Research

[Wanderlust]

Hi everyone,

I am undertaking some research to see if a new business would be viable and in which location. To assist with this I would like your help and knowledge of the places you live in with regard to the following:

1. Approximate total population and estimated Western expat population (this can be a high/low figure to account for places that experience a high season and/or have a fluctuating expat presence for other reasons)

2. Approximate number of businesses specifically catering to foreigners (e.g. hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, bars etc) - this can be in the form of less than/more than if it is easier.

3. The general demographics of the expats in your view (mostly young/old, working/retired , wealthy or not)

4. A general view of the Thai population there - friendly, educated, farang friendly, better/worse off than average etc - again this would be your opinion.

5. How much of an expat community there is - are there local sports leagues, pub quizzes, regular events, hashers, that sort of thing.Is it expanding or stagnant?

Any other information you care to give about where you live would be very welcome, so I can get a long distance feel for the place. Once I have (hopefully) gathered a few replies I will get more specific about the business I am thinking of and maybe ask some more detailed questions about locations that sound like they have potential, if there are any. If anyone would rather not publically state their opinions please send me a private message instead. There are bound to be some disagreements but that is OK as long as I can get an overall picture. And if you think that your location would not be a good choice for a new business please let me know, and why. I have an initial list of places that i have compiled as possibles, but my enquiries are not limited to just these, however I am putting them here for reference.

Korat

Surin

Roi Et

Khon Kaen

Ubon Ratchathani

Phitsanulok

Udon Thani

Thank you in advance for your help.

[gerry123]

yes i can do all of that for you please forward 125.000 bht to my account and i can start tomorrow

[DILLIGAD]

Show us your research finding and then some might assist with comments about your data FREE! (Except Gerry12free)

[Wanderlust]

Well I am beginning my research with this exercise here and on other forums, so until I get some data I have nothing to share! I need to first of all find a likely location or locations that might be suitable and then do more in depth research on those locations. I was hoping that the people who post on here would be happy to share what they know and think of where they live - that's what forums are normally for isn't it?

As I said above, once I have some prospects I will expand on what the planned venture is and ask what others think of the idea and the viability in those locations identified (again, not just on here but on other forums as well). I will be looking for people to work with in the location(s) either as partners, franchisees or some other formal arrangement so it will be of benefit to both those people and the expat (and Thai) community in general in the form of employment and what will be on offer.

[NiwPix]

Fair enough.

I live in Ubon Ratchathani and have been living here for almost a year now. Great City in my opinion since it has pretty much everything that Bangkok has...just on a smaller scale.

There is an Airport, Train station and Bus station. The airport servers close to 1 million passengers per year and has been steadily growing in the past years. 3 major airlines fly the Bangkok - Ubon Route several times per day, with flight time only being 1 hour. Air Asia, Nok Air and Thai Airways / Thai Smile. There is a fourth Airline, Kan Air, that just last month started offering two flights per week to Chiang Mai.

Ubon city has a population of about 200k and is one of the largest cities in Isaan. The Province Ubon Ratchathani has closer to 2 million people.

I have HEARD ( can not confirm ) that in and surrounding Ubon there are about 5000 registered foreigners ( data from ~2011 and given by Phibun Immigration ). From being here about a year, I would say that approx 80% are retirees, 15% Teachers or exchange students and here for only a few months to a year. and then probably only 5% that work here. And with foreigners, I mean Westerners...not foreigners from neighboring countries. Also, I don't think this number fluctuates much throughout the year, since it doesn't seem to be a high / low season here.

As for the Thai population here in Ubon, in my opinion, seem to be very friendly. However, their English skills or lack thereof leaves lots of space for improvement. Also, I think there is a larger number of young population, since Ubon has an unusual high number of Colleges / Universities.

I hope some of this information helped. Some of the information is also available on Wikipedia.

[JLCrab]

Sounds like a good idea to me. Please let me know when partner/franchise info becomes available.

[SlyAnimal]

1. Approximate total population and estimated Western expat population (this can be a high/low figure to account for places that experience a high season and/or have a fluctuating expat presence for other reasons)

RoiEt - A decent amount of retired expats + some teachers

Maha Sarakham - A decent amount of teachers + some retired expats

2. Approximate number of businesses specifically catering to foreigners (e.g. hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, bars etc) - this can be in the form of less than/more than if it is easier.

RoiEt - I can think of 4x "Farang Restaurants" off the top of my head

Maha Sarakham - I can't think of any, but haven't been there much this year

3. The general demographics of the expats in your view (mostly young/old, working/retired , wealthy or not)

RoiEt - Mostly older (50+)

Maha Sarakham - Mostly middle aged (30-50) or older (50+)

4. A general view of the Thai population there - friendly, educated, farang friendly, better/worse off than average etc - again this would be your opinion.

RoiEt - Friendly + slighly better off than average

Maha Sarakham - Lots of students (2x universities + 5x technical colleages)

5. How much of an expat community there is - are there local sports leagues, pub quizzes, regular events, hashers, that sort of thing.Is it expanding or stagnant?

RoiEt - There is an expat community who have a newsletter but don't really do many events as such.

Maha Sarakham - Not much of a community, although some groups have xmas parties and many of the farang work with each other.

Those are just my opinions of course, I might be way off the mark as it's a while since I lived in Sarakham (Although popped back semi-frequently since I moved to RoiEt) and although I was living in RoiEt for 3 years, I wasn't in the city (So only pop into town once or twice a month, if that). Which is also why I can only give very rough ideas in regards to specific numbers.

Anywho, I hope it's of some assistance.

[Wanderlust]

Thank you NiwPix and SlyAnimal, very useful info. Ubon is one of the ones near the top of my initial list because of it's size and growth, so you have confirmed that with your post. Roi Et is further down the list and it doesn't sound from your info as if it is really busy enough on its own for what i am thinking of, but possibly when combined with nearby towns and cities might be a possibility - I'll wait to see what anyone else from the area thinks and posts.

JLCrab - I will update on here when I have sufficient information, but where are you based?

[swissie]

Research is always good. I assume you have done some research as far as your Visa-Situation, Work Permit, and the legalities of owning a business as a Farang is concerned already. If not, this is where your research would have to start. Unless your middle name is Toyota, Samsung or Chevrolet, Thailand is not a Farang-Investor friendly turf.

As far as your 5 point questionnaire is concerned: A tall order. You would have to live in those places for yourself to make a final decision. This "City-Hopping" might take a year or more. After this time, you may well decide not to invest in any business-venture in Thailand at all.

I wouldn't be surprised.

Cheers.

[JLCrab]

Thanks -- I'll let you know when I have sufficient information.

[Wanderlust]

swissie, Thank you for your comments - I am already in Thailand running a business and my idea is to expand it, and enable other foreigners to be able to get the benefits of both an enjoyable and profitable venture, while at the same time being eligible for a work permit, and obviously I would be getting a slice of the action as well, while whoever worked with me would have much lower start up costs and the benefits of my experience. The one area I am researching away from this forum is the legal necessities to enable whoever worked with me to have their own company while still being under the same brand name. Everything will become clear when I start talking about the business itself, but researching the location is the first priority to see if it would be viable.

[Toknarok]

I think that most of the information you are looking for is probably readily available on the net. The towns that you have listed are scattered all over Issan. I may well be wrong but you strike me as a 'smooth operator' trying to set up an organisation in order to entice farangs to invest in your schemes. Sorry but the word "Ponzi" comes to mind when I read posts such as yours, Bear in mind that the majority of farangs living here are pretty clued up and tend to be very sceptical of farangs from Bangkok making extravagant promises.

[Wanderlust]

Toknarok, you are way off with that post. I am not making extravagant promises and if you wait you will understand. I am not just researching Isaan, I am looking all over Thailand. There is sketchy and old information about population in Thailand and even more sketchy facts about the size of the expat population; even more so since rumours of a mass exodus after recent immigration rule tightenings. So I want to get a truer picture by hearing from the people who live in the areas that might be possible to grow the business. I don't know why you think I am from Bangkok either - I am not.

I run a genuine business and believe it will work elsewhere under the right circumstances in the right location and with the right people running it, something that would benefit them, me and the expats and those with businesses in the location(s) it operates in. I guess you are so suspicious because I won't say what the business is, but I just don't want to complicate this thread with discussion of that until I have more information on locations that I think it will work in.

[wayned]

1. 1, me, or at least no one acknowledges the existence of anybody else. I live in the sticks.

2. 0

3. old body, approaching 70, short memory, young at heart.

4. Farming community, friendly

5. No!

Definitely not a place for a "Black Angus" franchise! Sorry!

[JLCrab]

I have several times been approached by persons in Thailand both Thai and non-Thai who say they have a good deal for me. I have regularly thought if not replied:

It may or may not be a good deal for me. But one thing is for certain: If it is a good deal for me, it is a better deal for you.

[Wanderlust]

wayned, replies like yours are just as valuable as anyone else's but I do need to know where you are approximately (e.g nearest big town/city) - I need information to eliminate locations as well as include them.

[bushmill]

You only ask about infos of 7 provinces in Isaan why not the other 13. Wahts's so special with these 7 ?

[Wanderlust]

bushmill,

Actually I was asking about towns/cities, not provinces, which I should have made clearer, but if you read my post again, you will also see that I state "I have an initial list of places that i have compiled as possibles, but my enquiries are not limited to just these, however I am putting them here for reference."

[JLCrab]

This is fun -- reminds me of being a kid in USA in the 50's watching the quiz shows:

[Wanderlust]

[hotsoup]

The supposedly normal criteria for doing your market research in the West do not apply here.

I have a simple reply, which you may think unhelpful. FORGET IT

[Toknarok]

OK so my initial reply to this topic was cynical, but I'm a reasonable guy so I'll try and help. Why have you not included Buriram on your list of potential places for your business? Buriram I have heard has one of the largest farang expat populations in Isaan. The reason for this is that many farangs meet up with and settle down with Buriram Issan women who they have met in Bangkok and other tourist destinations.

I live in Southern Buriram about 70kms from Buriram City itself and rarely visit, so I'm not terribly up to date with the place, but I do know that there has been a lot of new development there recently, new football stadium (big 40K capacity), international race track, several new top class hotels, proposed water park, a university etc.

Perhaps some kind member who actually lives in the City could provide you with the information you seek.

Edited to add. Buriram doesn't have a Macdonalds so if you're in the hamburger business there's an opening.

[gerry123]

yes but it does have BURRIAM PIES the best selecton of food for all fallang tastes even better free delivery if you live locally

added to that nationwide delivery via bus yum yum

[JLCrab]

Sure to the above but mostly for those from the UK diaspora -- the group that seems to want to eat in Thailand the same as their Mother served to them when they were 8-years old.

[gerry123]

diaspora

[ dʌɪˈasp(ə)rə ]

noun

1.the dispersion of the Jews beyond Israel.

synonyms: relocation · resettling · population movement · transhumance ·

More

2.Jews living outside Israel.

sorry difficult to decifer the connection of your post

.

[JLCrab]

From Merriam-Webster di·as·po·ra

noun \dī-ˈas-p(ə-)rə, dē-\

: a group of people who live outside the area in which they had lived for a long time or in which their ancestors lived

From Oxford Dictionary (second listing)

The dispersion or spread of any people from their original homeland:the diaspora of boat people from Asia

[DILLIGAD]

Most Isaan provinces have pie makers, so I doubt if that's a deciding factor for a life changing move. : )

[Wanderlust]

Just a little clarification required here I think; my initial research is to determine the best possible locations based on the criteria in my first post. As it will be mainly expats/foreigners responding on here I'm not sure why this market research would be any different from the West in that regard. I will not be moving from my present location permanently, just to help set it up if that is indeed what happens, and a further step after determining locations and if the business could work there would be to find a partner already in or moving to those locations to run their own part of the business, with the best comparison I can give being like a franchise, although it wouldn't be exactly that. And no, it isn't a pie makers or burger joint, in fact not a retail outlet of any sort. It also has nothing to do with financial services, farming or manufacturing.

As regards why certain locations were not included in my initial list, as I have already said the list was just a starting point, and I am open to any or all suggestions for places that have a significant farang population, and a decent number of farang orientated (or farang run) businesses. I am beginning to wish i hadn't included my list because people seem to be getting hung up on it! So don't worry about that list, wherever you are in Isaan, give me your views please. There is a reason why I don't think the business will work in certain locations despite having the necessary population and infrastructure, and that is because somebody else is already doing it there, but that doesn't necessarily rule the location out, just puts it further down the list of prospects. I hope that makes sense?

[JLCrab]

Well I note the following from post #1:

5. How much of an expat community there is - are there local sports leagues, pub quizzes, regular events, hashers, that sort of thing.

This smacks to me of something like a Tupperware party or what I might call the 'conviviality factor' in that there is some sort of social gathering component to this. As I am not in the least a convivial person, I guess I'll just follow the show.

[Wanderlust]

Honestly guys, I don't want this to become a guessing game! It is nothing like what any of you are thinking, OK? It is better if there is a community that has the things I mentioned but again it isn't a deciding factor on its own. A place that has those things would place higher in the list of prospects but that is all.If I get a firmed up list with more information I will tell you so just be patient. However if it seems as though none of the locations are suitable at the moment then I may not, because I obviously don't want someone 'stealing' the idea.