Opening Food Stalls In Bangkok

[stvm]

Hello I am considering opening a food stall aimed at foreign customers. It will be completely thai run and i will simply be the finance and keep my involvement in the background after the setup.

Does anyone have any experiences they can share with opening up food street stalls in bangkok and any advice for me.

Mike

[IMA_FARANG]

Hello I am considering opening a food stall aimed at foreign customers. It will be completely thai run and i will simply be the finance and keep my involvement in the background after the setup.

Does anyone have any experiences they can share with opening up food street stalls in bangkok and any advice for me.

Mike

Too many things to consider to make a good answer.

Things to consider:

1. Location of stall? Do you think at that location it could be sucessful?

2. How much will it cost to rent stall/space?

3. Who is running it? Is it your family?

4. Does the person running it have experience or background in running such a stall?

5. Does the person running it know the people who are charging the rent?

6. Can that person be confident that if it starts making money (does well) the rent won't be raised?

7. Does the person setting the rent have the right to take back the stall if it does start to make a good profit?

Just think about those things, and others, before you put money into it.

I'll tell you what happened to me several years ago.

My Thai G/F started a small Thai style laundry, near a university, and mainly for the students. The students didn't have a lot of money, so she charged a minimum rate. We bought 3 washers for the shop and 2 dryers. We paid xxxx in rent for the store.

My Thai G/F worked hard on the laundry, and established a good return clientelle (sp?). It started to make a profit. The shop owner doubled the rent. Because the laundry was running on a minimum profit, that rent was too much. The owner then took over the laundry, and within a few months it was run into the ground because the owner tried to raise the rates beyond what the students could afford.

Just a lesson for you about the Thai business culture.

[dee123]

Hello I am considering opening a food stall aimed at foreign customers. It will be completely thai run and i will simply be the finance and keep my involvement in the background after the setup.

Does anyone have any experiences they can share with opening up food street stalls in bangkok and any advice for me.

Mike

not a bad idea if you demonstrate to the farangs why they should buy at your stall instead of the other millions allready trading,so what is going to be different about your stall?Will it have western hygiene standards offering a slightly different menu? where will it be situated? do you need to register it?have you got a business plan yet? Edited January 18, 2009 by dee123

[eggomaniac]

What is the tourist season again? November to Feb. The rest of the year you will be down to a trickle.

Here's one I have thought of. I could NOT find ear candling over there. That surprised me, maybe somebody has tried introducing it? Also, Glacier Ice Coffee!? Instead of A stall, have some bikes that your vendors peddle around. Park them for 8 months.

If you are targeting 'foreigners' find out something Japanese, Chinese, Mid Eastern tourists would 'love' to encounter on a tour. "Oh this is a nice surprise!" in Chinese. For reasons unknown Thai Tourism is not courting farang tourists as heavily Asian. Maybe they did studies on what countries spend the most money, while causing the least problems?

If you decide on a cheddar cheese, dill pickle, mayonnaise, on whole wheat bread 'stall', let me know where!!!

[dee123]

Hello I am considering opening a food stall aimed at foreign customers. It will be completely thai run and i will simply be the finance and keep my involvement in the background after the setup.

Does anyone have any experiences they can share with opening up food street stalls in bangkok and any advice for me.

Mike

its been quite a while now so I reckon stym has given up the idea

[endure]

When you say 'aimed at foreign customers' do you mean that it will sell 'farang' food? If so, the most important question you need to ask is whether your cook can actually cook farang food to a standard that most farang would recognise. Thais may be wonderful cooks but most of them don't seem to have much of a grip on the way farang food is prepared.

[WOWAsia]

When you say 'aimed at foreign customers' do you mean that it will sell 'farang' food? If so, the most important question you need to ask is whether your cook can actually cook farang food to a standard that most farang would recognise. Thais may be wonderful cooks but most of them don't seem to have much of a grip on the way farang food is prepared.

Why should they care about farang food or have a grip how to prepare it??, as the the Thai cuisine is one of the worlds best, if not THE best!

[endure]

When you say 'aimed at foreign customers' do you mean that it will sell 'farang' food? If so, the most important question you need to ask is whether your cook can actually cook farang food to a standard that most farang would recognise. Thais may be wonderful cooks but most of them don't seem to have much of a grip on the way farang food is prepared.

Why should they care about farang food or have a grip how to prepare it??, as the the Thai cuisine is one of the worlds best, if not THE best!

If they're going to work at a stall selling farang food to farangs they do need to have a grip. If they're selling Thai food then it's not important. If they are selling Thai food what differentiates them from the other 42 bazillion stalls?

[Naam]

When you say 'aimed at foreign customers' do you mean that it will sell 'farang' food? If so, the most important question you need to ask is whether your cook can actually cook farang food to a standard that most farang would recognise. Thais may be wonderful cooks but most of them don't seem to have much of a grip on the way farang food is prepared.

Why should they care about farang food or have a grip how to prepare it??, as the the Thai cuisine is one of the worlds best, if not THE best!

If they're going to work at a stall selling farang food to farangs they do need to have a grip. If they're selling Thai food then it's not important. If they are selling Thai food what differentitaes them from the other 42 bazillion stalls?

a sign in half a dozen languages "foreigners only!"

[Khun Jean]

Maybe you can use two prices. One for farang and another higher one for Thais.

Instant solution to farangs complaining about two-tier pricing.

[soundman]

Moved to SME forum.

[YagerTool]

Apart from the difficulties you may face, outlined above, such as costs and competition. Are there any government permits required?

[kohlantabiscuit]

Apart from the difficulties you may face, outlined above, such as costs and competition. Are there any government permits required?

Hello

this thread is also of interest to me. As raised by Yagertoo above, idoes anyone know whether it's permissable as a farang to own the building & equipment necessary to run a small business, but paying a Thai national to run the actual business? I understand I will be responsible for paying the Thai national's income tax. The land is rented on an unregistered year by year agreement/contract. I have been offered an opportunity but wonder if this is allowed? Any info greatly appreciated.