Thai wife wants to open a shop

[RigPig]

One other thing to keep in mind is the "Thai" business model.

If you appear to be successful there will be 6 other "like" businesses open up doing the same thing. Thailand is the hub of copying, and they will not be making a profit but will be undercutting you.....

Also the ONLY reason you have a business is to make money, as well as "give your customers what they want" not what you think they want...

Edited to add.

Edited October 30, 2014 by RigPig

[canman]

Cheers fellas, like I say, all advice is welcomed.

One thing that does strike me, most people automatically think its a food store with the usual snacks, beer and whiskey etc....

This is a genuine question, does it really matter what I'm selling?

It could be roof tiles or even water filters.

Yes Sir, it realy does matter what your selling.For example take Farm Chemicals and any product store the Big Boys run, should you tread on their toes , you will get a warning, shut down ,leave town.

Fair comment mate, my point is, it shouldn't matter what I'm selling as long as you do your homework. Location and competition are the two most important things IMO.

Cost is obviously important but the business surely needs a bit of time to establish itself. The most important thing down the line is to know when to pull the plug if its not working.

"when to pull the plug if its not working"

A most important point. Investing so much time and effort into starting a business she will be come emotionally attached to the business which makes it all that much harder to recognise if it is not going to work. The business plan should have clearly defined goals and targets which if not met act as triggers to either change something or shut the doors. If this is fully understood from the start then it helps to take the 'emotion' factor out of the decision making process.

[smotherb]

Are you nuts.... The business won't make money and its just another way to milk the cash cow. That code name is YOU.

why are farang so dumb

Oh buy a house and put it in her name.

Let's kill two posts at same time.

Geez will they ever learn

Ah, ye of little faith. jacksam, it appears you have had no better experiences. While it is true, far too many farangs fall into that all too familiar trough and wallow in their ignorance; some farangs actually make sensible choices with ladies who can be trained.

[choochoo]

it would be so simple an exercise if op would post his business plan. the one on the napkin wiould suffice.............lol.

ps on that successfull farming venture. Why is that girl wasting her time selling sundries? If the answer is for face -OK. But if the purpose is to grow wealth-their farm is where its at.

I mean how much people are there in a community where there is no plumbing ? I just dont see growing assets there. Unless they burn all their competition down.

[smotherb]

What you have to be careful of IMO, is that they don't seem to comprehend how much it has cost to take that 100B over the counter, they seem to think it is all profit or at least they made their 20B. They don't seem to be able to factor in rent, power etc, then at the end of the month they can't understand why they are short. Not all of course there are some VERY rich Thais but on average unless they own the property and are living there it doesn't seem to last long...

Good luck all the same

You, and a few others, seem to be talking about a person who has no business sense. If that were the case with my wife, I would have her take a bookkeeping course at a local university. That way, at least, she would know that expenses are deducted from revenue and be, at least, able to keep the books.

I apologise, but your OP was a bit vague as far as that is concerned, if she has enough business acumen then why the post? Yes we (I) am assuming, and we all know what that does (makes an ASS out of U and Me).

Good luck with it all the same...

Well, RigPig, it appears you did it again, I am not the OP.

[mgjackson69]

give us a pro forma business plan. all businesses should have one.

That is exactly what I was going to suggest. It is a simple exercise, a spreadsheet with one column for expenditures, one column for income, on a monthly basis.

The challenge will be explaining this concept to the wife, and why anyone would want to do this. But if you can break through that wall it is worth the effort; it might give the wife some perspective on the basis of how a business operates.

The business plan I have typically seen for these situations is "I open shop for sell something".

Edited October 30, 2014 by mgjackson69

[Ace of Pop]

A rather demeaning generalized comment.

[hellohello123]

What you have to be careful of IMO, is that they don't seem to comprehend how much it has cost to take that 100B over the counter, they seem to think it is all profit or at least they made their 20B. They don't seem to be able to factor in rent, power etc, then at the end of the month they can't understand why they are short. Not all of course there are some VERY rich Thais but on average unless they own the property and are living there it doesn't seem to last long...

Good luck all the same

without turning this into a thai bashing thread,

are they really that stupid??? no seriously

sure, when you first start a business, you may be snowed under with stress or even naive

but one doesnt take more then a month to realise, out of the 100b, comes out rent, electricity, insurance etc. etc.

if they were all that stupid, then businesses would fold after a month, unless there is a dumb farang funding it

[mrfaroukh]

I guess she want money but she is either scare of asking or she know you will not give her. So she says I love you so much, darling I want to open shop and work make some money. Please open shop for me. When you open if you are lucky she will work and not trouble you, if not lucky she sell it and make some money this way.

[SheungWan]

Cheers fellas, like I say, all advice is welcomed.

One thing that does strike me, most people automatically think its a food store with the usual snacks, beer and whiskey etc....

This is a genuine question, does it really matter what I'm selling?

It could be roof tiles or even water filters.

Yes Sir, it realy does matter what your selling.For example take Farm Chemicals and any product store the Big Boys run, should you tread on their toes , you will get a warning, shut down ,leave town.

Fair comment mate, my point is, it shouldn't matter what I'm selling as long as you do your homework. Location and competition are the two most important things IMO.

Cost is obviously important but the business surely needs a bit of time to establish itself. The most important thing down the line is to know when to pull the plug if its not working.

"when to pull the plug if its not working"

A most important point. Investing so much time and effort into starting a business she will be come emotionally attached to the business which makes it all that much harder to recognise if it is not going to work. The business plan should have clearly defined goals and targets which if not met act as triggers to either change something or shut the doors. If this is fully understood from the start then it helps to take the 'emotion' factor out of the decision making process.

Good luck with that strategy. You will still not be forgiven if the plug is pulled whatever was agreed to beforehand.

[BKKdreaming]

expenses are really just whatever are extra costs if you own the property already

extra water, electric, propane etc

I would not even add the value of the space if the shop is where you live anyway,

that is also how many of these shops that look like they do not sell much , survive , Little or no rent

[Donnie Brasco]

Why do so many foreign guys accept and believe and act on and finance the commercial ventures of young Thai women ?

Just give her the money.

These "businesses" have no barrier to entry, (research that) no location strategy, no staffing plan, and no clear goals aside from giving the woman face.

Why do these numpties accept that the ill-educated high school dropout they love are somehow naturally gifted in the commercial and business sciences ??

Except for the posh chaps who've hooked up with incredibly well-placed and well-educated beauty queens we hear so much about on these threads, it's just another way for both the Farang and the girl to avoid labels and shame.

All of these "businesses" merely provide a slightly more legitimate reason, or a beard for their young female entrepreneuses to be 'in play'. ALL of them.

But some more egregiously than others.

I know of one "business" in particular whose "owner" uses it to filter through a series of Pratunam mall cruisers.

She waltzes all her men around nonchalantly her building, into restaurants in the area.

At present she's got a Pua Noi, a series of airline personnel, an occasional visitor to Thailand and a non-paying clothing enterprise grafted on to the sham-marriage that affords her "husband" his non-B status.

This poor cuckhold started her business for her years ago and currently covers her more serious shortfalls by teaching English and generous handouts from 'over 'ome.

He buys any story she sells him. He defends her honour any time circumstances

The pua noi uses the house her pua luang angrit built for her (on family property in Udon) with the full knowledge and acceptance of her family. He's proudly planted a mango tree in the front garden.

These men are her profit centres. They pay her rent. They cover her building costs. They cover her materials.

In some cases and she actually passes commercial information gleaned from one source to assist the ventures and enhance the income of another member of "her conglomerate".

The hubby is ok with all this as long as he can pass the whole sham off to his contemporaries as "wifie's" commercial acumen.

No (except hubby) is fooled

Is this business model not familiar to most of us on this board ?

Just give her the money.

Edited November 1, 2014 by Donnie Brasco

[RigPig]

What you have to be careful of IMO, is that they don't seem to comprehend how much it has cost to take that 100B over the counter, they seem to think it is all profit or at least they made their 20B. They don't seem to be able to factor in rent, power etc, then at the end of the month they can't understand why they are short. Not all of course there are some VERY rich Thais but on average unless they own the property and are living there it doesn't seem to last long...

Good luck all the same

without turning this into a thai bashing thread,

are they really that stupid??? no seriously

sure, when you first start a business, you may be snowed under with stress or even naive

but one doesnt take more then a month to realise, out of the 100b, comes out rent, electricity, insurance etc. etc.

if they were all that stupid, then businesses would fold after a month, unless there is a dumb farang funding it

Unfortunately, yes. I have had Thai Bachelor degree girls working for me and I am afraid if that is a sample of the education system it is pretty dismal.

One girl was convinced she should open a motorbike rental business she was going to get the bikes on finance, I went through the figures with her and there was no way it could make money, she would have been flat out keeping up the payments. She still did it despite the Bachelors. They just see the cash coming in to other people and want to jump on the band wagon.

If you think about most Thai businesses which are run from the same place they are living in or on the streets and how much it actually cost them to live, that's how it works. There is no differentiating the power, water etc. it's all one, as long as the payments get made (even if you have to "jiggle"them), there is Som Tam (or the neighbours will share) it's all good.

Most do not have any ambition as such and even incentives are useless, but that's how it is in the village, subsistence farming and an I Phone.

However this is a generalisation and I have seen exceptions, just few and far between I am afraid. But it all stems from the schooling and I am sure that's where the powers to be want to keep them. You do not question the teacher, loss of face, no one fails, loss of face. Questioning my teachers at high school and proving them wrong was my aim in life, as was coming first in the exams. It didn't always succeed but it made you try harder.

This is from experience and observation...

[RigPig]

expenses are really just whatever are extra costs if you own the property already

extra water, electric, propane etc

I would not even add the value of the space if the shop is where you live anyway,

that is also how many of these shops that look like they do not sell much , survive , Little or no rent

TRUE !!

The (majority of) Thai businesses involve opening a shop then sitting down all day watching Thai soaps and waiting for the customers (usually friends or relations who get a discount because they are in the know) to come in and admire the business in order to gain face. If there is a short fall the (farang) husband will pay, why else would you have a farang husband?

Do you relly thinkthat when they were at high school they had pin ups on their bedroom walls of short fat elderly farangs? Or farangs at all for that matter!

[choochoo]

a description on the girl would help a lot.......................lol. Is she from up-north? night owl?

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Foreigner buys stock, Thai sells stock.

Total loss for foreigner, total profit for Thai.

This seems to be the business plan for most Thais backed by a foreigner.

[longstebe]

Foreigner buys stock, Thai sells stock.

Total loss for foreigner, total profit for Thai.

This seems to be the business plan for most Thais backed by a foreigner.

Even if it's your wife?

[longstebe]

a description on the girl would help a lot.......................lol. Is she from up-north? night owl?

Blonde with big tits.

[MAZ3]

a description on the girl would help a lot.......................lol. Is she from up-north? night owl?

Blonde with big tits.

Ah,those were the days ;+)

[SheungWan]

Foreigner buys stock, Thai sells stock.

Total loss for foreigner, total profit for Thai.

This seems to be the business plan for most Thais backed by a foreigner.

Even if it's your wife?

The wife's family, friends and staff can help themselves to stock/cash. Occasional leakage can become systematic.

[longstebe]

Foreigner buys stock, Thai sells stock.

Total loss for foreigner, total profit for Thai.

This seems to be the business plan for most Thais backed by a foreigner.

Even if it's your wife?

The wife's family, friends and staff can help themselves to stock/cash. Occasional leakage can become systematic.

Don't think that'll be a problem unless her family and friends want to travel over 500 miles.

Regular stock checks and book keeping with security cameras should do the trick.

[canarysun]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

In the next village in the space of one year three nicely built and about three shabbily built shops have been set up, all apparently selling the same things. They all want to open a shop or a 'restaurant' because that's the only thing they can do to earn money. Apart from going to Pattaya.
Good luck anyway

Sent from my GT-S7500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I suppose this is the sort of comment you can expect from people that don't get to meet a wide variety of Thai people. I can assure you that there are millions of Thais doing jobs other than those you mentioned. Just because you don't know them doesn't mean they don't exists. I suggest you get out a little more often and a little further away from your village.

Maybe you could also let us know what these shops sell. But it sounds like you don't even know, as they are only "apparently" selling the same things. So really, it's just idle gossip that you're passing on.

Interestingly enough i was reading the other day that apparently only 10 per cent of Thailand's Ladies are " on the game " ( not " Cluedo " viewers......) x

Farang Jaidee

[choochoo]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

In the next village in the space of one year three nicely built and about three shabbily built shops have been set up, all apparently selling the same things. They all want to open a shop or a 'restaurant' because that's the only thing they can do to earn money. Apart from going to Pattaya.

Good luck anyway

Sent from my GT-S7500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I suppose this is the sort of comment you can expect from people that don't get to meet a wide variety of Thai people. I can assure you that there are millions of Thais doing jobs other than those you mentioned. Just because you don't know them doesn't mean they don't exists. I suggest you get out a little more often and a little further away from your village.

Maybe you could also let us know what these shops sell. But it sounds like you don't even know, as they are only "apparently" selling the same things. So really, it's just idle gossip that you're passing on.

Interestingly enough i was reading the other day that apparently only 10 per cent of Thailand's Ladies are " on the game " ( not " Cluedo " viewers......) x

Farang Jaidee

theres not enough customers to support 3 million prostitutes................................lol. go to any agogo you going to see a lot of sad girls(no customers).

Above reason is why a lot want to open a shop.................................lol.

Edited November 2, 2014 by choochoo

[longstebe]

From seeking advice to talking about bar girls.......

You gotta love thai visa.

[Stray]

From seeking advice to talking about bar girls.......

You gotta love thai visa.

For some of the posters on TV, bar girls is all they know and, yet, still don't understand. Hence, they must bring that subject into any topic they post on. It doesn't help them in their (mis)understanding. It just gives them an outlet where those with similar views can post and reinforce their beliefs. It's not specific to Thailand and can be encountered right across Southeast Asia and West Africa (possibly a global phenomenon).

Good luck with the venture and, if it fails, what have you lost? Certainly less than the guys who are hanging out in the bars, day after day, slamming everyone who is doing something different with their time, money and energy. Don't invest more than you can afford to lose.

If you succeed, don't bother posting anything about it here as, according to some, success is simply not possible in this country, in any way, shape or form.

Good luck longstebe.

PM me in 6 months and let me know how it's going or how it went.

[Donnie Brasco]

Interestingly enough i was reading the other day that apparently only 10 per cent of Thailand's Ladies are " on the game " ( not " Cluedo " viewers......) x

Farang Jaidee

If you factor "eligibility" into that "10%" figure you have to eliminate (say) the vast majority of those under 16, and those over 60 and add the "aesthetically ineligible" to that already sizeable exclusion and a then factor in a growingly significant wedge of Tom/dees (not entirely mutually exclusive to "the game") to which you refer. The sector soon balloons to immense proportions.

One must then painstakingly parse one's definition of "the game" . . . ( my own dear non-working mother would have fit the "gamer" criteria set out by some of out more pious TV brethren and so might their own)

Following THAT sobering filter some rigorous criteria of "what exactly entails compensation" must be applied.

And then, just for laughs, apply these strict, holier-than-thou manners and mores to western female populations.

Guys, please, just for the sake of a few toffee-nosed poseurs . . . . . How 'bout we not take all the fun out of interfacing and interacting with the opposite sex here and everywhere else just yet.

Nnnnnn-kaaaaay ;-?

(Jaaaaayzus!)

[cooked]

In the next village in the space of one year three nicely built and about three shabbily built shops have been set up, all apparently selling the same things. They all want to open a shop or a 'restaurant' because that's the only thing they can do to earn money. Apart from going to Pattaya.

Good luck anyway

Sent from my GT-S7500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I suppose this is the sort of comment you can expect from people that don't get to meet a wide variety of Thai people. I can assure you that there are millions of Thais doing jobs other than those you mentioned. Just because you don't know them doesn't mean they don't exists. I suggest you get out a little more often and a little further away from your village.

Maybe you could also let us know what these shops sell. But it sounds like you don't even know, as they are only "apparently" selling the same things. So really, it's just idle gossip that you're passing on.

Deary me. I did mention 'in the next village' . I do get to meet a wide variety of Thais but I was writing about something that I directly have experience of. They ALL sell : rice. Noodles. Beer Chiang and Leo. Hong Tong and Lao Kao. Washing powder and other cleaning products. Tinned goods. Probably a lot of other stuff that I can't be bothered to find out about. The only differences in stock will be in selling different brands. Some have ice cream and medicines. Apparently. Idle gossip? Do you think I didn't go visit these shops when they opened? Why would anyone gossip about the content of shops?

In the towns things are doubtless different, but then again go and visit different hardware stores. They basically all have the same stuff in stock, the same rubbishy version of one product and the same excellent version of another. Drive cross country. Nothing for miles. Then 10 to 20 shops selling amulets. Or melons. Or bananas. Or baskets and brooms. Then 10 to 20 'restaurants' selling either whole roast chicken or half chickens. There is a stretch on the road to Chang mai where everyone sells rat and snake meals.

You weren't exactly being impolite with your answer but the word 'contemptuous' does come to mind.

There are few young ladies in this village, they are all working in Bangkok, not necessarily as whores initially but it tends to go that way. This isn't idle gossip, I have seen it.

A lady gets divorced. What does she know how to do? Maybe sell stuff, as she went to the market every week with farm produce. (I am talking about the villages). They can cook. And there is one other thing they learnt to do that earns big money. I know some ugly women that go to Pattaya when they need money. They come back and buy a new TV or build something.

I am not referring to the OP's wife at all, just explaining my post in reference to my own experiences, as I mentioned in my previous post.

[choochoo]

Ive seen those ugly pattaya women................lol. they make enought to build stuff or buy a tv. Good for them. Better than opening a shop .

[canarysun]

Interestingly enough i was reading the other day that apparently only 10 per cent of Thailand's Ladies are " on the game " ( not " Cluedo " viewers......) x

Farang Jaidee

If you factor "eligibility" into that "10%" figure you have to eliminate (say) the vast majority of those under 16, and those over 60 and add the "aesthetically ineligible" to that already sizeable exclusion and a then factor in a growingly significant wedge of Tom/dees (not entirely mutually exclusive to "the game") to which you refer. The sector soon balloons to immense proportions.

One must then painstakingly parse one's definition of "the game" . . . ( my own dear non-working mother would have fit the "gamer" criteria set out by some of out more pious TV brethren and so might their own)

Following THAT sobering filter some rigorous criteria of "what exactly entails compensation" must be applied.

And then, just for laughs, apply these strict, holier-than-thou manners and mores to western female populations.

Guys, please, just for the sake of a few toffee-nosed poseurs . . . . . How 'bout we not take all the fun out of interfacing and interacting with the opposite sex here and everywhere else just yet.

Nnnnnn-kaaaaay ;-?

(Jaaaaayzus!)

My Grandmother worked "The Game " on the streets of Düsseldorf in just a fur coat may I add and made an absolute bloody fortune offering " more ride than the 4 O'Clock at Aintree " ( a true story viewers )

But perhaps we should save that little tale for another day..... Now back to the " Village Store " idea.... Hmmmmm

Farang Jaidee ......

[longstebe]

Interestingly enough i was reading the other day that apparently only 10 per cent of Thailand's Ladies are " on the game " ( not " Cluedo " viewers......) x

Farang Jaidee

If you factor "eligibility" into that "10%" figure you have to eliminate (say) the vast majority of those under 16, and those over 60 and add the "aesthetically ineligible" to that already sizeable exclusion and a then factor in a growingly significant wedge of Tom/dees (not entirely mutually exclusive to "the game") to which you refer. The sector soon balloons to immense proportions.

One must then painstakingly parse one's definition of "the game" . . . ( my own dear non-working mother would have fit the "gamer" criteria set out by some of out more pious TV brethren and so might their own)

Following THAT sobering filter some rigorous criteria of "what exactly entails compensation" must be applied.

And then, just for laughs, apply these strict, holier-than-thou manners and mores to western female populations.

Guys, please, just for the sake of a few toffee-nosed poseurs . . . . . How 'bout we not take all the fun out of interfacing and interacting with the opposite sex here and everywhere else just yet.

Nnnnnn-kaaaaay ;-?

(Jaaaaayzus!)

My Grandmother worked "The Game " on the streets of Düsseldorf in just a fur coat may I add and made an absolute bloody fortune offering " more ride than the 4 O'Clock at Aintree " ( a true story viewers )

But perhaps we should save that little tale for another day..... Now back to the " Village Store " idea.... Hmmmmm

Farang Jaidee ......

Who's idea was the "Village Store"?