How Do You Guys Make A Living?

[scorpio1945]

being in the position to decide to do nothing is not Successful ? .............

It is in my book.:jap:

[mkawish]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I wasn't planning to turn up potless. If I live frugally on say $50k pa (which may or may not be realistic), I could survive a couple of decades before cash ran short, but that's not the point. I was rather hoping (through my wife/family) to make a success of a business, but from the replies here that seems rarely to happen. Surely someone has a success story?

Cheers

The successful guys and gals do not want to post on this forum because they will, in all probability, get flamed.

mallyrd....

You are most probably correct...

Furthermore, imho, successful Farangs in Thailand are very much like

successful traders....

they are most likely just too preoccupied and too busy....

to read and respond to nonsensical postings et cetera on Thaivisa here ....

With all due respect to sincere posters on the forum.... :jap:

[svenivan]

I have met a bunch of successful guys here in CR.

And I am one of them!

Maybe we are not looking for making more money but let our money making us more happy.

I just got this from a very good friend:

"I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avantégarde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 &70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.

So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore.

I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being older. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it)."

We have seen people coming here to CR to make money, they have invested, they have lost and they have left.

Many other have just come here to live a good life and most of them are happy.

[kandahar]

Hi tangaroa67.

Welcome to the forum. Welcome to CR.

If you will have 50,000 USD per year to live on here, you will have no pressure to "make a living" and you won't have to live so "frugally". You should be able to get by nicely on that. Healthcare for your family is cheap. Healthcare for you will be a different story but your income will allow for a decent insurance policy for you. With the government help available for your Thai family in the area of education, you shouldn't have to commit too much to get the kids through school, either.

Lots of people here do supplement their income in some ways and are successful enough at it. As some people mentioned already, announcing that success here on the forum has its drawbacks. And, the majority of folks here don't even look at this forum, let alone post on it. So, this is a difficult place to get the answers to your questions.

I suspect that "most" people here who finance an endeavor for family do so without any real financial benefit coming back to them and, more often that not, actually lose money keeping said endeavors up and running. Some people continue to support such endeavors because they feel better about that than just handing out money to non-working family members. Once you get situated here, I think you will see that is the case. However, there are opportunities for success.

When you get settled, have a look around and see what is here and what isn't. Try to determine what needs can be filled. You will see lots of things missing here but most of those are missing because there isn't a large enough market to bother with filling the need. There ARE things that CR would support if they were available. You just need to determine what they are and go with the one, or ones, that will bring your investment back to you in a timely manner.

Here are some loose "rules" for doing business here:

Anything you do, can be done cheaper by a Thai.

Anything you do that even remotely looks successful will soon be copied by Thais.

Anything you do has to be done at a higher standard than your competition. You cannot go head to head with these people and win. If you sell the same product or service as another, you HAVE to make your product or service be something that far outshines what is being offered locally. And of course with that, your prices will be higher. You need to compete for customers that can afford, and are willing to pay, for higher quality. That certainly isn't the majority of residents here.

Don't limit your business to one product or service. Combine several ideas into one shop so that your investment base is spread over a larger market and one product or service compliments another.

Become known for the best value. The best price will drive you out of business because your competition will gladly lose money to make you go out of business. So, offer the best follow-up service and value for money. Service is one thing here that is under-rated and pretty much ignored. There are exceptions, of course. But overall, the main idea of most businesses here is to get the baht from the customer one time and don't worry about return customers or word of mouth advertising. For whatever reason, while these people will undersell you at every opportunity, most of them won't lift a finger to follow up on a sale. You will see that immediately as you spend time in the city, starting with cafes and restaurants. For the most part, nobody here will ask you if your meal was okay after you have eaten. For the most part, nobody here will ask you if you want another drink during your meal or an after-dinner drink or dessert when you finish. This neglect is shared by most other forms of business in CR, even farang-owned businesses. So, that aspect alone provides an opportunity for you to excel where others are barely making it.

As frugal as they are, there are Thais in this town who have money and will spend it for something that is a cut above. However, they tend to agonize over spending. So, get used to the idea of a customer coming in and looking at a product, talking to you about it and returning several times before finally committing to the purchase. Be patient and don't be tempted to throw them out as time-wasters. If they return to look at something, there is a good chance they are going to finally cave in and buy it, even though you might wait six months and go through several visits before that happens. Concerning your Thai customers, leave room, and time, to haggle on the prices. Be prepared to offer the product at a bit of a discount to move the product. My wife sells the same product for the same price to Thais or farang. But she is much quicker to announce her final price to the farang. They tend to want to know that bottom line quickly. The Thais seem to enjoy the hunt and the longer it goes on, the more successful they feel about the purchase. Sticking with the posted price is counter-productive. This is Thailand and haggling is part of the culture. And the word of mouth advertising about the discount is important to future business with Thai customers. If you post a price and stick to it, you will quickly get a reputation amongst the Thais as being stingy. Bad for business.

Never give in to the temptation to NOT discount something as deeply for a farang as you would a Thai. The price you need for something is the price you need. And if a farang walks in and sees the posted price and offers it, just mention that the price for that item doesn't reflect the discount that is in effect for said item. You never need a customer thinking, or finding our later, that you have screwed him or her. The extra baht isn't worth what it will do to your reputation. I, for one, NEVER return to a business that I know has done that to me.

So, what business to start? Again, look for what needs aren't filled. Don't be in a hurry. As you settle in, you will start looking for things for your own use and not be able to find them. Or, if you can find them, they will only be found in Chiang Mai or further south. For example, try finding a shop that does powder coat painting in CR. Try finding a shop in CR that does spray-on foam insulation for houses or business buildings. Try finding a shop that does the spray-on pickup bed liners in CR. Try finding a shop that picks up your laundry, cleans and presses it and returns it to your home in a timely manner. Try finding a large "laundry mat" where the ladies can do their laundry and DRY their clothes while watching the latest soaps on TV and sharing the latest gossip over a cup of tea or coffee. There are many things that one must go to CM for these days. Is there enough demand to bring the same business to CR? In some cases, yes. And in some cases, the investment is large enough that you won't have to worry about someone else copying your idea and being a competitor. Even in the cases of business that are already in CR, there are some which are substantially lacking in quality and service. Which ones could you open and do correctly and end up with the majority of customers? Is there a company in CR that offers painted steel roofs guaranteed for 20 years or more? No. You can buy a painted steel roof here but it isn't guaranteed at all. And there is a market for such a thing. As you spend time here, you'll get the proper ideas for what will work and what won't. All of the aforementioned ideas aren't necessarily good ideas for CR right now. But all will be in the future as the town grows up. So, in some cases, it is good to get in on the ground floor and be a part of the growing city instead of contributing to the multitude of businesses that are already in competition with the same ideas and products.

My ideas, or those of others here, aren't what you're after and isn't what you're asking for, I realize. You're wanting to know what has worked for others. I don't think you'll find the answer in the CR forum. I think you need to be a pioneer. That is where your chance for success lies.

[Sateev]

[quote name='scorpio1945' timestamp='1296303343' post='4183777'

Highly doubtful here in the Rai unless they were perceived as being full of it. Would make interesting reading. Can not speak for other forums.

What's all this "the Rai" stuff. Refugees from the Sherman Oaks Galleria? Is it like "the 'Bu", for Malibu?

Think I'll stay in "the 'kok", thank you...

[villagefarang]

People who love where they live, often come up with pet names for their place of residence. A very common practice.

[sceadugenga]

And people who live in Bangkok can use whatever appropriate affectionate diminutive that like for that place.

[motdaeng]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I wasn't planning to turn up potless. If I live frugally on say $50k pa (which may or may not be realistic), I could survive a couple of decades before cash ran short, but that's not the point. I was rather hoping (through my wife/family) to make a success of a business, but from the replies here that seems rarely to happen. Surely someone has a success story?

Cheers

lots of good advices for a business have already been issued. but a big hurdle not

be forgotten: if you like to work as well, the need to make your business legal. to found

a company and to get a work permit ... and believe me, that is not so easy!

[mkawish]

svenivan dear....

Why do you have no shame at all....?

Stealing every word that I was trying to put together,

so when I became a little older I could say these same words and ideas to impress my wife and my kids....

Thx for an expression of life in Thailand.... much appreciated too....:jap:

I have met a bunch of successful guys here in CR.

And I am one of them!

Maybe we are not looking for making more money but let our money making us more happy.

I just got this from a very good friend:

"I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avantégarde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 &70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.

So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore.

I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being older. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it)."

We have seen people coming here to CR to make money, they have invested, they have lost and they have left.

Many other have just come here to live a good life and most of them are happy.

[mkawish]

Highly doubtful here in the Rai unless they were perceived as being full of it. Would make interesting reading. Can not speak for other forums.

What's all this "the Rai" stuff. Refugees from the Sherman Oaks Galleria? Is it like "the 'Bu", for Malibu?

Think I'll stay in "the 'kok", thank you...

u r funny....

[tangaroa67]

Wow ... thanks for all the replies and sound advice guys. In particular, thanks to TacoBoy, Bifftastic, Svenivan & Kandahar for their lengthy and considered thoughts.

I've a lot of experience running a business here and I've never been afraid to say NO to people, so fingers crossed, I won't get burned in CR. I'll take your advice and take my time :-)

[chops]

website. $800 sale per client. pays the bills...

[MAJIC]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I wasn't planning to turn up potless. If I live frugally on say $50k pa (which may or may not be realistic), I could survive a couple of decades before cash ran short, but that's not the point. I was rather hoping (through my wife/family) to make a success of a business, but from the replies here that seems rarely to happen. Surely someone has a success story?

Cheers

$50K pa ,Sounds more than realistic to me,you could probably keep me as well on that figure.

[sunholidaysun1]

Most who live here are over the age of 60 , so the majority would have a life time of employment and would have a pension. Some with failed marriages have taken their share of the loot when they left, others have a golden touch for business and have sold up and brought the money here. The rest of us get by with what we have but surprisingly there are those who have far less than the profess to have. Either way , we live here the best we can with what we have ,regardless.

[Naam]

being in the position to decide to do nothing is not Successful ? .............

It is in my book.:jap:

to each his own!

[scorpio1945]

being in the position to decide to do nothing is not Successful ? .............

It is in my book.:jap:

to each his own!

I was agreeing with you