Opening A Business In Cm

[3stan]

Hi, my (thai) wife and i are looking into opening up a business here in CM. Probably massage or coffee shop. We have no experience and would like to find someone who could brief us up on how to go about doing this and pitfalls to avoid. Preferably a foreigner who has first hand experience. Please pm me and let me know how much this would cost me. Also, would much apreciate if anyone has some quick input via this forum. Many thanks , )

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Probably massage or coffee shop

At least you're off to a good start, with a unique idea that nobody thought of before.

Anyway, quick input: I would like the coffee to be at the level of Thom's shop at Rim Ping Airport supermarket, and I would like the setting and view to be like Mamia Coffee, 200m South of Rimping (Riverside) Supermarket, next to Giant Shabu and what used to be GiGi's pub, now called Hi Class. Because that's an incredible riverside location, plenty space and views of Wat Chaimongkol, The Chedi and the Iron Bridge. So similar views to actually being at teh Chedi, but a tiny fraction of the cost. (49-59 baht range for coffee drinks and and a great Blueberry Smoothie. They do a limited selection of cakes and food too. Opened 2 months ago, I really hope they make it; it's just manificent sitting there reading / iPadding and not have to spend big.

The other one, Thom's, has the best coffee in Chiang Mai by a mile (their own roasted peaberry beans and a La Pavoni dual lever operated machine, however the view is of women's sanitary napkins and Duck-brand toilet-rim disinfectant blocks. Mamia on the other hand uses one of those $200 plastic Electrolux espresso makers. (And doing not too bad a job of it, but a La Pavoni it is not. )

So visit those two places, then do the best of both. Not easy.

Edited January 30, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[beano2274]

Make sure you read the rules about what is classed as work and what isn't.

I think you are looking at a business which has been done to death in CM, I would look at other possibilities

[Beetlejuice]

Over my many years of living in Thailand I have lost count of the amount of these businesses that I have seen come and go.

Your first course of action should be that you check up the Thai law regarding business ownership and make sure that you follow the correct procedures involved. Especially when massage is involved. You may require permission and the OK from the police, regardless of the law.

Next conduct a complete survey in the area, which you are considering opening your coffee shop and massage business. For example; the area in which I live the locals lead very simple lives and spend virtually nothing. So opening a coffee shop down my way would be a waste of time.

Once you have found a suitable premises for your business, make sure you receive a proper renting contract from your landlord or the shop owner. I have known of cases when as the more lucrative the business becomes, the more rent the landlord charges.

All this and much more to take into consideration.

My advice is; don`t rush into anything and if possible try and make contact with someone competent who can guide you through the process.

Good luck and wishing you all success.

[3stan]

Thanks guys for your input. Just got back from meeting with Gonzo. He was very helpful. Yes, we might have to come up with an idea that would set us apart from the crowd, if anything, because it does seem that make a profit of those kind of ventures might be a bit of a challenge..thanks again for the input and thanks to Gonzo , )

[lannarebirth]

^{Here's my advice, and it's free. Don't open a massage or coffee shop. One would have to think a long long time to come up with businesses that have a lower barrier to entry than either of those. Even if you're exceptionally good at either of those things, it's a bad idea. You can't be employed in most ventures of course, so it comes down to your wife. Hey, there's lots of good cooking schools and accounting schools around Chiang Mai. Tuition's really cheap too. I'd have her take the Accounting course first.}