New Business Venture In Pattaya For Thai Wife

[jupiler]

Think you should check out this theory about farangs wearing the same clothes for a day ,maybe you are doing this and think all farangs are the same.

I have minimum 5 showers a day/evening and every time i change clothes,albeit,singlet,shorts,unless i go out.This is a hot country and to suggest we dont change clothes everyday is mindblowing.you must have some dirty friends.

So you change 5X times a day clothing? Perhaps you need you're own private laundry shop

[BSJ]

I am absolutely sick and tired of the Thai wife lying around all day watching unfunny comedy programmes with irritating sound effects and the even more pathetic Thai soap series that run every evening from 8.00pm onwards.

I have an idea to set her up with a laundry business. I reckon I can rent a premises for 6,000 per month then there is utility bills on top.

I can set the place up with three washing machines initially, one washing machine will be for farangs only because this will be set to a higher temperature wash because farangs (unlike Thai's) wear their clothes more than once so there is more bacteria in their underwear and socks.

I shall get two ironing-boards (good quality) not the type which sag or slip around on the floor because they weigh only 1kg.

Then set her to work (with one assistant from her Isaan extended family (who has never been to Pattaya before, so appreciates a salary of THB4K).

I will advertise heavily for tourist business with English signs and flyers and get her to draw up some Thai-scripted similar.

Then I can just sit back and wait for the cash to come in.

Comments appreciated.

Your a Cunny Funt! Well, you did ask for comments.

[torrenova]

The laundry business is not easy I promise you as I've been through the maths with this a few times. I do this with businesses which are profitable but not maximising their potential largely because of a lack of investment, lack of drive or knowledge etc. but mainly because Thais working and owning these types of places are happy when their income exceeds what they perceive they could earn from another more demanding job. Just l;ike the noodle lady who packs up at 2pm but who could sell another 100 dishes later on.

Does anyone remember those annoying adverts on Sophon about 3 or 4 years ago for something like Easyclean ? Howie was interviewing one of his advertisers who had seemingly spent a fortune on equipment, premises and customised delivery and collection vehicles ? Where are they now ? Bankrupt I suspect as I have not heard from the in years.

Where you can win is service. It is easy in a condo block as you have a captive audience but when you get to houses, people have more room and you can get a decent (LG or Samsung) top loader big enough for your duvet blanket (about 8kg) for between Bt6k and Bt8k. Laundry liquid is about Bt200 a big bottle, softener is Bt80 or so for the same, water is next to bugger all and electric is moderate.

You trade off pieces per Bt500 (the standard payment way) from 50 to 100 but you can clean up on service through timeliness and quality of ironing. Add in cleaning of the condos as well.

Move to contracts with people outside of condo blocks and you'll see most still don't have a car. Why ? because they cannot afford one or justify the expense. Anyone who can afford one has one, even if they also drive a bike. Now you don't take big laundry on a bike do you ? Also, you don't iron stuff even if you a machine.

In the end it comes down to whether people will pay for the service and that is where you have to put time, money and effort into doing your own empirical market research.

Just a thought for this and other businesses. Why do they close so early ? You pay rent 24 hours a day. Most taxis are earning a living 24 hours a day, yet laundries go to sleep and tell their customers that they can have it back tomorrow night maybe or the day after. What would be the outcome if you could have it back far far quicker, nearly as quick as you could do it yourself ? Think about it.

[lawling]

I am absolutely sick and tired of the Thai wife lying around all day watching unfunny comedy programmes with irritating sound effects and the even more pathetic Thai soap series that run every evening from 8.00pm onwards.

I have an idea to set her up with a laundry business. I reckon I can rent a premises for 6,000 per month then there is utility bills on top.

Comments appreciated.

One of the major considerations will be siting of your premises. Location, location, location!

From what I have seen, the concept of over supply or over-provision of facilities does not exist in Thailand. So, to do things the Thai way, you should look out for a laundry that is already operating successfully and then locate next door - since it is obviously a lucky area. If there are already 2 or more laundries operating side by side, then all the more reason to locate as close to them as possible.

Incidentally, will the missus be able to take a break from the ironing occasionally to sell lottery tickets? I presume lottery sales isn't a full time job - just a couple of busy days twice a month.

[rogercw]

Forget laundries. Sure-fire moneymaker is to buy one of the many open-air beer bars that have gone busto and are available cheap. Make your Thai lady the mamasan. She can provide jobs for numerous "sisters" from her village thus increasing her status. No need to worry about losing money because all your falang friends will come to your new bar regularly and drink. You get to sit around and drink with your friends all day and as a bonus you get to perform the "chief talent evaluator" function.

[roomservice]

Dont want to get into flaming, however i feel if you have a lazy wife it wont work anyway,.im lucky mines a workaholic,but i see a lot of these types that laze around, as another poster pointed out if you are paying the family or similar tell her she needs to get a job to support them ,wait for a reaction,. then you will know exactly what you have and if your intended investment will be wise,.,.

Edited April 17, 2009 by roomservice

[roomservice]

Think you should check out this theory about farangs wearing the same clothes for a day ,maybe you are doing this and think all farangs are the same.

I have minimum 5 showers a day/evening and every time i change clothes,albeit,singlet,shorts,unless i go out.This is a hot country and to suggest we dont change clothes everyday is mindblowing.you must have some dirty friends.

So you change 5X times a day clothing? Perhaps you need you're own private laundry shop

Or a different deoderant !

[syd barrett]

Forget laundries. Sure-fire moneymaker is to buy one of the many open-air beer bars that have gone busto and are available cheap. Make your Thai lady the mamasan. She can provide jobs for numerous "sisters" from her village thus increasing her status. No need to worry about losing money because all your falang friends will come to your new bar regularly and drink. You get to sit around and drink with your friends all day and as a bonus you get to perform the "chief talent evaluator" function.

You are joking right?

Nobody who really knows the score in Thailand buys a bar-beer to make a profit, or even break even. I think some of bar-beer owners actually do it for fun, as a hobby, even though they are making annual losses.

Laundry, it will be.

[Tolley]

Half the people i know in Pattaya have laundries.

They are a dime a dozen and like others have said they are very hard work.

Your missus will probably not do the work and chose to employ others and after a period of time three to six months when you have lost a bit of money you will decide to close up shop.

What is the point of having a falang if you have to do hard manual work?

Maybe finding her a non epensive hobby would be more productive for you.

PS I have bought two businesses for my wife both of which went the same way ,down the gurgler.

.It is cheaper for her to stay at home and watch thai soapies.

[Daffy D]

Laundries are hard work with big set up expenses compared to little return.

If your lady is lazy now she will not take to it.

See if you can get her interested in some business venture of her own, with little initial outlay, then at least she will have some enthusiasm to try and make a go of it. But you will still loose your investment and have her back in front of the TV once she gets bored.

If her attitude bugs you that much stop her allowance, just give her enough daily for groceries and get rid of the TV and tell her if she does not like it she can go back to the village to live with her parents,

[innovator]

You are her current employer. She has a job. She has a farang giving her a monthly salary plus benefits (free housing, food, medicine, clothing).

If she is lazy, then why would she want a second job in a hot, busy laundry?

Here are some ideas to get her motivated to work.

1. Make a list of daily house chores, along with a time schedule for her to follow.

8:00am Cook breakfast

8:30am Clean up kitchen

9:00am Clean floors, sweep/mop

10:00am 15 minute break

10:15am Take out trash and clean the areas outside of the house

12:00pm Lunch break

1:00pm Shopping at the market for fresh fruits/vegis

3:00pm 1 hour nap or break---free time for tv, soaps

4:00pm Special project: Painting, mow the grass, polishing, ??

6:00pm Dinner

7:00pm Free time

This way, she has a set schedule with something to do. This will allow you the freedom to do your own things around the house and give her a sense of

pride in actually doing something besides sitting around and watching soaps all day and night.

Good luck.

[Heng]

Why do the Thai Chinese have all the good businesses and money in Thailand?

I know why do you?

Clever proverbs to keep up going?

[syd barrett]

You are her current employer. She has a job. She has a farang giving her a monthly salary plus benefits (free housing, food, medicine, clothing).

If she is lazy, then why would she want a second job in a hot, busy laundry?

Here are some ideas to get her motivated to work.

1. Make a list of daily house chores, along with a time schedule for her to follow.

8:00am Cook breakfast

8:30am Clean up kitchen

9:00am Clean floors, sweep/mop

10:00am 15 minute break

10:15am Take out trash and clean the areas outside of the house

12:00pm Lunch break

1:00pm Shopping at the market for fresh fruits/vegis

3:00pm 1 hour nap or break---free time for tv, soaps

4:00pm Special project: Painting, mow the grass, polishing, ??

6:00pm Dinner

7:00pm Free time

This way, she has a set schedule with something to do. This will allow you the freedom to do your own things around the house and give her a sense of

pride in actually doing something besides sitting around and watching soaps all day and night.

Good luck.

Thanks for the suggestions. However she already does most of the above, including the 'polishing'............

[Phatcharanan]

You are her current employer. She has a job. She has a farang giving her a monthly salary plus benefits (free housing, food, medicine, clothing).

If she is lazy, then why would she want a second job in a hot, busy laundry?

Here are some ideas to get her motivated to work.

1. Make a list of daily house chores, along with a time schedule for her to follow.

8:00am Cook breakfast

8:30am Clean up kitchen

9:00am Clean floors, sweep/mop

10:00am 15 minute break

10:15am Take out trash and clean the areas outside of the house

12:00pm Lunch break

1:00pm Shopping at the market for fresh fruits/vegis

3:00pm 1 hour nap or break---free time for tv, soaps

4:00pm Special project: Painting, mow the grass, polishing, ??

6:00pm Dinner

7:00pm Free time

This way, she has a set schedule with something to do. This will allow you the freedom to do your own things around the house and give her a sense of

pride in actually doing something besides sitting around and watching soaps all day and night.

Good luck.

Thanks for the suggestions. However she already does most of the above, including the 'polishing'............

Oh right ! Thats cleared that then.

Here is me thinking that in the OP you were complaining she does F.A but lie around all day.......................Silly me.

[dave9988]

What was her previous job, OP?

[marsteele]

I am sick and tired of the Mrs. lying around all day watching useless soaps and comedy programmes on Thai Television Channels.

I really need to get her motivated to start some simple business.

So I have this new idea to buy a wooden handcart, with some hot cooking surface, so she can stroll around the busy streets of Pattaya in the evening and sell sausages, chicken legs, etc. etc.

I have an idea to decorate the handcart with flags and colourful pomm-pomms just like the glitter man on the bike. And I also have the idea to sell lucky tips in envelopes for the next (bi-monthly) lottery.

Plus, I have an idea to offer a Thai-English translation service. (written). The Mrs. speaks good Thai and English, and I do the writing into Thai, in my spare time. Plus as an extra bonus, I have a great idea to sell PG-Tips Tea Bags and cans of Boddingtons bitter on this hand cart as well. Which farangs would love.

Any advice or suggestions welcome. What do you think?

What is PG-Tips and Boddingtons bitter I am farang and never heard of such things so why would I love it? As for Tea bags your farangs don't go to Pattaya for a nice cup of tea it is other things and I sure it is not work for your wife.

[syd barrett]

What is PG-Tips and Boddingtons bitter I am farang and never heard of such things so why would I love it? As for Tea bags your farangs don't go to Pattaya for a nice cup of tea it is other things and I sure it is not work for your wife.

PG-TIPS is a brand of Tea-Bags, well known for their superior blend and tetrahedron-shape tea-bag that allows 'Brownian Motion' inside the teapot, thus securing a fine tasting cup of tea.

Boddingtons Bitter is a Manchester (England) beer, which is made from Lake District water and a special recipe. It is a satisfying canned beer much loved by Northern dwellers of the United Kingdom.

If you are on vacation, you are correct; you don't come here for the tea. However after the first six months of sack-emptying, a cup/mug of tea becomes quite important. Thanks.

[steve187]

So I was thinking why not jellied eels like tubby issac does at the aldgate, or even may I suggest pie and mash with that lovely green liquor. I for one would look her up to buy some of each.

[OldenAtwoody]

And what exactly did the Missus do before she was the Missus. Can't she go back to that work?

By marrying a Farang, she's got community status. You will cause a loss of face if she has to go back to work. The only hope is for her to manage others’ work (if she’s skilled).

But I could go for a little leg, where’s this cart then?

Seriously, you really want your delectible Missus selling beers to Farang on the street? They say the dream of every Thai woman is to own a beauty salon.

I am sick and tired of the Mrs. lying around all day watching useless soaps and comedy programmes on Thai Television Channels.

I really need to get her motivated to start some simple business.

So I have this new idea to buy a wooden handcart, with some hot cooking surface, so she can stroll around the busy streets of Pattaya in the evening and sell sausages, chicken legs, etc. etc.

I have an idea to decorate the handcart with flags and colourful pomm-pomms just like the glitter man on the bike. And I also have the idea to sell lucky tips in envelopes for the next (bi-monthly) lottery.

Plus, I have an idea to offer a Thai-English translation service. (written). The Mrs. speaks good Thai and English, and I do the writing into Thai, in my spare time. Plus as an extra bonus, I have a great idea to sell PG-Tips Tea Bags and cans of Boddingtons bitter on this hand cart as well. Which farangs would love.

Any advice or suggestions welcome. What do you think?

[OldenAtwoody]

Have your village wife open a chlid care center, hiring others to do the work. Excepting that having village women free to work in factories will destroy the very fabric of Thai rural life, they can then affrod new rice cookers, bigger TVs, and, of course, child care.

Though tongue in cheek from the OP I do understand the need to have them do something otherwise they just vegetate. However, guys must realise that most jobs or businesses consume more of their partner's time than they would want.

That is exactly the rub right there. My wife has talked about finding something to do in the village, but has just that concern..."no time for you".

For the cart to be successful and make any money, it would probably be 12-14 hour/day deal. Give her another 7-8 hours to sleep, that does not leave much discretionary time.

Be careful what you ask for...

[LennyW]

Syd, why dont you send the missus to cooking school where she could learn how to create the perfect sausage and prepare the finest english breakfast?

She could then serve your culinary needs daily and you wouldnt have to clutter up the Pattaya forum with your ongoing quest for both of the above!!!

[freitag1]

glad i dont have such a girlfriend...

good luck to all of you. having such a couch potato at home would kill me.

[syd barrett]

Syd, why dont you send the missus to cooking school where she could learn how to create the perfect sausage and prepare the finest english breakfast?

She could then serve your culinary needs daily and you wouldnt have to clutter up the Pattaya forum with your ongoing quest for both of the above!!!

That's an original idea. She already cooks pretty well, maybe home-made sausages will be a winner!

[marsteele]

What is PG-Tips and Boddingtons bitter I am farang and never heard of such things so why would I love it? As for Tea bags your farangs don't go to Pattaya for a nice cup of tea it is other things and I sure it is not work for your wife.

PG-TIPS is a brand of Tea-Bags, well known for their superior blend and tetrahedron-shape tea-bag that allows 'Brownian Motion' inside the teapot, thus securing a fine tasting cup of tea.

Boddingtons Bitter is a Manchester (England) beer, which is made from Lake District water and a special recipe. It is a satisfying canned beer much loved by Northern dwellers of the United Kingdom.

If you are on vacation, you are correct; you don't come here for the tea. However after the first six months of sack-emptying, a cup/mug of tea becomes quite important. Thanks.

Thanks for clearing that up. So she will be relying on a lot of tourists and expats from Manchester to make money.