsh criticism.

25000b on the beach road ,must be down an alleyway ,as rents on the beach road itself start at 75000b ,to go down an alley you need to advertise ,you said in an earlier post you dont need to sell to thai and tourist ? why then do you have to be in chaweng when theres many more towns a lot cheaper than there ........

Maybe I misspoke, as I will be selling to tourists. It is the Thais and the ex-pats that I am not counting on (though I would greatly welcome their business) as customers. And it is on the beach road, not down an alley. As I said it is in the property that I spoke of in the original post. Not only is the fact that it is in that property a down side but it is also towards the end of that property - which as someone said earlier runs away from the beach.

[Lucifer]

What are the chances he'll ignore the(sound) advice and go ahead with his planes anyway?

oops, that's plans NOT planes

Do any of you who have posted about what a bad idea this is own a business in Thailand or have you in the past?

Business in the UK for 23 years.

Wouldn't dream of starting up anything in a foreign country unless I lived there for a while.

Also, you'll find the 'Thai tourists' are unlikely to spend the kind of money you're thinking of.

Don't do it. Live there for a few years. Learn about the market, then if you must, go for it.

[wmk0005]

What are the chances he'll ignore the(sound) advice and go ahead with his planes anyway?

oops, that's plans NOT planes

Do any of you who have posted about what a bad idea this is own a business in Thailand or have you in the past?

Business in the UK for 23 years.

Wouldn't dream of starting up anything in a foreign country unless I lived there for a while.

Also, you'll find the 'Thai tourists' are unlikely to spend the kind of money you're thinking of.

Don't do it. Live there for a few years. Learn about the market, then if you must, go for it.

Got cha. But just to be correct it is the farang tourists not the Thai tourists that I am after.

[SamuiJens]

What are the chances he'll ignore the(sound) advice and go ahead with his planes anyway?

oops, that's plans NOT planes

Do any of you who have posted about what a bad idea this is own a business in Thailand or have you in the past?

Business in the UK for 23 years.

Wouldn't dream of starting up anything in a foreign country unless I lived there for a while.

Also, you'll find the 'Thai tourists' are unlikely to spend the kind of money you're thinking of.

Don't do it. Live there for a few years. Learn about the market, then if you must, go for it.

Got cha. But just to be correct it is the farang tourists not the Thai tourists that I am after.

Same same

[mattias33]

My advice is to keep your money in a bank back home earning interest and come to Samui and rent, relax and have fun

Now thats a good advise to give to an American!! "Keep your money in a bank in the Us".

Alot off slagging in this thread, but i realy dont think Op wanted the oppinion if his ideas are good or not. He just wanted to ask some fair questions and off course that is getting more and more impossible in this forum by the day.

To Op:

A friend of mine that runs a restaurant in Lamai has a little "mailbox" in his restaurant. He pay the police something like 1000-1500 baht/month and they come by everyday on random times to check on his place. Apparenly Thais have alot of respect for this box and rarely do anything to companies that have it. At least thats what he tells me.

Maybe some of the restaurant/shop-owners heard more about this one and can say more exact details?

[Dingojoe]

My advice is to keep your money in a bank back home earning interest and come to Samui and rent, relax and have fun

Now thats a good advise to give to an American!! "Keep your money in a bank in the Us".

Alot off slagging in this thread, but i realy dont think Op wanted the oppinion if his ideas are good or not. He just wanted to ask some fair questions and off course that is getting more and more impossible in this forum by the day.

To Op:

A friend of mine that runs a restaurant in Lamai has a little "mailbox" in his restaurant. He pay the police something like 1000-1500 baht/month and they come by everyday on random times to check on his place. Apparenly Thais have alot of respect for this box and rarely do anything to companies that have it. At least thats what he tells me.

Maybe some of the restaurant/shop-owners heard more about this one and can say more exact details?

Hey thats not funny, you just wait until Hillary Rodham Clinton get in, youll see.

[Mark Wolfe]

When I first came here to live, I thought of buying a property, not for investment, per se, but for me to live on.

After a year it was clear TO ME, that this was not for ME (for others it may be the cat's meow).

If you do what you say, offering some tobacco products for sale anywhere on Samui, you will fail and you will fail very quickly. This is not an insult or "harsh criticism," it is a friendly warning from someone who knows. To be honest, it is such an outrageously bad idea that I almost wish you would start up where you say so that I can watch it play out (but it won't take long for it to end).

Come here and live for 6 months consecutively and then see what you think.

By the way, over the last 2 years, the tourist numbers, at least on Lamai, have dropped noticeably.

One other thing: you see people here smoking cigarettes, foreigners the ones from the pack and locals from loose tobacco rolled themselves. I don't think they are not smoking cigars or other things, like a pipe, because they can't find them.

How long have you been in Samui in total and how often? Why tobacco? Do you have enough money to stay here without starting a business? Are you 50 or over (retirement visa)? Why Samui? Do you have a woman here that motivates you to come?

[Dingojoe]

When I first came here to live, I thought of buying a property, not for investment, per se, but for me to live on.

After a year it was clear TO ME, that this was not for ME (for others it may be the cat's meow).

If you do what you say, offering some tobacco products for sale anywhere on Samui, you will fail and you will fail very quickly. This is not an insult or "harsh criticism," it is a friendly warning from someone who knows. To be honest, it is such an outrageously bad idea that I almost wish you would start up where you say so that I can watch it play out (but it won't take long for it to end).

Come here and live for 6 months consecutively and then see what you think.

By the way, over the last 2 years, the tourist numbers, at least on Lamai, have dropped noticeably.

One other thing: you see people here smoking cigarettes, foreigners the ones from the pack and locals from loose tobacco rolled themselves. I don't think they are not smoking cigars or other things, like a pipe, because they can't find them.

How long have you been in Samui in total and how often? Why tobacco? Do you have enough money to stay here without starting a business? Are you 50 or over (retirement visa)? Why Samui? Do you have a woman here that motivates you to come?

One thing Mark that i dont think you remember is that this guy already deals in Tobacco, Cigars mostly by the sound of things, so if he is going to do any business seems cigars is what he will do.

Shame realy because i have a very viable business for sale for him, but seems he's not interested and its right up his alley being an American.

And me too, i did not mean to offend, it also was friendly advice, but i guess you gotta try it and learn by your own mistakes and not others, but thats human nature. GO FOR IT.

[ebiro]

@wmk0005

I seems that you have done before some legal work , right?

1.) Youv'e got a permission for importing a product to Thailand?

2.) For that you need a company, you already set up a Thai company Ltd?

2.a) You have a non immigrant B visa, multiple entries!

2.B ) You have a work permit which enables you to work for that company?

2.c) You paid for that work permit 2 Million BHT allready?

2.d) You are aware that you need 4 Thai emploies for one farang employee?

3.) You allready set up a company bank account?

4.) You have an accountant for book keeping and tax payment?

5.) You will rent the place you like for your company?

6.) For all above you allready have a good lawyer?

Beside from good or bad business ideas, these are some basics to make

legal business here in Thailand/Koh Samui. If you not have done the steps 1-6 start to

find information how to set up the things! f.e. http://www.boi.go.th/english/default.asp

2a) If you come as a retired person this is obsolet but than you don't get 2b!)

my 2 cents for setup a shop in KS as a farang!

Ebiro

[Mark Wolfe]

Wouldn't all this go away if everything was set up by his Thai girlfriend and he just provides the money and works behind the scenes?

[Lite Beer]

Wouldn't all this go away if everything was set up by his Thai girlfriend and he just provides the money and works behind the scenes?

As if this would ever happen in Samui.

[Khun Jean]

It seems that the combination Sex and Beer is more than available in Chaweang, so it would be a 'natural' extension selling cigars.

I suspect he already has a large base in Patpong (former cigar bar) and other bar/hotel hotspots in Bangkok. Expanding to Phuket would be my first choice and Koh Samui, Hua Hin my 2nd and 3rd.

Advice from people buying their beers from 7-11 should be ignored.

Edited December 14, 2007 by Khun Jean