What Improvements Are Needed In Khaosarn?

[niva103]

Since a majority of the people on this forum used to be or is still a tourist, I'm looking to hear your perspective in this situation. So, my family is opening a guesthouse/hotel around Khao Sarn road and I have been put in charge of making the lobby floor be more financially productive. They were saying something along the lines of a restaurant, internet cafe, coffee shop, etc(nothing involving alcohol) but I was trying to think of something that was a bit more innovative. So now the questions I wanted to ask are: What does the average foreign tourist want or need in Khaosarn? Do tourist farangs eat western food in Khaosarn or do they only munch on Thai food? What do you guys think would work? Thank you ahead of time for your inputs and advice.

[cdnmatt]

Do something stand-outish. For example, have a pet rooster that roams around. I've been to Phuket once in my life, and that was about 3 years ago. Yet, there was this one small restaurant that had this pet chicken / rooster that wandered around eating bits of rice that people dropped, etc. Even if it's another five years before I visit Phuket again, guaranteed I'll try to find that restaurant again, just because the it stood out in my mind. My whole family was the same way.

Edited January 9, 2010 by cdnmatt

[sharecropper]

If you have done your homework you will know that Khaosan Road has inceasingly become dependent on young urban Thai spending, and it is there that I would be looking to develop my business and not concern myself with trying to win over the the backpacker tourists, who are very well catered for already.

The only really innovative business (in Khaosan terms) I have seen open on Khaosan Road in 8 years has been the fish foot-munching business, and I am not sure if they willl survive the high season (the fish or the business, before you ask)..

[TheJoker12]

KSR is a dump. I would not open a business there. Every farang wants to get involved in the tourist industry. strictly for the birds.

OOPS.... I missed your idea for a coffee shop.

I never thought of that! Innovating! I take it all back!

Edited January 9, 2010 by TheJoker12

[chriswatson]

I think what is needed is a cheap, but quality, front-of-house Indian tailor who has friends specializing in fake id and hair platting.

[upinthesky]

Get less farang invading the place. They makes Khaosan looks cheap? Isn't it?

[DP25]

What does the average foreign tourist want or need in Khaosarn?

Alcohol

[Meridian007]

Aside from the amusing replies, (and based on the question in the title, I thought "firebomb"), you do need to do something aside from the common things described above.

I don't know if Khao San or Rambutri are zoned for it, (or if that even matters), but I've often thought that a grocery chain like Tesco would make a mint there. The closest real grocery store is in Pinklao, so not only would you have the tourists who want to buy something from a "trusted, western" grocery store, but you'd also have the locals shopping there for lack of any other option.

When that new hotel was being built on Khao San, I was hoping that it was a Tesco going in. It just makes sense. Even from the tourist perspective alone, you have the low-end tourists who believe that they can save money by buying things in a grocery store, (that logic works in the west where eating at a restaurant is always more expensive, but I think they wouldn't factor in the cheap street food), and the high-end tourists who want some western comforts that could only be gotten from a grocery store.

There you go, a free market assessment! If you use this, I expect a discount on any Mekhong bought in your store!

[ozsamurai]

What Improvements Are Needed In Khaosarn?

a match and lighter fluid...

[ArthurPewty]

During my adventure trips around Asia I used to look FWD to KSR. After boating to the southern parts of Laos, a grilled bacon and cheese sandwich with a glass of cold milk was great. I think KSR is great at what it does. I rarely go now, but I have no problem with the place.

How about a barber offering shaves? I clambered off a few buses looking like the wild man of Borneo and would have enjoyed a hot shave.

[DP25]

There is a real grocery store in Khao San, up the road from Rambutri. It's no Tesco but they have a lot of stuff, I doubt he would be able to open a better one. I don't see a Tesco coming to Khao San any time soon, no place for parking and no bts or mrt, and I doubt the Khao San area alone could support it. Tourists certainly aren't going to be buying many tvs or couches. Maybe a Tesco Express could work.

[berniefromny]

why the aversion to alcohol! hello this is thailand............ booze and girls ..............are you listening!

its a moneymaker!

restaurants(a small family), internet , you enjoy losing money?

Edited January 10, 2010 by berniefromny

[londonthai]

bicycle renting, as I believe there is non so far.

you can expand it into bicycle touring on rattanakhosin and even thonburi backstreets/canals/orchards accross the river.

so the bikes will be used all the time

Edited January 10, 2010 by londonthai

[Sel]

There is a bycycle rent shop on samsen soi 1

They also do tours and bike repairs

Edited January 10, 2010 by Sel

[tw25rw]

Sell prepay phone SIMs and credit at reception.

[berniefromny]

bicycle renting, as I believe there is non so far.

you can expand it into bicycle touring on rattanakhosin and even thonburi backstreets/canals/orchards accross the river.

so the bikes will be used all the time

no offnese, just thinking out loud.

what nut would ride bkk city streets on a bike. the thais ride their bikes on the sidewalk.

[londonthai]

they do ride bikes on the streets and on the roads, even in bangkok - faster than a car/bus, and it's your own mode of transport, you can go at any speed you like and stop anywhere you like

[coronadian]

A bi-hourly cheap no-fuss mini-bus service to the nearest skytrain station and some such. Not many tourist will want to take the normal bus especially if they are new. It needs to be no fuss though, no unexpected stops at tailors and the like. Charge 20-30 thb a person (u might even get away with 50), though u might not make many friends with the tuk-tuk gangs :-) I personally always prefered to take the boat when over there though.

While they wait you can sell them beer/water or whatever.

[bonobo]

Hotels make a good deal of their margin on food and beverage. And while you can't really compete with the destination bars, you can make money selling beer to the people who want a beer for lunch, before they go out on the town, after, etc.

For food, go ethnic.  WHile there are Thai places, a few shawarma stands, an Italian place, and "international" places, not too many places really offer decent "home" food.  From what I have read here in TV, a good British-style curry house would probably go over well.  Certainly, if you could finally get a decent burger place, people would come.  Greek, decent Mexican, "western-style" vegetarian, German--all of these would work, I think.  BUt don't try to be-all.  Pick one.  Maybe provide British curry, meat pies, cornies, etc.  Not only would you tend to keep hotel guests in to eat, but you will undoubtedly have others come, even people not staying at Kohsan, to eat.

[Neeranam]

The average tourist on KSR buys a bottle of water and sits in the bar all night watching free movies. No money to be made.

I had a girlfriend who opened a shop there selling hi-so fashion stuff - it was a failure.

I lived there once for 6 months many years ago and it was a decent enough place. I went back recently and what a dump - I nearly ended up in a fight as I overheard what the staff in one restaurant were saying to all the customers - NEVER go there if you can speak Thai. I was surprised at the change in the clientele in the bars - mostly Thai now, whereas 15/20 years ago it was rare to see Thais, especially students, who are there in their millions now.

Like most tourist places in Thailand, the Thai people there hate the foreigners, especially the Israelis.

[Ruperts]

Arcade machines, especially two player games. Some X-Box's and Playstations. A rocking horse for the kids and a counter selling banana lassi. Maybe some pictures of Bob Marley on the walls.