How Do They Make Ends Meet?

[joesamui]

I'm curious...with businesses struggling all over Samui, how is possible that spaces vacated by shops closing down are very often taken over by tailoring shops? How do these folks survive / thrive in such difficult economic times? It is especially surprising considering most tourists seem annoyed by the hard sell and don't give them the time of day.

[Rooo]

I'm curious...with businesses struggling all over Samui, how is possible that spaces vacated by shops closing down are very often taken over by tailoring shops? How do these folks survive / thrive in such difficult economic times? It is especially surprising considering most tourists seem annoyed by the hard sell and don't give them the time of day.

I think the shops are owned by a handful of people.Most of these are employees on base salary + commission.

[mattcodes]

Two or three customers a week will probably tide them over, I can only presume this is what happens as I only ever seen one falang go into one, unless they are used as a front for something more devious (unlikely)

[Rooo]

Two or three customers a week will probably tide them over, I can only presume this is what happens as I only ever seen one falang go into one, unless they are used as a front for something more devious (unlikely)

I think it's a corporate structure, where they own real estate, development companies, restaurants & tailor shops.So these are only a small portion of the big picture.

In Ao Nang, they own a lot of restaurants, mostly Italian , phuket, they have taken over small parts on beach road Patong (shopping arcades), selling T-shirts etc.... in conjunction to tailor shops & assorted style restaurants etc.....

The Nepalese bit confuses me though.

[PatinBKk]

Tailors keep details of their customers and many customers order suits/shirts/dresses and have them sent to their home.

[grandslam]

Tailors keep details of their customers and many customers order suits/shirts/dresses and have them sent to their home.

Aw come on man, have you seen the material they use . If i wore one of those suits on the streets of the uk, i probably be lifted to the nearest mental institution

[lazygourmet]

I'm curious...with businesses struggling all over Samui, how is possible that spaces vacated by shops closing down are very often taken over by tailoring shops? How do these folks survive / thrive in such difficult economic times? It is especially surprising considering most tourists seem annoyed by the hard sell and don't give them the time of day.

Hemp Clothes?!?

[fred2007]

So some one's concerned about Indian Tailors living, but what about me? Can I make ends meet? Anybody likes to know?

[Pdaz]

Most of them are too busy lending money, smuggling gold/computer parts, organising illegal immigration scams and getting their fingers into other dubious ''business'' to be bothered with tailoring... There maybe a few genuine tailors here and there.. But there is no way that ten businesses in the same street each with multiple staff and very few customers can be viable unless they have other income streams.. Maybe they are all independently rich and just do tailoring as a hobby...

[fred2007]

Most of them are too busy lending money, smuggling gold/computer parts, organising illegal immigration scams and getting their fingers into other dubious ''business'' to be bothered with tailoring... There maybe a few genuine tailors here and there.. But there is no way that ten businesses in the same street each with multiple staff and very few customers can be viable unless they have other income streams.. Maybe they are all independently rich and just do tailoring as a hobby...

I never agreed with anybody but you are the first one

[hansnl]

So some one's concerned about Indian Tailors living, but what about me? Can I make ends meet? Anybody likes to know?

NO

[naomisri]

The mark up is insane. It only costs them about 100 baht to cut a pair of trousers, plus the materials which are the more expensive part. Then they charge you 1000 baht for a pair...

[happylarry]

I agree about the lack of quality......the very first time I visited Thailand I had a suit made in one of the bigger shops in Bangkok, I only wore it once and it hung so badly I threw it out. It seemed ok at the fitting in the shop but afterwards....c**p !!!!!

Nothing like a good suit from Hornes or Ted Baker or even Next.

Also I havent seen it mentioned yet in this thread about the fact that whichever shop you order clothes from they are all made in the same back street lock-ups by Thai workers who simply put different labels on the clothes.

HL

[SMEEERE]

Most of them are too busy lending money, smuggling gold/computer parts, organising illegal immigration scams and getting their fingers into other dubious ''business'' to be bothered with tailoring... There maybe a few genuine tailors here and there.. But there is no way that ten businesses in the same street each with multiple staff and very few customers can be viable unless they have other income streams.. Maybe they are all independently rich and just do tailoring as a hobby...

More truth in this than you would know, front comes to mind,. i know an indian tailor in pattaya that has 15 houses he rents out, and he rides a 15 year old wave,.they learnt a long time ago not to show wealth and keep their cards close to their chest in thailand, some of us should do the same i feel,.

[maccaroni man]

having a suit or for that matter any garment tailor maid requires more from the buyer than just standing and being measured. A smart buyer will know good cloth and will have a series of fittings before the final product is complete, a smart buyer also knows a little something about stiching, linings, padding etc.. IMHO if a person can go into a tailor shop with a SAMPLE to copy and the knowledge to see the job through they will have a very good suit for a greatly reduced price.

[Birdman]

One certainly cannot lump all tailors together. There are established ones and quick bucks ones.

The latter is easily exposed by:

1) Tout next to the entrance

2) A cardboard box mentions you will get all for 80 US$

3) Quick and nervous service.

[joesamui]

Regarding the Nepalese angle...most of the tailors (and touts) in Chaweng are Nepalese and for restaurants the staff in back (stewards etc) mostly Burmese...Note that if you have friends in town who want to buy any of the assorted bags, tshirts, jeans etc on display on beach road the best place to go is down near Cafe Uno...the vendors (Indians, Nepalese)there are willing to bargain (more than Thai counterparts at least) and understand that it is better to sell something for a fair price than to not sell anything at all

[zzaa09]

Most of them are too busy lending money, smuggling gold/computer parts, organising illegal immigration scams and getting their fingers into other dubious ''business'' to be bothered with tailoring... There maybe a few genuine tailors here and there.. But there is no way that ten businesses in the same street each with multiple staff and very few customers can be viable unless they have other income streams.. Maybe they are all independently rich and just do tailoring as a hobby...

More truth in this than you would know, front comes to mind,. i know an indian tailor in pattaya that has 15 houses he rents out, and he rides a 15 year old wave,.they learnt a long time ago not to show wealth and keep their cards close to their chest in thailand, some of us should do the same i feel,.

...such traits don't come natural by us.