Smokemachine Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 I noticed people are doing biz selling food, apparels, appliances,etc. They dont earn really much after deducting cost of the stocks,daily expenses and gasoline. Only during festival period may earn slightly better in that month. I'm wondering how do they actually survive? I don't think they can save much or not at all. Yet i see many of them having good sound system in their 2 door pick up, few drinks of LEO. Just wondering how do they live.. Pls leave comments and share with me. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soi41 Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Kelvin. You would be surprised, how much money vendors can make in a market. I know from personal experience, worked 15 years in a big market in my homecountry and never had so much money going through my hands. It is the many small sales with big margins, that make you rich! Sometimes people asked exactly the same question as you: "how can you make a living out of this?". Little did the customer know, that the poorly dressed guy in front of them, probably was making 5 times as much as they were, with very little taxes paid because it was difficult to check!! Both me and my collegues drove expensive private cars, which we ofcourse never showed anywhere near the market. All in the name of keeping a low profile. I am sure, that it is no different in Thailand, so your "poor" vendors probably lives in a nice moo-baan in BKK's suburbs with a Benz in the driveway! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farang000999 Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 These are what we normally consider the big expenses in the West: Home Car Healthcare Food Many thais live in a property inherited or a property they paid for by selling land they inherited. Healthcare is practically free. Food is very cheap as well, this is an agricultural giant after all. The reality is that for your average bang-nak thai, they do not have that many expenses and they have a low but happy standard of living. i doubt it is that hard to earn 20k a month in a market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Kelvin. You would be surprised, how much money vendors can make in a market. I know from personal experience, worked 15 years in a big market in my homecountry and never had so much money going through my hands. It is the many small sales with big margins, that make you rich! Sometimes people asked exactly the same question as you: "how can you make a living out of this?". Little did the customer know, that the poorly dressed guy in front of them, probably was making 5 times as much as they were, with very little taxes paid because it was difficult to check!! Both me and my collegues drove expensive private cars, which we ofcourse never showed anywhere near the market. All in the name of keeping a low profile. Its this Derrick Trotter or Rodney talking now ?.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soi41 Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 ^^ Del Boy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdnmatt Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Vendors get it alot cheaper than you think -- that's how they afford to live a good life. Wouldn't worry about them much. Financially, they're not rich, but they're just fine and aren't hurting any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farang000999 Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 but if they are working 11 hours a day x 30 days a month = 330 hours. to make 20k a month they only need 67 baht an hour! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancealot Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 (edited) Good question! I have tried to live and understand and adapt to that way of life for a long time now. My observation is they live differently from western standards. In other words they approach a business(life in a monetary system) very different from westerners. We are used to the profit-system but this only works for short term. The Thai already know in the long run you will successfully run a business on a 'no loss' policy. I try to comprehend and implement this approach in my daily life and it really works! They are way ahead of us farangs. Observe and learn.. Edited September 21, 2012 by Dancealot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinfoilhat Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 (edited) These are what we normally consider the big expenses in the West: Home Car Healthcare Food Many thais live in a property inherited or a property they paid for by selling land they inherited. Healthcare is practically free. Food is very cheap as well, this is an agricultural giant after all. The reality is that for your average bang-nak thai, they do not have that many expenses and they have a low but happy standard of living. i doubt it is that hard to earn 20k a month in a market. do tell, what is a bang-nak thai? are they related to folks who live baan nok? not sure what astounds me more, peoples poor ear, or the fact they feel the need to use terms they have not heard correctly on the forum. certainly doesn't lend your post the authoritative air you were shooting for Edited September 21, 2012 by tinfoilhat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vtjforyou Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 You are wrong ! They make more money than you actually ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcw Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 What is a no loss policy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farang000999 Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 These are what we normally consider the big expenses in the West: Home Car Healthcare Food Many thais live in a property inherited or a property they paid for by selling land they inherited. Healthcare is practically free. Food is very cheap as well, this is an agricultural giant after all. The reality is that for your average bang-nak thai, they do not have that many expenses and they have a low but happy standard of living. i doubt it is that hard to earn 20k a month in a market. do tell, what is a bang-nak thai? are they related to folks who live baan nok? not sure what astounds me more, peoples poor ear, or the fact they feel the need to use terms they have not heard correctly on the forum. certainly doesn't lend your post the authoritative air you were shooting for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LennyW Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 You can make decent money at the markets here, a few years ago my wife and i used to sell childrens clothes at the markets around Pattaya, small jeans, shorts, t shirts etc. we were buying the items from the manufacturer in Bangkok at 12 to 17 baht per piece and then selling them at the going rate of 29 and 39 baht each. These are the sort of items that people (mostly women) would come and buy 10 or 20 pieces at a time! We went to a different market every day, 4-5 hours work and we were making around 3000 - 3500 baht clear per day ! Sometimes a lot more if we went to one of the temple fairs or all day markets. As there are many daily markets in and around Pattaya we never had to travel far, renting your pitch ranged from 40 baht to 200 baht per day/evening. Only problem was the rainy days - not good when you are trying to sell cloth items!! On the whole though quite easy money actually, and good fun, don't be fooled thinking market traders don't make much! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barefoot1988 Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 what a disappointment 13 posts and not a slightest hint that the money came from the daughter or wife working in a bar or by bugging richer relatives or in-laws Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Only problem was the rainy days - not good when you are trying to sell cloth items!! Rain jackets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANICMINER Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Do not be fooled by those tiny cubicle market stalls: the rent on one of those in a prime location can be about 100,000 baht a month. to make up that much rent and make a good profit means the owners have their own factories and are manufacturers, which means they sell wholesale and sell huge amounts. they probably also have several stalls dotted around country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David48 Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Hi there Khun Kelvin. The street shop owners do earn a meagre living. Makes it all wonder if it's worth while to conduct business at all. Have you or your partner ever have a shop/stall as you describe in your OP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokemachine Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 Kelvin. You would be surprised, how much money vendors can make in a market. I know from personal experience, worked 15 years in a big market in my homecountry and never had so much money going through my hands. It is the many small sales with big margins, that make you rich! Sometimes people asked exactly the same question as you: "how can you make a living out of this?". Little did the customer know, that the poorly dressed guy in front of them, probably was making 5 times as much as they were, with very little taxes paid because it was difficult to check!! Both me and my collegues drove expensive private cars, which we ofcourse never showed anywhere near the market. All in the name of keeping a low profile. I am sure, that it is no different in Thailand, so your "poor" vendors probably lives in a nice moo-baan in BKK's suburbs with a Benz in the driveway! hmmm.. true... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinfoilhat Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 These are what we normally consider the big expenses in the West: Home Car Healthcare Food Many thais live in a property inherited or a property they paid for by selling land they inherited. Healthcare is practically free. Food is very cheap as well, this is an agricultural giant after all. The reality is that for your average bang-nak thai, they do not have that many expenses and they have a low but happy standard of living. i doubt it is that hard to earn 20k a month in a market. do tell, what is a bang-nak thai? are they related to folks who live baan nok? not sure what astounds me more, peoples poor ear, or the fact they feel the need to use terms they have not heard correctly on the forum. certainly doesn't lend your post the authoritative air you were shooting for exactly. K.I.S.S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokemachine Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 Hi there Khun Kelvin. The street shop owners do earn a meagre living. Makes it all wonder if it's worth while to conduct business at all. Have you or your partner ever have a shop/stall as you describe in your OP? Hi David, i do not have. My wife friend happen to be selling clothes at flea market in her own province area. Just wondering does they really can earn a decent living? Or praying hard every each day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VintageTQ Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 (edited) These are what we normally consider the big expenses in the West: Home Car Healthcare Food Many thais live in a property inherited or a property they paid for by selling land they inherited. Healthcare is practically free. Food is very cheap as well, this is an agricultural giant after all. The reality is that for your average bang-nak thai, they do not have that many expenses and they have a low but happy standard of living. i doubt it is that hard to earn 20k a month in a market. do tell, what is a bang-nak thai? are they related to folks who live baan nok? not sure what astounds me more, peoples poor ear, or the fact they feel the need to use terms they have not heard correctly on the forum. certainly doesn't lend your post the authoritative air you were shooting for What astounds me more is peoples constant need to correct every mistake a person makes on a forum, no matter how small. Quite pathetic really Edited September 22, 2012 by VintageTQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisinth Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Kelvin. You would be surprised, how much money vendors can make in a market. I know from personal experience, worked 15 years in a big market in my homecountry and never had so much money going through my hands. It is the many small sales with big margins, that make you rich! Sometimes people asked exactly the same question as you: "how can you make a living out of this?". Little did the customer know, that the poorly dressed guy in front of them, probably was making 5 times as much as they were, with very little taxes paid because it was difficult to check!! Both me and my collegues drove expensive private cars, which we ofcourse never showed anywhere near the market. All in the name of keeping a low profile. Its this Derrick Trotter or Rodney talking now ?.... Trigger came to mind, don't know why.................... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisinth Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 ^^ Del Boy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokemachine Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 You can make decent money at the markets here, a few years ago my wife and i used to sell childrens clothes at the markets around Pattaya, small jeans, shorts, t shirts etc. we were buying the items from the manufacturer in Bangkok at 12 to 17 baht per piece and then selling them at the going rate of 29 and 39 baht each. These are the sort of items that people (mostly women) would come and buy 10 or 20 pieces at a time! We went to a different market every day, 4-5 hours work and we were making around 3000 - 3500 baht clear per day ! Sometimes a lot more if we went to one of the temple fairs or all day markets. As there are many daily markets in and around Pattaya we never had to travel far, renting your pitch ranged from 40 baht to 200 baht per day/evening. Only problem was the rainy days - not good when you are trying to sell cloth items!! On the whole though quite easy money actually, and good fun, don't be fooled thinking market traders don't make much! Yup it is quite fun. i went few times helping my wife friend. The fun is going around different places, meeting friends who are also vendors, have some leos, chill. But the tiring part is when you set up and close your stall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisinth Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 You are wrong ! They make more money than you actually ! Pretty general assumption that vtjforyou! If they can match my 11,500 baht I'll be impressed........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Kelvin. You would be surprised, how much money vendors can make in a market. I know from personal experience, worked 15 years in a big market in my homecountry and never had so much money going through my hands. It is the many small sales with big margins, that make you rich! Sometimes people asked exactly the same question as you: "how can you make a living out of this?". Little did the customer know, that the poorly dressed guy in front of them, probably was making 5 times as much as they were, with very little taxes paid because it was difficult to check!! Both me and my collegues drove expensive private cars, which we ofcourse never showed anywhere near the market. All in the name of keeping a low profile. Its this Derrick Trotter or Rodney talking now ?.... Trigger came to mind, don't know why.................... I was originally going to write Trigger, but could remember if "Soi41" was British or a yank and if I had said trigger he may of thought I was referring to Roy Rodgers and launch into a diatribe about a cowboy and his horse... For our colonial cousins tuning in "Trigger" in the UK refers to someone who aint that smart...we are not talking about a horse 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David48 Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 Hi there Khun Kelvin. The street shop owners do earn a meagre living. Makes it all wonder if it's worth while to conduct business at all. Have you or your partner ever have a shop/stall as you describe in your OP? Hi David, i do not have. My wife friend happen to be selling clothes at flea market in her own province area. Just wondering does they really can earn a decent living? Or praying hard every each day? Thanks for your reply ... . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meatballs Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 I'll bet it beats any min. wage job here. Makes you wonder why anybody would work for min. wage when they can just put up a little stand and start selling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookMan Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 (edited) I'll bet it beats any min. wage job here. Makes you wonder why anybody would work for min. wage when they can just put up a little stand and start selling. You need the capital for stock, transport to get stock to and from markets, transport to buy from suppliers, personal drive/motivation to set up a market every day, some basic business acumen and a dozen other factors. It just doesn't suit everyone. Not everyone can make a million baht a month from their online ventures meatballs Edited September 23, 2012 by BookMan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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