Helping The Family In Surin

[dugdale]

My first post so I'd better first introduce myself

Me 42 years old living in the UK.Wife 32 years, Thai and been resident in the UK for almost 6 years.

Here's my question

Over the last six years my wife has spent her own money on 12 rai of land (rice fields) and a small tractor type thing (mechanical buffalo) for her family in Surin (Amphoe Rattanaburi).

Together we have improved the family home to a sufficient level that I can spend time there on my annual visit and have bought two motorbikes for the family.

My wifes family consist of two brothers in their mid twenties, both married each with a young child, neither brothers drink much alcohol and both are hard working.

On our next visit to Thailand this July my wife wants to help them out again as there never seems to be enough money to keep the family going for 12 months.

Here is the question ..... What would you do if you had 200,000 baht to invest in a business in a small village in Isaan ? I would imagine that a profit of 200 baht a day would be sufficient. The village has a few small shops selling the basics etc and we don't want to step on anyones toes by muscling in on their territory. I was thinking of a small noodle shop which the sisters in law could run from the family home but don't know how much demand there would be in a village of about 100 houses.

Help a newbie out please and give me your suggestions, I might even get to buy you a Chang in August.

Cheers

[Jai Dee]

I don't know about the noodle shop idea...

My teeruk's village near Korat is a similar size... about 100 houses.

Most of the villager buy their "fast food" (ie. the stuff they don't cook themselves) at 3 or 4 houses that have a few tables and chairs (and shade) set up out the front. One specializes in "papaya bok bok", the others specialize in various other dishes, including sticky rice and other Isaan favourites. The village inhabitants don't seem to want much more, whether that's from laziness to go further afield to buy something else or if they just don't want anything else.

Anyway, my point is... food is a specific commodity that is very locale specific in Thailand, and like any commodity, if there's a demand then there's a market to invest in.

I suggest that on your next visit, you all sit down as a family and discuss business options. Are there other opportunities? How far away is the nearest bensin (petrol) outlet for example? What does everyone in the village need on a regular basis that has to travel 20K or so to buy, because it's not available locally? What kind of profit margin is there in the commodity? Who would run the business? Who will take care of the rice fields?

Sorry dugdale to not offer any concrete suggestions... but you need to do some homework before making any decisions from half a world away.

I wish you good luck.

and...

Welcome to ThaiVisa.

[raslin]

Hi Dugdale,

Speaking from Tambon Sawai, A. Muang, I go along with noodles or another local speciality bacause the set up costs are low.. Opposite our house a girl sets up a noodle stall every day under a big tree from 7 in the morning to 5 in the evening. Slow but steady all day. You must make sure of a reliable supply of raw materials.

If your house is by the road, is there an opportunity for a barrel of diesel fuel for trucks and and one of petrol for the iron buffaloes?

Either way, think and talk first . Start with the Village Head (Phuuyai Baan).

Good Luck from the Khmer speaking area.

Roger

[pnustedt]

We are in a similar situation Dugdale - our family is near Sisaket, Amphur Prang Khu. A hardworking family, rice farmers.

Probably the most useful thing we have done is bought pick-up trucks. This gives them a means to get produce to local markets and enables them to branch out into alternative crops without having to rely on local racketeers to collect stuff. It doubles up as a taxi, another source of income.

They've tried several "business ventures" but they invariably end up as loss-makers - they do best at sticking to farming and selling their produce direct.

[chico]

Have been thinking it over and over for the last couple of years, only thing I could come up with, is noodle shop ( but there are already too many in our village), pickup for direct transport and sale on next market, but not enough vegetables or other products.

what we have done, is, bought some land for farming, let the family work it, take only little bit, so they have at least some rice to eat

if you ever find anything, pls let me know it too!!

I don't mind investing some money, if this would keep them going, but I will not just always give money.

[Diggerbasher]

One hundred houses is a very small village and i doubt you could generate enough turnover to yield a daily profit of 200 baht.

[bannork]

My first post so I'd better first introduce myself

Me 42 years old living in the UK.Wife 32 years, Thai and been resident in the UK for almost 6 years.

Here's my question

Over the last six years my wife has spent her own money on 12 rai of land (rice fields) and a small tractor type thing (mechanical buffalo) for her family in Surin (Amphoe Rattanaburi).

Together we have improved the family home to a sufficient level that I can spend time there on my annual visit and have bought two motorbikes for the family.

My wifes family consist of two brothers in their mid twenties, both married each with a young child, neither brothers drink much alcohol and both are hard working.

On our next visit to Thailand this July my wife wants to help them out again as there never seems to be enough money to keep the family going for 12 months.

Here is the question ..... What would you do if you had 200,000 baht to invest in a business in a small village in Isaan ? I would imagine that a profit of 200 baht a day would be sufficient. The village has a few small shops selling the basics etc and we don't want to step on anyones toes by muscling in on their territory. I was thinking of a small noodle shop which the sisters in law could run from the family home but don't know how much demand there would be in a village of about 100 houses.

Help a newbie out please and give me your suggestions, I might even get to buy you a Chang in August.

Cheers

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would plough up 8 rai and turn it into grassland,( use Lucerne grass, you can buy the seeds in Surin I'm sure).Dig a pond using an excavator,( cost between 5,000 to 10,000 baht). Buy at least 10 cows,the white Brahmin are around 12.000 to 15,000 baht each, they're pregnant 9 months and after another 3 months are ready for the next pregnancy, so you can have a cow a year on average. The iron buffalo you talk about is very useful as it doubles up as a water pump, so if your fields get too wet in the rainy season it can drain the water off, (into the pond if you want). If the fields are too wet for cows buy buffaloes and they've got the pond to relax in in the dry season, buffaloes are more expensive though but pregnant the same time. Build a cowshed near one of the relatives houses.

Your family may say,'what about the rice fields?' Usually someone in the area has fields lying fallow, unused because they're all in Bangkok or whatever, they will be willing to let you mortgage them for 10,000 to 15,000 baht for 10 rai. You pay the owners that and your brothers-in-law work those fields, keeping the rice until the owners pay you back, often years later.

The grass will die in the winter and dry season so you need to build a small haystack in November , the cows can roam the paddy fields of your neighbours after the rice has been harvested. During the rainy season you'll have to fence in your fields to stop the cows trampling the adjoining rice fields.

Your village sounds too small for another shop.

All the best,

bannork.

Edited February 5, 2005 by bannork

[plachon]

One hundred houses is a very small village and i doubt you could generate enough turnover to yield a daily profit of 200 baht.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

100 households, average no. in family = 5 -6 persons, that's 550 people in village. If you can attract 10 % of those into shop per day at 20 baht a bowl and the odd drink out the fridge adding another 10 baht per head average, that's 55 x 30 = 1,650 baht / day turnover. occasionally there'll be the odd big spensing beer drinker and his mates, that'll give you a good bonus.

Aye, 200 baht a day profit should be possible. And probably for an outlay of only 10 - 15,000 baht to set up a small noodle shop, so llong as you use existing space. And that'd leave you plenty of dosh left to franchise your noodle shop later when it gets popular!

Choke dee hombre!

[bannork]

One hundred houses is a very small village and i doubt you could generate enough turnover to yield a daily profit of 200 baht.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

100 households, average no. in family = 5 -6 persons, that's 550 people in village. If you can attract 10 % of those into shop per day at 20 baht a bowl and the odd drink out the fridge adding another 10 baht per head average, that's 55 x 30 = 1,650 baht / day turnover. occasionally there'll be the odd big spensing beer drinker and his mates, that'll give you a good bonus.

Aye, 200 baht a day profit should be possible. And probably for an outlay of only 10 - 15,000 baht to set up a small noodle shop, so llong as you use existing space. And that'd leave you plenty of dosh left to franchise your noodle shop later when it gets popular!

Choke dee hombre!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Noodles in a village are usually 10 baht a bowl, 15 baht for extra, you may make 50 baht profit a day if you're lucky. Soft drinks may sell on special occasions, kids' birthdays; for booze, watch out for those who will pay 'tomorrow'.

Most villages already have an established shop at a crossroads or junction.

[Thaicoon]

My family in Buriram have a lot better lifestyle now, i also bought a lot of land 70-80 rai, it brings my brother in law and his wife enough money to live quite comfortable for 12 months, and also i get a good share of the harvest, we have three big lakes full of fish which we sell by the kilo, thats one way of making a good profit, and also have a few cows, my wife and i also live in the Uk, (worse luck), but travel to Buriram every 2 to 3 months, i would not want to open a shop in my village as all the villagers are relations of my wife, so i would not like to step on there toes. good luck.

[snoophound]

I have friends who for not huge amts of money have been buying land with rubber trees.

gives a year round income and much less work than rice.

Bit more than 200k baht but a solid investment ,rather than a small retail business.

My family in Buriram have a lot better lifestyle now, i also bought a lot of land 70-80 rai, it brings my brother in law and his wife enough money to live quite comfortable for 12 months, and also i get a good share of the harvest, we have three big lakes full of fish which we sell by the kilo, thats one way of making a good profit, and also have a few cows, my wife and i also live in the Uk, (worse luck), but travel to Buriram every 2 to 3 months, i would not want to open a shop in my village as all the villagers are relations of my wife, so i would not like to step on there toes. good luck.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As I was reading through this Topic, I thought about a 'Fish Farm' and see it mentioned here also. Seems like a good idea.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[NarrLing]

A couple more suggestions worth investigating.

A frog farm. It’s cheap to set up and easy to maintain. All you need is a small pond and some of that blue plastic fence to keep them in.

Buy some piglets, they grow fast and give a good quick return. A bit smelly if kept near the house.

Buy a few calves and sell them on when they reach a good size.

The fish farm is also a good idea. Maybe set up a fluoro and UV lights on the side of the pond to catch beetles for extra income.

200,000 baht is a large amount in a village; you might consider setting your sights higher. It all depends on the families business management abilities. It will give your sister in laws something to do during the day.

If the village is on a road between 2 larger towns, look at attracting the passing trade. Look for something not readily available in the surrounding villages. Maybe a shop selling fishing nets, basic farm supplies, netting, PVC tubing, electrical wire etc. People will buy from you rather than travel the extra distance to the nearest big town.

Talk to your brother in laws, they may have a few good suggestions too. Local knowledge is best. Try not jumping on the local farmer’s bandwagon. Most of their latest quick money making ideas tend to fizzle out in a year.

Something else to look at is the OTOP scheme. One Tambon One Product. There may be something the village is good at, that can be sold through the local OTOP outlets.

Cheers

NL

[gburns57au]

A couple more suggestions worth investigating.

A frog farm. It’s cheap to set up and easy to maintain. All you need is a small pond and some of that blue plastic fence to keep them in.

Buy some piglets, they grow fast and give a good quick return. A bit smelly if kept near the house.

Buy a few calves and sell them on when they reach a good size.

The fish farm is also a good idea. Maybe set up a fluoro and UV lights on the side of the pond to catch beetles for extra income.

200,000 baht is a large amount in a village; you might consider setting your sights higher. It all depends on the families business management abilities. It will give your sister in laws something to do during the day.

If the village is on a road between 2 larger towns, look at attracting the passing trade. Look for something not readily available in the surrounding villages. Maybe a shop selling fishing nets, basic farm supplies, netting, PVC tubing, electrical wire etc. People will buy from you rather than travel the extra distance to the nearest big town.

Talk to your brother in laws, they may have a few good suggestions too. Local knowledge is best. Try not jumping on the local farmer’s bandwagon. Most of their latest quick money making ideas tend to fizzle out in a year.

Something else to look at is the OTOP scheme. One Tambon One Product. There may be something the village is good at, that can be sold through the local OTOP outlets.

Cheers

NL

An ex gf's father had a fish farm in Bua Yai and eventually closed it down....for what reason I dont know....

[mouse]

Buy a small printer, scanner, copier combination and allow them to offer a copy service for the area. Investment is only 4,000 baht and they should get 500 baht a month from the service after word spreads outside the community. Locals do not have to drive 30 miles by bus to get a copy that they could get right there and then.

Buy a cellphone and offer calling services and receiving of calls.

Buy a computer or two (15,000 Baht each) and sell time for games and Internet access at 30 baht per hour, if available. After they become knowledgable offer lessons in use of the computer.

If there is no Internet access in the areas, and there are others with computers get ipStar and then set up a WiFi network reselling bandwith usage.

Set up an area for growing flowers and then transport to market in a larger city on a regular basis.

Start a small rattan furniture factory and you act as their Europena agent.

Start a small brick making business.

Start a furniture making business, using only old wood from wagon wheels, old windows frames, oxen yokes and other old but still usable teak or other hard woods.

Start producing an array of bicycles exporting them to larger population areas.

Some of these ideas may be feasible some not. Good luck. It is always better to teach them to fish and give them the tools to do so than to having to buy fish for them forever.

[bannork]

Buy a small printer, scanner, copier combination and allow them to offer a copy service for the area.  Investment is only 4,000 baht and they should get 500 baht a month from the service after word spreads outside the community.  Locals do not have to drive 30 miles by bus to get a copy that they could get right there and then.

Buy a cellphone and offer calling services and receiving of calls.

Buy a computer or two (15,000 Baht each) and sell time for games and Internet access at 30 baht per hour, if available.  After they become knowledgable offer lessons in use of the computer.

If there is no Internet access in the areas, and there are others with computers get ipStar and then set up a WiFi network reselling bandwith usage.

Set up an area for growing flowers and then transport to market in a larger city on a regular basis.

Start a small rattan furniture factory and you act as their Europena agent.

Start a small brick making business.

Start a furniture making business, using only old wood from wagon wheels, old windows frames, oxen yokes and other old but still usable teak or other hard woods.

Start producing an array of bicycles exporting them to larger population areas.

Some of these ideas may be feasible some not.  Good luck.  It is always better to teach them to fish and give them the tools to do so than to having to buy fish for them forever.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

One of our neighbours has set up a brickmaking business recently and it's going well, useful to be near a road to catch passing trade. You've got 2 fit young brothers-in-law so it's an idea.

bannork

[dugdale]

Thanks for all the replies, it's given me much to think about.

I think that the scanner for the photocopying is a definate "goer" small outlay with some paper and replacement cartridges (might go all the way and offer colour copying) all for less than 5000 baht.

I still fancy the noodle shop idea as the house has enough room to accomodate that and for less than 20,000 baht it won't break the bank.

The 12 rai that the family own is a bit of a distance from the house so maybe not too secure. There is a small pond which is emptied after the rice harvest and all the fish either eaten or sold (nothing of any size unfortunately). I like the idea of a frog farm (because it sounds fun) but I'm not sure if the frogs would be stolen if they weren't watched permanently.

The family do own a small plot of land in the village (87 talang wah) that I was planning to suggest that they use for growing vegetables (sweetcorn ?) however that could be utelised for the frog farm.

I was also thinking about rabbits = we all know that they reproduce quickly so I've got an idea that I could buy a couple of dozen and they would soon build up the quantity and sell them off for food.

Obviously these are all at the idea stage at the moment and may not all eventually happen but at least I've got a few ideas to take with me on my next visit.

Many thanks,

Dugdale

[2 satang]

I have friends who for not huge amts of money have been buying land with rubber trees.

gives a year round income and much less work than rice.

Bit more than 200k baht but a solid investment ,rather than a small retail business.

hound,

But how many years before one can start collecting the rubber ?

And the trees are good for how many years ?

I would ask the family first, they have the do the work.......

just my 2 satang

[NarrLing]

Dugdale

The rabbit idea sounds good.

I think there may be a bit of market research needed first though. The only rabbits I have seen are pets and I can't say I have seen them on the menu at all.

Maybe some of the other guys here can help out and give an idea if rabbits are a popular food. Plenty of other animals are, so I can't see why rabbits aren't.

Cheers

NL

[Jai Dee]

Maybe some of the other guys here can help out and give an idea if rabbits are a popular food. Plenty of other animals are, so I can't see why rabbits aren't.

I too have never seen rabbit on the menu of any Thai restaurant anywhere in the kingdom.

I asked this question of my Thai engineers at work, and they all unanimously agreed (whilst screwing up their noses) that a rabbit farm (for food purposes) would not be a good idea, and that you would definitely do better in a noodle shop.

[Malenonsense]

Dugdale I am in Rattana right now. I have a wife and kids here. I'll be here for a month or so. I'd say that opening a noodle shop/restaurant would work but you have to have the right location. Rattana is not that small if you look at the whole district. It's growing too. If you did open a shop I'd bet your problems would be more with you relatives and their ideas of quality and business. If you open a clean shop on a main road you just might get by. I doubt that you village alone would be enough to provide 200 baht profit per day but I'm no businessman. I can say that there is a lack of 'modern-style' restaurants on the Sikoraphum Road.

As for taking business away from the people in downtown Rattana I wouldn't worry about that. The downtown like everywhere in Thailand is controlled by the Chinese. If your brother-in-laws are farmers why not help them compete in the market as without a little help they'd never have a chance. If you spend time setting it up with them and getting the ideas of customers and quality in their food they should be able to sell noodles or basic rice plates like the others do.

Another important thing to think about. I've heard that eventually Rattanaburi will be a province so future prospects look better. I also heard that they are planing to open a college here so more and more people will be drawn to this area as they are to Surin city.

I wonder how many people on this board have connections to Rattana?

[bina]

they dont like 'farmed' rabbit, only wild caught... they say the taste is better (i offer rabbits to the workers when i have too many males (a problem among animals , too many males).....they prefer illegal trapping for wild rabbit....

[Malenonsense]

If you do decide to raise animals there are lots of strange animals out there. You could raise deer, ostrich, or crocodile too. DOn't ask me how to raise them I just know that people do raise them for profit. There is also some type of turtle that people raise in the Chantaburi/Rayong areas which they export to the Taiwanese.

[plachon]

they dont like 'farmed' rabbit, only wild caught... they say the taste is better  (i offer rabbits to the workers when i have too many males  (a problem among animals , too many males).....they prefer illegal trapping for wild rabbit....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You got it Bina.....................only trouble is the wild rabbits are almost extinct in Isaan. And where there are a few left, the locals are all out trying to blow them apart with muzzle loaded guns.

Rabbit farming could be a goer, but maybe not selling to local villagers, but dressing it up as "wild" rabbit and flogging it in a distant market. Bit unethical, but everyone does it with "wild boar" and "wild pla beug" (giant Mekong catfish), so you'd be in good company! I once met a farmer in Chumpae district of Khon Kaen who was farming a few rabbits in cages, but had never dared eat one. I soon put my old skills from ferreting to work and had one dressed up and in the pot before you could say "That's my pet",and soused it with Mekong whiskey. Went down well with the gathered company, but the poor old farmer never touched a mouthful as a/ he was tea-totaller (unusual Isaan farmer, i know!) and b/ i think he'd become quite attached to the furry white bunny. Still,no point becoming a farmer if you're going to become too sentimental over your livestock (unless you're doing a petting farm!).

Ostrich farming has now crashed and is on its way out, as far as i can see, and crocs & deer are also controlled by a handful of Chinese entrepreneurs, so don't expect to get anywhere on those two. Frog farming is relatviely cheap to get going on, has a steady market, part from mid-rainy season when wild ones are plentiful, but they need good hygiene and management to be profitable. Semi-intensive fish raising is probably one of your best bets farming wise, as returns are fairly quick and risks are low, IF you have enough water on site.

Look up the earlier Farming thread in Isaan section for more inspiration...............

[eddie11]

Dugdale I am in Rattana right now. I have a wife and kids here. I'll be here for a month or so. I'd say that opening a noodle shop/restaurant would work but you have to have the right location. Rattana is not that small if you look at the whole district. It's growing too. If you did open a shop I'd bet your problems would be more with you relatives and their ideas of quality and business. If you open a clean shop on a main road you just might get by. I doubt that you village alone would be enough to provide 200 baht profit per day but I'm no businessman. I can say that there is a lack of 'modern-style' restaurants on the Sikoraphum Road.

As for taking business away from the people in downtown Rattana I wouldn't worry about that. The downtown like everywhere in Thailand is controlled by the Chinese. If your brother-in-laws are farmers why not help them compete in the market as without a little help they'd never have a chance. If you spend time setting it up with them and getting the ideas of customers and quality in their food they should be able to sell noodles or basic rice plates like the others do.

Another important thing to think about. I've heard that eventually Rattanaburi will be a province so future prospects look better.  I also heard that they are planing to open a college here so more and more people will be drawn to this area as they are to Surin city.

I wonder how many people on this board have connections to Rattana?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[eddie11]

Dugdale I am in Rattana right now. I have a wife and kids here. I'll be here for a month or so. I'd say that opening a noodle shop/restaurant would work but you have to have the right location. Rattana is not that small if you look at the whole district. It's growing too. If you did open a shop I'd bet your problems would be more with you relatives and their ideas of quality and business. If you open a clean shop on a main road you just might get by. I doubt that you village alone would be enough to provide 200 baht profit per day but I'm no businessman. I can say that there is a lack of 'modern-style' restaurants on the Sikoraphum Road.

As for taking business away from the people in downtown Rattana I wouldn't worry about that. The downtown like everywhere in Thailand is controlled by the Chinese. If your brother-in-laws are farmers why not help them compete in the market as without a little help they'd never have a chance. If you spend time setting it up with them and getting the ideas of customers and quality in their food they should be able to sell noodles or basic rice plates like the others do.

Another important thing to think about. I've heard that eventually Rattanaburi will be a province so future prospects look better.  I also heard that they are planing to open a college here so more and more people will be drawn to this area as they are to Surin city.

I wonder how many people on this board have connections to Rattana?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Also have a house & family in a small village 4 km outside Ratannaburi.Plan to grow veggie, sell noodles, small shop etc.Just enough to tick over.

[dugdale]

I've only ever met one other farang in Rattana but it looks like there are a few more with ties (Thais) to that area.

My wife comes from Baan Mok Tao (translated to village where turtles are ate) which is a good 15 minutes drive from Rattana.

We only ever visit Rattana for shopping in the market, visiting the Amphoe for paperwork etc or visiting the bank so don't know it too well. What I do know is that the Kao Moo Daeng served in the restaurant near the Siam Commercial Bank is as good as I've had anywhere in Thailand.

We are visiting Thailand early August and will only have time to spend about one week in Isaan so won't be able to spend a great deal of time overseeing any small venture that we decide on so something easy to set up is what I'm probably looking for.

Crocodile farming is going to be a non starter I fear (I fear crocodiles) I'm not sure that the locals won't eat the rabbits as they eat rats from the rice fields. If they want them wild they can buy one, I'll release it and it's up to them to catch it

Dugdale

[eljeque]

This is not 100%, but it is not uncommon either.

It is a shame that one often has to perform some function that is not beneficial for society to make a profit, and when one offers a useful service that is beneficial for society, there is no profit in it.

Case and point. My former wife runs an underground lottery using the Government Lottery numbers, The Government Savings Bank numbers and The Stock Exchange numbers. She makes 200K to 400K per month from her small Esarn village. That is a sizeable sum from such a small place. I am against gambling because it is not a gamble from the business's perspective and I do not see a benefit going to the consumer. It is simple mathematics on the part of the business. I do not liek the sale of alcohol either, but there certainly is a lot of profit in it.

I lend money. I make 3%/month doing so. There is no risk on my side. I have a large number of land title deeds, and ownership books and paperwork for cars and motorcycles. I cannot lose as I loan to a maximum of 50% of value, and all collateral must be insured by the borower. 3% / month is cheap in Thailand. Thais lend for a great deal more than that - 6% / month, 10%/month, 20% / month.

My gaining interest income does not benefit society. It is not money going to its most needed location. It is not coming to the aid of others in need. It is usery. Neither the bible nor the koran are in favor of interst payments. There is a good reason for it.

I may very well be a hypocrite, yet I have never taken anyone's assets, and have always made alternate arrangements for their payments interest-free after the term of the loan has been completed in the cases where they had not yet accumulated enough money to pay off the balance.

These are ways that money is made in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and in Esarn, the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam.

As long as your family always takes collateral in the form of land WITH real land title deeds, cars and motorbikes with proper books and full insurance, and lends to only 50% of value, they will never be without money. This may not be applicable in your village, as the people who want to borrow may not have any assets.

If your family loses at this, then consider finding a new family. I am not a fan of families. I helped out this one Thai girl who had been to Europe a couple of times, whom I had known for years up until the time she went to Engalnd. Well, after a while there, her brainless husband asks her to hint around to me about sending them some money because she did not have enough - I love reading his ext messages abut her not having enough money. I still pay for one of her sisters to attend college and drop a few baht on the other one when I see her in Bkk. These are reasonably-nice, straight girls. They are where I draw the limit on family assistance.

So, to summarize, I have met a lot of people who have tried to finance business ventures for their wive's family in Esarn. Few pan out. I would never try to sell something in that region unless it was cigs or whiskey. There is a reason that so many of them leave the region for greener pastures in the country. No one has much money up there.

If you can do some fish farming and then sell the fish somewhere... GREAT, but fish, pigs, cows, rabbits, etc., can become ill and die. And, do they know anything about raising these animals? See what they want to do, as if you push them, they will not do a good job of anything, but if they want to do it, they will give it their all.

See how they could leave Esarn. If they are steadfast about staying there, consider forgetting about the whole thing. Most Thais with some gumption are in a big hurry to get out of the small villages.

Good luck

[eljeque]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19465

fruit growing in Esarn link. some helpful information and links

[legendarysurfer]

Here is the question ..... What would you do if you had 200,000 baht to invest in a business in a small village in Isaan ?

That's a good question and one that many of us have asked ourselves and various of us have acted upon. Many good ideas have already been generated in this thread.

The primary thing to keep in mind, when coming up with your own answer, is to base it on the particular situation of the village and your family. If your prime motivator is to help them find a way THEY can generate more baht, then you need to consider the kind of people they are, what they have shown themselves to be good at and what they have expressed they would like to do. If you are trying to come up with something YOU could do to generate more baht for them, with or without their help, then that's a little bit different question.

Through your deliberations, be sure not to be too quick to sink the 200K THB into something you have doubts about its success. Risk is good, but if you fail, you only want to have yourself to blame, not others who may be pressuring you for quick action.

[bannork]

This is not 100%, but it is not uncommon either.

It is a shame that one often has to perform some function that is not beneficial for society to make a profit, and when one offers a useful service that is beneficial for society, there is no profit in it. 

Case and point.  My former wife runs an underground lottery using the Government Lottery numbers, The Government Savings Bank numbers and The Stock Exchange numbers.  She makes 200K to 400K per month from her small Esarn village.  That is a sizeable sum from such a small place.  I am against gambling because it is not a gamble from the business's perspective and I do not see a benefit going to the consumer.  It is simple mathematics on the part of the business.  I do not liek the sale of alcohol either, but there certainly is a lot of profit in it.

I lend money.  I make 3%/month doing so.  There is no risk on my side.  I have a large number of land title deeds, and ownership books and paperwork for cars and motorcycles.  I cannot lose as I loan to a maximum of 50% of value, and all collateral must be insured by the borower.  3% / month is cheap in Thailand.  Thais lend for a great deal more than that - 6% / month, 10%/month,  20% / month.

My gaining interest income does not benefit society.  It is not money going to its most needed location.  It is not coming to the aid of others in need.  It is usery.  Neither the bible nor the koran are in favor of interst payments.  There is a good reason for it. 

I may very well be a hypocrite, yet I have never taken anyone's assets, and have always made alternate arrangements for their payments interest-free after the term of the loan has been completed in the cases where they had not yet accumulated enough money to pay off the balance.

These are ways that money is made in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and in Esarn, the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam.

As long as your family always takes collateral in the form of land WITH real land title deeds, cars and motorbikes with proper books and full insurance, and lends to only 50% of value, they will never be without money. This may not be applicable in your village, as the people who want to borrow may not have any assets.

If your family loses at this, then consider finding a new family.  I am not a fan of families.  I helped out this one Thai girl who had been to Europe a couple of times, whom I had known for years up until the time she went to Engalnd.  Well, after a while there, her brainless husband asks her to hint around to me about sending them some money because she did not have enough - I love reading his ext messages abut her not having enough money.  I still pay for one of her sisters to attend college and drop a few baht on the other one when I see her in Bkk.  These are reasonably-nice, straight girls.  They are where I draw the limit on family assistance.

So, to summarize, I have met a lot of people who have tried to finance business ventures for their wive's family in Esarn.  Few pan out.  I would never try to sell something in that region unless it was cigs or whiskey.  There is a reason that so many of them leave the region for greener pastures in the country.  No one has much money up there.

If you can do some fish farming and then sell the fish somewhere... GREAT, but fish, pigs, cows, rabbits, etc., can become ill and die.  And, do they know anything about raising these animals?  See what they want to do, as if you push them, they will not do a good job of anything, but if they want to do it, they will give it their all.

See how they could leave Esarn.  If they are steadfast about staying there, consider forgetting about the whole thing.  Most Thais with some gumption are in a big hurry to get out of the small villages.

  Good luck

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What a depressing thread from a loanshark. He admits what he does is of no use for society, excusing his high interest rates as cheaper than Thais, where is he from, India? His English doesn't suggest a native speaker.

My wife has been raising cattle since she was young, she took over from her father, very few have ever died from illness, similarly with fish, bla nin and bla duk, a low deathrate if you take care and have the space, nowadays vets are within easy reach.

The quality of life in the villages; space, fresh air, natural environment, the friendliness of the locals coupled with the leisurely pace of life, will ensure a steady supply of farangs trying to make a go of it upcountry. The horrendous pollution of Bangkok, both carbon monoxide and noisewise, the madness of streetlife where pedestians literally have to run for their lives to cross the road, offer no dignity to those who yearn for a decent quality of life.

As bina says, agriculture is more than a job, it's a way of life and a love and for those who persevere there's really no choice.

bannork