Need Advice On Food And Beverage Industry

[Ritz]

Greetings to all forum members! I hope you'll read my post with patience because I will need all the help I could possibly get

Thanks to the forum posters sharing such interesting information on investments and financial planning etc, I ended up monitoring the previous forum posts intensively for the past 4 days.

The thought of starting a business in Thailand is most intriguing. I've also made a registration with SunBelt Asia as to get more information, in addition to already having purchased a ticket to Bangkok this October'06.

I'm only 23 years old this year. I'm a new business owner of a body building supplement company in Singapore so F&B is out of my category. However, whats interests me in Thailand is the prospect of buying over an existing restaurant that caters to regular repeat sale students. My father currently runs 3 F&B outlets in Singapore but he does not share his knowledge. He believes in me going through the school of hard knocks, self-help.

I wish for some of you to share with me your opinions. And even if its an honest "Young man, you're only going to get your hand burnt over here." I'll gladly take the feedback. I hope to get some replies from "old" posters like Bendix, OldAsiaHand, Pedro etc. Thank you!

[Introspection]

Having no experience in the industry myself i can only go on what people have told me so take it as you like.

The general advice i've been given is that it's hard to make a good living without either substantial investment and long hours and the place being in the 'right' location or having a fair whack to stump up the costs for buying an existing successful venture.

[Ritz]

Thanks for the reply Introspection!

Now that you mentioned "right" locations, this is where I'm totally clueless again. Would you be kind enough to point me out to certain roads or districts that I should include on my trip to Bangkok. I do have a Thai-local friend bringing me around but I wish to gather more perspective from an expatriate point of view.

Thank you!

[~G~]

Now that you mentioned "right" locations, this is where I'm totally clueless again. Would you be kind enough to point me out to certain roads or districts that I should include on my trip to Bangkok. I do have a Thai-local friend bringing me around but I wish to gather more perspective from an expatriate point of view.

Best locations for a foreign food restaurant in Bangkok will be Sukhumvit and Silom areas. The better the location is, the more you will pay in rent, of course.

[visarunner]

Areas around Universities where Students are staying are already very crowded .

Do not forget the long breaks they have.

Come and take a look for yourself.

Universities are all over BKK.

[Ritz]

Greetings ~G~ and Visarunner,

Thanks for the response. Its greatly appreciated. I called up my overseas Thai friend today and he gave me the same "Huh? You sure? A restaurant near the Universities?" I guess I must really head down there to take a look myself.

I'll be staying at Sukhumvit area so I'll be sure to add Silom to my list. I hope my 5 days trip there would suffice for the time being. Not to mention a trip to the orphanage. Speaking of which, should I wish to buy baby powder or rice in bulk etc for donation to the home, would a departmental store send the goods over upon payment?

My thanks!

[Moonfruit]

Ritz, my appologies if you arent a troll, but you do indeed sound rather naive, to the point where i am tempted to say 'stay home, dont even bother!' But, on the off chance that you are serious, i wasnt much older than you when i came here. In the 4 years i have been here, i have had 2 businesses, one bought, the other started from scratch and have learned many lessons.

Im more than willing to meet up and share my experiences. I'll be in Singapore tomorrow for the weekend visiting my family in Serangoon Gardens. You want to buy me a beer and some BBQ Stingray at Chomp Chomp, drop me a line.

Regards

[Ritz]

Ritz, my appologies if you arent a troll, but you do indeed sound rather naive, to the point where i am tempted to say 'stay home, dont even bother!' But, on the off chance that you are serious, i wasnt much older than you when i came here. In the 4 years i have been here, i have had 2 businesses, one bought, the other started from scratch and have learned many lessons.

Im more than willing to meet up and share my experiences. I'll be in Singapore tomorrow for the weekend visiting my family in Serangoon Gardens. You want to buy me a beer and some BBQ Stingray at Chomp Chomp, drop me a line.

Regards

Greetings Moonfruit,

I am definately inexperienced, or rather in your words naive. But I'll take that feedback positively. I've lots to learn and I'm most willing. I'll be heading to Bangkok this afternoon and be back on Saturday afternoon. And yet another trip in October. I think my enthusiasm is getting ahead of me.

I'll be more than happy to meet on Saturday or Sunday night at Chomp Chomp. I live in Serangoon area myself I'll drop you a private message with my contact details. Thank you!

[tradan]

Ritz, my appologies if you arent a troll, but you do indeed sound rather naive, to the point where i am tempted to say 'stay home, dont even bother!' But, on the off chance that you are serious, i wasnt much older than you when i came here. In the 4 years i have been here, i have had 2 businesses, one bought, the other started from scratch and have learned many lessons.

Im more than willing to meet up and share my experiences. I'll be in Singapore tomorrow for the weekend visiting my family in Serangoon Gardens. You want to buy me a beer and some BBQ Stingray at Chomp Chomp, drop me a line.

Regards

Watch out Ritz Its not Moon fruit Its Fruit cake.