Thailand's richest newcomer is a retailer who made his fortune in nation's poorest area

[GrantSmith]

It's a stereotype that many posters on this forum will keep alive until the buffaloes come home

I think you mean until all the buffalo are healthy again... Surprised that there isn't a strain of influenza attributed to buffalo... It appears pandemic in certain parts of Thailand

Edited July 4, 2013 by GrantSmith

[Issangeorge]

I built my house almost ten years, all the building materials and most of the furnature came from Global House in Roi-et. Only at that time I seem yo remember it was called Global Home. I think it's a great place. As for new house construction in my village for almost all of it I eventually find out there was a foreign connection some how. Some had daughters married to foreign men, some had relatives working in foreign countties, some worked in industries frequented by foreigners, farang or Asian.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Berkshire]

Too bad we never read anything about these top wealthy Thais and their charitable foundations and giving back to their communities. The one notice in this newspaper several months ago cited piddling amounts by the top ten Thais on the global list.

Most of the wealthy Thais are quite altruistic but never draw attention to their philanthropy. Would you prefer that they hold a press conference to announce their next donation? You really should try better to hide your envy and jealousy of Thai folks who are better off than you.

[pacharaphet]

for my part, issan get can all the polluting industries from around bangkok ... so we could breath some cleaner air

It's funny that you are in Thailand...I'm pretty sure the west did this about 50 years ago towards the end of formal colonialism. "Our people don't like seeing polluting industries all around, so we'll send them over to those countries in the east who don't really care about their population's well-being". It's called neo-colonialism. If you relocated the industry from Bangkok to poorer regions, it would just be more crypto-colonialism on Thailand's part.

Why do I say it's funny you are in Thailand? Because if you support these kinds of practices, your best bet would have to been to stay in/return to the West...maybe not the US though, hahaha, although even they have increased their regulations in the past 10 years, just not the way Europe has.

Now, you may have moved to Thailand before realizing all this, and that's a fair enough argument as well, I suppose.

I want an argument/discussion, not a diss-fest, please.

Edited July 4, 2013 by pacharaphet

[Thai at Heart]

Too bad we never read anything about these top wealthy Thais and their charitable foundations and giving back to their communities. The one notice in this newspaper several months ago cited piddling amounts by the top ten Thais on the global list.

Most of the wealthy Thais are quite altruistic but never draw attention to their philanthropy. Would you prefer that they hold a press conference to announce their next donation? You really should try better to hide your envy and jealousy of Thai folks who are better off than you.

That's why they so subtlety stand behind gigantic cheques and make sure their name is on the envelope, or go on TV to discuss how big the sin sot was. Ever noticed all the name plates all over temples about who built what? Or make the common man scrape around when companies donate pittances for disaster relief.

Never draw attention? Most actively court it.

There are two low key bazzilionaires businessmen in the country, and one of them has his grandson up for driving at 200kmh down Sukhumvit. The other has a company that rules over 60% of just about every agriculture market.

They do very little for genuine charity in the country. In fact one states actively that most of his charity goes to China.

There is one man who tries as much as possible to give when needed.

Edited July 4, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[pacharaphet]

Too bad we never read anything about these top wealthy Thais and their charitable foundations and giving back to their communities. The one notice in this newspaper several months ago cited piddling amounts by the top ten Thais on the global list.

Most of the wealthy Thais are quite altruistic but never draw attention to their philanthropy. Would you prefer that they hold a press conference to announce their next donation? You really should try better to hide your envy and jealousy of Thai folks who are better off than you.

Maybe he's/she's not jealous, in fact, I'm not sure how your comment points out their "jealousy" at all. You do make a good point, that philanthropy hasn't become nearly as much of a "look at me, I give money to the poor" kind of affair as in the US or even in Germany (the other places I've lived). However, to look at it from the other side, not advertising philanthropy means you do not, as a society, try to motivate people who are not loaded to give money to the poor as well....giving money to temples is not really the same thing, as most of us know. But even with that being said, in the end your donation to many a "help the poor" group may end up with your money being used up by those on top...so in this case, you can idealize and ask why Thais don't like philanthropy and then be disappointed because the answer is basically because the public feels a large part of the "donations" get intercepted by those for whom the money was not intended.

Or you can say, well there are lots of altruistic Thais, don't be jealous. Yes, good for them, but what does their altruism do? And if your point is, lots and lots, we just don't hear about it, then why not?

I feel the poster's question to whom you were responding was a valid point, and you made some too, but just calling them jealous made absolutely no sense, except within the context of: "I am a Farang who has been in Thailand a long time. I, therefore, know Thailand better than every Farang who disagrees with me, even if they have been here as long or longer than me. All who ask questions of such an Anti-Thai nature must be poor and jealous of the elite class, end." Or from the other side, "all who side with the elite are just puppets of their governments, blah blah blah..." It may not be like this at all, but this is sure how it feels, both when arguing with Thais about such issues, and with Farangs. Think about it, maybe there are other explanations as well and I'm just not coming up with them right now.

Seriously, I just have to wonder, is it that hard to step back and evaluate the situation without ending in a personal attack? (above are not personal attacks, as I said...no wait, as I read, it kind of is a generalized personal attack, so I guess I have the answer to my question...haha...)

[pacharaphet]

Too bad we never read anything about these top wealthy Thais and their charitable foundations and giving back to their communities. The one notice in this newspaper several months ago cited piddling amounts by the top ten Thais on the global list.

Most of the wealthy Thais are quite altruistic but never draw attention to their philanthropy. Would you prefer that they hold a press conference to announce their next donation? You really should try better to hide your envy and jealousy of Thai folks who are better off than you.

That's why they so subtlety stand behind gigantic cheques and make sure their name is on the envelope, or go on TV to discuss how big the sin sot was. Ever noticed all the name plates all over temples about who built what? Or make the common man scrape around when companies donate pittances for disaster relief.

Never draw attention? Most actively court it.

I don't know if "most" is fair (unless you have done serious research on the topic, then let me see some sources, please)....obviously if you are basing your statements on what you have seen....then there is not going to be anyone who is doing it without requesting recognition.....

The difference is, Thai media makes little if not no attempt (from that which I have seen) to dig up stories about altruistic donations about which media coverage was not additionally sought. It seems they are often much to busy covering the "altruists" who want their named engraved in gold and zoomed in upon.

[Thai at Heart]

Too bad we never read anything about these top wealthy Thais and their charitable foundations and giving back to their communities. The one notice in this newspaper several months ago cited piddling amounts by the top ten Thais on the global list.

Most of the wealthy Thais are quite altruistic but never draw attention to their philanthropy. Would you prefer that they hold a press conference to announce their next donation? You really should try better to hide your envy and jealousy of Thai folks who are better off than you.

That's why they so subtlety stand behind gigantic cheques and make sure their name is on the envelope, or go on TV to discuss how big the sin sot was. Ever noticed all the name plates all over temples about who built what? Or make the common man scrape around when companies donate pittances for disaster relief.

Never draw attention? Most actively court it.

I don't know if "most" is fair (unless you have done serious research on the topic, then let me see some sources, please)....obviously if you are basing your statements on what you have seen....then there is not going to be anyone who is doing it without requesting recognition.....

The difference is, Thai media makes little if not no attempt (from that which I have seen) to dig up stories about altruistic donations about which media coverage was not additionally sought. It seems they are often much to busy covering the "altruists" who want their named engraved in gold and zoomed in upon.

Just open cosmopolitan or titled, or the society pages of the other paper.

Always interesting to me when people discuss sin sot on TV. Truly bizarre concept. There is little altruistic donation here in my opinion and it is always focused on the value of the donation, rarely about what people need.

Edited July 4, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[jalansanitwong]

Good luck to him but i seriously doubt if there has been an economic boom in dusty Isan. Isan's economy is the same as the Phllipines. It relies heavily on overseas remittances from women and men working overseas and of course the tens of thousands of village girls living abroad with foreign husbands.

Some girls are sending 30-50,000 baht monthy back to Ubon,KK,Udon, Kalasin Roi et Buriram etc from their German,Swiss,Austrian husbands businesess or her own income (massage).

Everywhere you go in Isan you see big new houses next to wooden huts and shacks. New houses abound.

Old man farang money.Thai's get the farangs to build them.

Add it up. Hundreds of thousands of Isan people sending billions of baht back home every year. I;m not surprised Isan is slowly moving ahead.

Turn off the o/s bank remittance tap and you can forget about selling building supplies.

I know lots of Thai ladies married to foreign husbands who have never worked in the sex industry. Some have successful businesses in their new countries, some take on two or more manual type jobs. All work very hard and in legal occupations; and most fulfil what they see as their duty to send some money to their parents.

Shocking isn't it that not all Isan ladies fit your biased and insulting narrow minded stereotype,

I am exagerating a little infact here on the west side of Bangkok there are thousands of Isan people working for a living but i doubt if theyre sending alot of money back home because the cost of living in Bangkok has skyrocketed since Yingluck came into office. Phetkasem rd was almost empty today. No traffic . Petrol too expensive. Street markets are quite. As for buying land in Isan ? No way. Its a dust bowl. I would much rather pay 400,000 baht for 1 rai in outer Bangkok districts than 20,000 baht per rai in Ubon. I have no intention of living with Otto or Wolfgang Shultz in dry,non irrigated Isan.

[Thai at Heart]

Good luck to him but i seriously doubt if there has been an economic boom in dusty Isan. Isan's economy is the same as the Phllipines. It relies heavily on overseas remittances from women and men working overseas and of course the tens of thousands of village girls living abroad with foreign husbands.

Some girls are sending 30-50,000 baht monthy back to Ubon,KK,Udon, Kalasin Roi et Buriram etc from their German,Swiss,Austrian husbands businesess or her own income (massage).

Everywhere you go in Isan you see big new houses next to wooden huts and shacks. New houses abound.

Old man farang money.Thai's get the farangs to build them.

Add it up. Hundreds of thousands of Isan people sending billions of baht back home every year. I;m not surprised Isan is slowly moving ahead.

Turn off the o/s bank remittance tap and you can forget about selling building supplies.

I know lots of Thai ladies married to foreign husbands who have never worked in the sex industry. Some have successful businesses in their new countries, some take on two or more manual type jobs. All work very hard and in legal occupations; and most fulfil what they see as their duty to send some money to their parents.

Shocking isn't it that not all Isan ladies fit your biased and insulting narrow minded stereotype,

I am exagerating a little infact here on the west side of Bangkok there are thousands of Isan people working for a living but i doubt if theyre sending alot of money back home because the cost of living in Bangkok has skyrocketed since Yingluck came into office. Phetkasem rd was almost empty today. No traffic . Petrol too expensive. Street markets are quite. As for buying land in Isan ? No way. Its a dust bowl. I would much rather pay 400,000 baht for 1 rai in outer Bangkok districts than 20,000 baht per rai in Ubon. I have no intention of living with Otto or Wolfgang Shultz in dry,non irrigated Isan.

Up country city right now is 40k per WAH.

Heard today.

Edited July 4, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[jbrain]

Despite its relative poverty, Isan’s economy is booming, growing at double the pace of Bangkok over the past five years. The average household saw its income rise 40% between 2007 and 2011, a bigger jump than any other part of Thailand.

Is that down to being industrious and hard work or a 300 THB a day election promise?

No, it's because 40% increase on next to nothing, which is still below minimum wage, is easier to achieve than 40% increase on an acceptable income.

[metisdead]

A post in which the quoted content had been altered with added wording has been removed:

30) Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes, added emoticons, or altered wording.

Other off topic posts and replies have been removed as well.

[elektrified]

Good luck to him but i seriously doubt if there has been an economic boom in dusty Isan. Isan's economy is the same as the Phllipines. It relies heavily on overseas remittances from women and men working overseas and of course the tens of thousands of village girls living abroad with foreign husbands.

Some girls are sending 30-50,000 baht monthy back to Ubon,KK,Udon, Kalasin Roi et Buriram etc from their German,Swiss,Austrian husbands businesess or her own income (massage).

Everywhere you go in Isan you see big new houses next to wooden huts and shacks. New houses abound.

Old man farang money.Thai's get the farangs to build them.

Add it up. Hundreds of thousands of Isan people sending billions of baht back home every year. I;m not surprised Isan is slowly moving ahead.

Turn off the o/s bank remittance tap and you can forget about selling building supplies.

I disagree with the picture you have painted. Sounds like jealously to me.

[Baerboxer]

Good luck to him but i seriously doubt if there has been an economic boom in dusty Isan. Isan's economy is the same as the Phllipines. It relies heavily on overseas remittances from women and men working overseas and of course the tens of thousands of village girls living abroad with foreign husbands.

Some girls are sending 30-50,000 baht monthy back to Ubon,KK,Udon, Kalasin Roi et Buriram etc from their German,Swiss,Austrian husbands businesess or her own income (massage).

Everywhere you go in Isan you see big new houses next to wooden huts and shacks. New houses abound.

Old man farang money.Thai's get the farangs to build them.

Add it up. Hundreds of thousands of Isan people sending billions of baht back home every year. I;m not surprised Isan is slowly moving ahead.

Turn off the o/s bank remittance tap and you can forget about selling building supplies.

I know lots of Thai ladies married to foreign husbands who have never worked in the sex industry. Some have successful businesses in their new countries, some take on two or more manual type jobs. All work very hard and in legal occupations; and most fulfil what they see as their duty to send some money to their parents.

Shocking isn't it that not all Isan ladies fit your biased and insulting narrow minded stereotype,

I am exagerating a little infact here on the west side of Bangkok there are thousands of Isan people working for a living but i doubt if theyre sending alot of money back home because the cost of living in Bangkok has skyrocketed since Yingluck came into office. Phetkasem rd was almost empty today. No traffic . Petrol too expensive. Street markets are quite. As for buying land in Isan ? No way. Its a dust bowl. I would much rather pay 400,000 baht for 1 rai in outer Bangkok districts than 20,000 baht per rai in Ubon. I have no intention of living with Otto or Wolfgang Shultz in dry,non irrigated Isan.

Just remember that Isan land purchase could be beach front soon !!

Will you get the sea passage and fishing rights with the land purchase in outer Bangkok? Be careful, China will probably claim them too.

[Berkshire]

Too bad we never read anything about these top wealthy Thais and their charitable foundations and giving back to their communities. The one notice in this newspaper several months ago cited piddling amounts by the top ten Thais on the global list.

Most of the wealthy Thais are quite altruistic but never draw attention to their philanthropy. Would you prefer that they hold a press conference to announce their next donation? You really should try better to hide your envy and jealousy of Thai folks who are better off than you.

That's why they so subtlety stand behind gigantic cheques and make sure their name is on the envelope, or go on TV to discuss how big the sin sot was. Ever noticed all the name plates all over temples about who built what? Or make the common man scrape around when companies donate pittances for disaster relief.

Never draw attention? Most actively court it.

Well now I'm confused. Noitom's saying he's never heard of rich Thais giving. But then here's you saying they're all over the place with gigantic checks. So who's right? It seems you're both criticizing the Thais no matter what they do.

I've been to more fundraising events than I care to remember. Plenty of Thais at these events, willing/wanting to give. Genuinely warm, sincere, and nice people, these evil rich folks.

[Thai at Heart]

Too bad we never read anything about these top wealthy Thais and their charitable foundations and giving back to their communities. The one notice in this newspaper several months ago cited piddling amounts by the top ten Thais on the global list.

Most of the wealthy Thais are quite altruistic but never draw attention to their philanthropy. Would you prefer that they hold a press conference to announce their next donation? You really should try better to hide your envy and jealousy of Thai folks who are better off than you.

That's why they so subtlety stand behind gigantic cheques and make sure their name is on the envelope, or go on TV to discuss how big the sin sot was. Ever noticed all the name plates all over temples about who built what? Or make the common man scrape around when companies donate pittances for disaster relief.

Never draw attention? Most actively court it.

Well now I'm confused. Noitom's saying he's never heard of rich Thais giving. But then here's you saying they're all over the place with gigantic checks. So who's right? It seems you're both criticizing the Thais no matter what they do.

I've been to more fundraising events than I care to remember. Plenty of Thais at these events, willing/wanting to give. Genuinely warm, sincere, and nice people, these evil rich folks.

I say, they give but rarely selflessly. My ultimate is school scholarships. Now you can poo poo private education in the UK, but they have to give a percentage of places for scholarships, because they are classed as charities, not businesses.

Don't read to much about big companies it individuals sponsoring long term social programs, or creating foundations.

If only Thai private schools would be compelled to do the same thing.

[kamalabob2]

A nice article in Forbes on the founder of Global House. I certainly see that Lowe's and Home Depot influence in the four Global House stores I have bought items. I had no idea that Siam Cement had bought part of this chain. That must have not gone over well with the Home Mart Franchise owners. In Surin the Global House is busy and two stores away most afternoons the Home Mart is empty of customers. In my experience Global House had a good selection of sensible items, a workable and fair return policy and damn I would have bought that above ground large spa / pool instead of an traditional swimming pool had I darkened the doors of a Global House prior to having an in ground pool built in 2007. Having a Global House in or near any community has got to kick the other merchants, both independent and chain, to "up their game" and provide better service and have more English speaking staff. I have my own opinion about some of the "house brands" sold at Global House, but it sure is a store worth getting price bids on any major house building project in Isaan. They offer attractive prices on Dulux paint in my shopping experiences.

[ABCer]

It's nice to see one self-made Thai instead of mom'n'dads obtuse offspring.

Hats off...

BTW the shop isn't bad at all.

[jalansanitwong]

Good luck to him but i seriously doubt if there has been an economic boom in dusty Isan. Isan's economy is the same as the Phllipines. It relies heavily on overseas remittances from women and men working overseas and of course the tens of thousands of village girls living abroad with foreign husbands.

Some girls are sending 30-50,000 baht monthy back to Ubon,KK,Udon, Kalasin Roi et Buriram etc from their German,Swiss,Austrian husbands businesess or her own income (massage).

Everywhere you go in Isan you see big new houses next to wooden huts and shacks. New houses abound.

Old man farang money.Thai's get the farangs to build them.

Add it up. Hundreds of thousands of Isan people sending billions of baht back home every year. I;m not surprised Isan is slowly moving ahead.

Turn off the o/s bank remittance tap and you can forget about selling building supplies.

I know lots of Thai ladies married to foreign husbands who have never worked in the sex industry. Some have successful businesses in their new countries, some take on two or more manual type jobs. All work very hard and in legal occupations; and most fulfil what they see as their duty to send some money to their parents.

Shocking isn't it that not all Isan ladies fit your biased and insulting narrow minded stereotype,

I am exagerating a little infact here on the west side of Bangkok there are thousands of Isan people working for a living but i doubt if theyre sending alot of money back home because the cost of living in Bangkok has skyrocketed since Yingluck came into office. Phetkasem rd was almost empty today. No traffic . Petrol too expensive. Street markets are quite. As for buying land in Isan ? No way. Its a dust bowl. I would much rather pay 400,000 baht for 1 rai in outer Bangkok districts than 20,000 baht per rai in Ubon. I have no intention of living with Otto or Wolfgang Shultz in dry,non irrigated Isan.

Up country city right now is 40k per WAH.

Heard today.

40 k per talang WAH up country where exactly? thats 160,000 baht per rai thats definitely farang price unless its prime realestate.

plenty of rain and sun. ,irrigation ,low crime rate(expecially towards farang),good infrastrucure 160 is possible i suppose........ i wouldnt pay it. they see a farang and they start punching noughts on a CASIO calculator...immediately...wife will say nothing she may even get a commission. happens all the time.

ubon land parcles start at 100,000 baht /5 rai isan is not going to be beach property anytime soon. bangkok will not sink.

thais are pulling your leg.

Edited July 5, 2013 by jalansanitwong

[Thai at Heart]

@ Jalansintawong

That is actually 16mn per rai. For, in town, open land, at the moment. I won't tell you exactly, but it is pretty close to where i live. Prices are going bonkers up here. Next to the so called down town that is about 3 km away, it is going for 35mn a rai.

Glad I bought my house 10 years ago.

[Gaow]

It's a shame, that there are so mamy people out there, to eager to put, people down, just cause they work hard and try to better there lifes, for them self's and there family, There is a saying, work for some one els and make them ritch, Work for your self and become; Ritcher, Good for him; Steve

[retell]

It's a shame, that there are so mamy people out there, to eager to put, people down, just cause they work hard and try to better there lifes, for them self's and there family, There is a saying, work for some one els and make them ritch, Work for your self and become; Ritcher, Good for him; Steve

get money with working hard , get rich by working SMART

[arthurwait]

@ Jalansintawong

That is actually 16mn per rai. For, in town, open land, at the moment. I won't tell you exactly, but it is pretty close to where i live. Prices are going bonkers up here. Next to the so called down town that is about 3 km away, it is going for 35mn a rai.

Glad I bought my house 10 years ago.

Are people actually buying this land and at those prices or is that just a asking price bargained down from

or is no one at all buying it ?

If they are buying it, what an earth for, unless they are really stupid enough to because of the flooding ?

[arthurwait]

Good luck to him but i seriously doubt if there has been an economic boom in dusty Isan. Isan's economy is the same as the Phllipines. It relies heavily on overseas remittances from women and men working overseas and of course the tens of thousands of village girls living abroad with foreign husbands.

Some girls are sending 30-50,000 baht monthy back to Ubon,KK,Udon, Kalasin Roi et Buriram etc from their German,Swiss,Austrian husbands businesess or her own income (massage).

Everywhere you go in Isan you see big new houses next to wooden huts and shacks. New houses abound.

Old man farang money.Thai's get the farangs to build them.

Add it up. Hundreds of thousands of Isan people sending billions of baht back home every year. I;m not surprised Isan is slowly moving ahead.

Turn off the o/s bank remittance tap and you can forget about selling building supplies.

I know lots of Thai ladies married to foreign husbands who have never worked in the sex industry. Some have successful businesses in their new countries, some take on two or more manual type jobs. All work very hard and in legal occupations; and most fulfil what they see as their duty to send some money to their parents.

Shocking isn't it that not all Isan ladies fit your biased and insulting narrow minded stereotype,

I am exagerating a little infact here on the west side of Bangkok there are thousands of Isan people working for a living but i doubt if theyre sending alot of money back home because the cost of living in Bangkok has skyrocketed since Yingluck came into office. Phetkasem rd was almost empty today. No traffic . Petrol too expensive. Street markets are quite. As for buying land in Isan ? No way. Its a dust bowl. I would much rather pay 400,000 baht for 1 rai in outer Bangkok districts than 20,000 baht per rai in Ubon. I have no intention of living with Otto or Wolfgang Shultz in dry,non irrigated Isan.

400K for a rai in Bangkok ? Where ?

[murrayoverseas]

The son of mom-and-pop shopkeepers, Witoon grew up in a humble house in the city, studied civil engineering in nearby Khon Kaen and then got work as a contractor, always staying close to home. After a few years he earned enough money to open his first store in his hometown, a cramped little shop filled with building supplies.

Thumbs up!!

The model for that is Walmart, pure & simple. Read the book "In Sam we Trust" His first 20 years or so was all in small towns.