Hi Brudders n Sista,

I'm from malaysia. Would like to know how should i go about if I wwant to open a small restaurant in bangkok.

Or where i can read up for more information.

Do some market research first!! what area? customer base? competition? local prices? overheads? etc etc etc

Do some market research first!! what area? customer base? competition? local prices? overheads? etc etc etc

Had done my research and i think it will work out. and my brother is thinking of opening a car wash/ mobile polish too, but it seems like we cant really get much info on how to set up the biz or get the right paper work to start

Since you are in the 'no idea' group, I suggest that a word with Sunbelt (sponsor ad. at the top of the page) would be a good starting point.

It'd be great to have a low priced Malaysian restaurant in Bangkok, if that's what you had in mind.

Keep in mind though, that meals in Thailand only cost about 50 baht or 5 MYR; so you'd have to compute how many plates to sell to make a profit.

And since you're a foreigner who will need a work permit (I assume?), your restaurant would have to charge vat 7% which not many Thais are willing to pay for everyday Asian food.

Of course you could go more upscale and have a real "restaurant" selling meals for about 100 to 200 baht.. but I don't know if "malaysian food" is something many people would pay that much for. Thai restaurants who charge that much either cater to tourists, or if they cater to Thais, they have really cool and hip "fusion" type interior design etc. If you wana target tourists, it may be worth a try... but tourists going to "Thailand" come here to eat "Thai" food I think, and don't come to Thailand to eat Malaysian food. Whenever my tourist friends visit me, it's "take me to a THAI restaurant" and of course they mean the more expensive ones not frequented by local Thais.

In your shoes I'd target the Thai middle class (secretaries, etc.) but you'd have to keep your prices at about 50 baht or 70 baht at the most.

By the way folks... whatever happened to Cili Padi malaysian restaurant which was supposed to open but which no one could ever find? It was supposed to be low priced and people on this forum seemed to be quite excited to try it, but no one ever found exactly where it was.

By the way folks... whatever happened to Cili Padi malaysian restaurant which was supposed to open but which no one could ever find? It was supposed to be low priced and people on this forum seemed to be quite excited to try it, but no one ever found exactly where it was.

I think it's the one on Narathiwat (the road with the stinky klong up the middle where the brass windmill structure resides) inbetween Silom Road and Surawong Road. If you are facing Silom road the restaurant is on the left. Closest BTS station is Chong Nonsi. I think it is still in business.