Opening A Pub In Bangkok

[poonumgulati]

Hi Everyone

My name is Poonam and i live in Australia. I want to find out all the requirements of opening a pub in Bangkok. I am a Thai Citizen living abroad and my partner and i are looking to live in Bangkok for awhile.

I want to know how to go about sourcing a lease or if its better buying?

All the legal information in regards to hiring employees and running the business as foreigners

Any information will be highly appreciated.

Thanks

Poonam

[Tywais]

Moved to Bangkok Forum.

[meatboy]

your not a foreigner if your thai.

[poonumgulati]

useful information would be nice

thanks

[lazygourmet]

What kind of suggestions are you expecting from an anonymous forum?

Free and unbiased informations: dream on!

[terryp]

If you want to open a Pub and not a bar and you are in fact a Thai National the 2 most important things you need to find are 1) property that can be legally fully licensed for a Pub 2)A connected Police man

In fact if you find number 2 you dont need to worry about the licences for a Pub a restaurant will do

[RedNIvar]

I think you're in trouble if your asking the foreign community in Thailand advice in opening a business here when you're a Thai citizen. It would be a whole lot easier to open anything here as a Thai rather than a foreigner.

[rocketmanbkk]

If you want to open a pub as a foreigner you will need a Thai person to put the license under anyway.

As you are Thai open it up under a Thai name and have the license in you name, you can then have a pub, baroro whatever.

There is no sense is not being the front for the business as you are Thai.

Why do you now want this? Something going on? mmm......

[dumpling]

I think from reading the post that maybe Poonam's partner is not Thai and could be looking to start a bar so maybe some advice could help.

[nolath]

If you want to open a Pub and not a bar and you are in fact a Thai National the 2 most important things you need to find are 1) property that can be legally fully licensed for a Pub 2)A connected Police man

In fact if you find number 2 you dont need to worry about the licences for a Pub a restaurant will do

^this

dosent necessarily need to be a cop imo, but if your not connected somehow, get ready to be squeezed. also, you should be speaking with lawyers about licensing, work permits, etc, not asking here. and lastly, if you have the money, of course its better to buy than rent. goodluck

[thrilled]

Ya better have some deep pockets.Of course you'll need good prices for happy hour etc.Get back on here when ya open up.

[bobdown1]

I am a pub owner with a guesthouse.

The licences you need are essentially the licence to sell beer, another to sell spirits and 1 licence to sell cigarettes.

Why you would select Bangkok with all the competition and high purchase prices of bars and the happy hour prices.

Same goes for Pattaya, Phuket, Samui etc.

Your best way is to find a location that foreigners go to that isnt overwhelmed with competition. e.g. Koh Samet

would be a good location. Close enough to Bangkok to get weekend people traffic and in high season very very busy.

However if you only rely on a pub u will most likely not make it. U need to have 2-3 streams of revenue coming in

such as guesthouse room revenues, bar&food revenues and maybe motorbike rentals.

I would not buy. Lease wud be the preferable way if you get the right place, right rental cost. Buying ties up yr cashflow

plain and simple. All in all location, location and location.

Other locations are laem mae phim, Ban Phe, Mae rumphueng beach to name a few. plenty of foreign residents and tourists

and a small amount of competition

cheers good luck. mark

[KRS1]

Don't open a pub, you'll be going to sleep at 3am every night.

[poonumgulati]

Thanks Mark

That was very helpful

Where do you own your guesthouse?

I am a pub owner with a guesthouse.

The licences you need are essentially the licence to sell beer, another to sell spirits and 1 licence to sell cigarettes.

Why you would select Bangkok with all the competition and high purchase prices of bars and the happy hour prices.

Same goes for Pattaya, Phuket, Samui etc.

Your best way is to find a location that foreigners go to that isnt overwhelmed with competition. e.g. Koh Samet

would be a good location. Close enough to Bangkok to get weekend people traffic and in high season very very busy.

However if you only rely on a pub u will most likely not make it. U need to have 2-3 streams of revenue coming in

such as guesthouse room revenues, bar&food revenues and maybe motorbike rentals.

I would not buy. Lease wud be the preferable way if you get the right place, right rental cost. Buying ties up yr cashflow

plain and simple. All in all location, location and location.

Other locations are laem mae phim, Ban Phe, Mae rumphueng beach to name a few. plenty of foreign residents and tourists

and a small amount of competition

cheers good luck. mark

[poonumgulati]

That's right, my partner is not Thai, i am Thai on paper but live in Australia so just want to know all information relevant or irrelevant but also useful

Thanks

I think from reading the post that maybe Poonam's partner is not Thai and could be looking to start a bar so maybe some advice could help.

[Semper]

That's right, my partner is not Thai, i am Thai on paper but live in Australia so just want to know all information relevant or irrelevant but also useful

Thanks

I think from reading the post that maybe Poonam's partner is not Thai and could be looking to start a bar so maybe some advice could help.

Your partner would probably find it difficult to obtain a WP for working in the bar/pub.

[rgs2001uk]

I am a pub owner with a guesthouse.

The licences you need are essentially the licence to sell beer, another to sell spirits and 1 licence to sell cigarettes.

Why you would select Bangkok with all the competition and high purchase prices of bars and the happy hour prices.

Same goes for Pattaya, Phuket, Samui etc.

Your best way is to find a location that foreigners go to that isnt overwhelmed with competition. e.g. Koh Samet

would be a good location. Close enough to Bangkok to get weekend people traffic and in high season very very busy.

However if you only rely on a pub u will most likely not make it. U need to have 2-3 streams of revenue coming in

such as guesthouse room revenues, bar&food revenues and maybe motorbike rentals.

I would not buy. Lease wud be the preferable way if you get the right place, right rental cost. Buying ties up yr cashflow

plain and simple. All in all location, location and location.

Other locations are laem mae phim, Ban Phe, Mae rumphueng beach to name a few. plenty of foreign residents and tourists

and a small amount of competition

cheers good luck. mark

I must question your choice of Hat Mae Rampheung.

Any time I have been to this beach on a weekday it has been deserted, fills up on bank holidays and weekends with Thai and farang alike, but it certainly isnt as busy as such other destinations like Bang Saen or Hua Hin.

In fact if I was to rely on tourists this beach would be the last place I would consider.

If you are coming from the Bay View hotel going east, the first row of townhouses you come to on your left hand side, opposite a shack selling seafood on your right hand side (mae Nok if I recall correctly), seems to be one of the few bars, but they certainly aint coining it in.

The prices charged makes one wonder if they actually make a profit or if its just a venture to give the owner something to pass his time, 45 baht for a small Leo, 20 baht for a cup of coffee.

That said, rentals can be had cheaply, somewhere in the region of 4,500 per month for a shophouse.

This beach must be one of the most underdeveloped in the region, I noticed the last time I was there large billboards with futuristic artists impressions of what is planned, whether its all pie in the sky remains to be seen.

That said its well worth a visit for seafood and cheap beer to be had from the beach vendors, but I always left with the impression they turn the lights out at 8 o'clock on a Sunday night and dont turn them on again till the following Friday.

As you say above, good luck.

[bobo47]

Ive seen friends opening bars/restaurants and they are foreigners. They never bribed any cops they found a lawyer that they hired for advice and taking care of all the legal issues. They will explain to you have to get around everything in a legal way. Ex how many thais you need employed if you have a foreigner etc. It will be easier for you since you are a Thai you dont need the whole silent partner deal.

I dont know the details myself but my advice is find a lawyer that can help you.