Leasing a bar in Koh Chang

[The Big Mango]

^^ you make a good point impulse.

I suppose a 5k loss is easy to handle.

Any bets on how long ?

I originally said 6 months at the start of this thread but reading the OPs latest idea of giving the 5k to however the bar owner is can I change my mind to 6 weeks.

[qwertymerk]

Follow your dream buddy , and let me know when you take them rose tinted glasses off

If he can take his learning lumps for $5,000, he's $$ millions ahead of a lot of business geniuses people who've left Thailand Asia with their tails between their legs. And anything he learns running a bar in Thailand will serve him running a ___________ (fill in the blank) in Thailand.

I wish my Chinese learning lumps had only cost me $5,000.

Well I'm only young and I may as well make a go of it. I originally came to Thailand and did a TEFL course, then planned on starting a teaching agency business with a friend but didn't really stick to the plan because we were both going out getting drunk most of the time. I've done a bit of travelling also and I never wanna leave Thailand, I'm happy here.

I was unfortunate to lose a close relative quite recently and receive a fair amount of inheritence, which is why I have the cash spare at the moment. I've spent a good amount of it already, travelling around Asia etc which I don't regret at all, well for the most part. Now I'm looking to settle somewhere, preferably away from Bangkok. Bangkok is where I live now and I loved it here at first, I've been here for 6 months, but now my heart is set on moving to an island.

Just trying to do the right thing and be happy.

[iamjack]

150k THB to buy a lesson. I really hope for the best for you but as of now i don't see any future of a bar owner not being able to fork out 150 k for refurbish.

Of cos with this money you'll not be able to start up something by your own.

And most importantly you'll have to find a way to work legally Thailand's Immigration now days are strict and they won't accept bribe from someone they don't know. It's fire that you're playing with.

There's a few unexpected scenario that you might want to think of before getting you hands into this.

1. What if they already lease these place to another buyer. After collecting money both side they vanish ?

2. What if after they collect your money let you get your hand on a few weeks and report you to the immigration?

It's not 1990's where money solves everything here in Thailand and you can forget about your partner helping you out when you get into trouble. If i were them i'll pray that immigration deport you.

I am not telling you that it won't work but weather it's worth taking the risk.

How long have you been in Thailand and how well do you know Thais.

How many actually succeed

Who are these people you are dealing with.

Hope you'll be the exception who can succeed but i will recommend you to not get yourself into trouble.

Good luck

[iamjack]

Follow your dream buddy , and let me know when you take them rose tinted glasses off

If he can take his learning lumps for $5,000, he's $$ millions ahead of a lot of business geniuses people who've left Thailand Asia with their tails between their legs. And anything he learns running a bar in Thailand will serve him running a ___________ (fill in the blank) in Thailand.

I wish my Chinese learning lumps had only cost me $5,000.

Well I'm only young and I may as well make a go of it. I originally came to Thailand and did a TEFL course, then planned on starting a teaching agency business with a friend but didn't really stick to the plan because we were both going out getting drunk most of the time. I've done a bit of travelling also and I never wanna leave Thailand, I'm happy here.

I was unfortunate to lose a close relative quite recently and receive a fair amount of inheritence, which is why I have the cash spare at the moment. I've spent a good amount of it already, travelling around Asia etc which I don't regret at all, well for the most part. Now I'm looking to settle somewhere, preferably away from Bangkok. Bangkok is where I live now and I loved it here at first, I've been here for 6 months, but now my heart is set on moving to an island.

Just trying to do the right thing and be happy.

How can it possibly be a right and happy thing while you're making a wrong decision.

If you're telling me you invest 150K for your GF to take care of the Bar and you'll find a job which offers you a WP then i'll tell you it's ok. At least you're are not crossing the boundary. But have a TR visa and looking after a Bar is the worse idea ever.

[The Big Mango]

Wonder if the OP is going to listen to concensus of opinion after asking for advice , or will he go ahead anyway ?

If you do go ahead OP let us all know , for some strange reason we never hear back from ideas like this . I wonder why that is ?

But I really do you wish the best , after owning a buisiness here for some 12 years although you may not like the advice I have given personally its an opinion given to a stranger to try and save him his $$$.

But when all said and done its your call .

Edited April 30, 2016 by The Big Mango

[user82374298374]

>The last thing I want is any trouble

. . . then don't try to run a bar on Koh Chang, or anywhere else in Thailand.

Do be sure to come back in six months or a year to post the inevitable horror-story - assuming you're still able to do so.

[qwertymerk]

Okay, let's say I scrap the bar idea. What other business opportunities do I have in Koh Chang?

Because from what most of you have said, it seems impossible to run a business in Thailand.

[user82374298374]

. . . it seems impossible to run a business in Thailand.

This is the first sensible thing you've said.

Keep this thought first and foremost in your mind, and maybe you'll be OK.

Though with your exhibited of naivete, I doubt it.

[The Big Mango]

What are qualified at?

What experience do you have ?

What attributes do you have ?

Where do you believe your talents could be utalised ?

Among many other questions you should ask yourself therein will be your answer.

And no its far from impossible to run a successfull buisiness in Thailand , you just need the right attributes to succeed where others have failed.

Why dont you ask "your" buisiness lawyer for an idea , he seems like a great chap for advice after him telling you the bar was a great one.

Lol....

Enjoy your (extended) holiday and as you have time on your hands work out a bloody buisiness plan !! They kind of help !!

Edited April 30, 2016 by The Big Mango

[qwertymerk]

. . . it seems impossible to run a business in Thailand.

This is the first sensible thing you've said.

Keep this thought first and foremost in your mind, and maybe you'll be OK.

Though with your exhibited of naivete, I doubt it.

Thanks, it's finally clicked. Just because you can't successfully run a business, that means nobody else should try.

With a negative attitude like that, I'm surprised you actually get out of bed in the morning.

[qwertymerk]

Lol, have fun. I'm out.

[The Big Mango]

^^ ergh ,

Turning out to be arragant as well as young now.

You come on TV for advice as it seems to me you have absolutley no frickin idea about buisiness in the least let alone here.

Take your attitude and open up your dam bar , at least youll be gone within a few months and we wont need to read your nieve dribble anymore.

[iamjack]

I hope 150K will teach him a lesson. I won't be surprise that one day he will run out of options and overstay his visa due to financially problem and ring up his family for help to get him home. While his Happy GF will be laughing and smiling to another Guy. Welcome to Thailand.

Grow up Kid

[qwertymerk]

^^ ergh ,

Turning out to be arragant as well as young now.

You come on TV for advice as it seems to me you have absolutley no frickin idea about buisiness in the least let alone here.

Take your attitude and open up your dam bar , at least youll be gone within a few months and we wont need to read your nieve dribble anymore.

Not at all. I came here asking for advice and 80% of the replies were patronising digs. I've got nothing to be arrogant about, I've already told you I've only been here 6 months and I'm looking for some guidance that's all. There have been very few people actually reply with a normal, helpful response, and somebody kind enough to message me with some very useful information. I have taken most of what people have said on board and agreed to scrap the bar idea but people are still being sarcastic children and giving out more digs.

[qwertymerk]

I hope 150K will teach him a lesson. I won't be surprise that one day he will run out of options and overstay his visa due to financially problem and ring up his family for help to get him home. While his Happy GF will be laughing and smiling to another Guy. Welcome to Thailand.

Grow up Kid

Just because you may have been stung by your Thai girlfriend or partner, doesn't mean it's gonna happen to me. Get a grip old man, we're not all as stupid.

[qwertymerk]

Moved to the business forum.

Hello, can you delete the thread please?

Cheers

[The Big Mango]

^ you really are starting to sound like a t.w.at now.

And your right some guys are not " as stupid " some are considerably more , any ideas who that might be OP ?

[The Big Mango]

Moved to the business forum.

Hello, can you delete the thread please?

Cheers

Now that really is the best idea youve had all day.

Agree this thread should be closed it certainly does not belong in the buisiness forum.

[mgjackson69]

Hindsight being what it is, I wonder why the OP did not take that "fair inheritance" and make some sort of low-risk, low-maintenance investment in his home country, and live from the proceeds, doing F.A. here in The Kingdom.

[ironbark]

No one has mentioned the lease arrangement. Make sure the lease can be transfered and is not in imminent closure or rent increase.

You don't say if t he bar is a shop house or just a stand in a mall. Twelve thousand baht for a stand sounds expensive. For not much more you should be able to get a full shop house which gives you somewhere to live as well.

[qwertymerk]

Hindsight being what it is, I wonder why the OP did not take that "fair inheritance" and make some sort of low-risk, low-maintenance investment in his home country, and live from the proceeds, doing F.A. here in The Kingdom.

I'm young and stupid. My Mum always wanted me to go travel so I used some of the money to do that. I still have the house in the UK.

I didn't really have much guidance when my Mum died. Not looking for sympathy by the way.

Thanks for the normal reply though

[iamjack]

I hope 150K will teach him a lesson. I won't be surprise that one day he will run out of options and overstay his visa due to financially problem and ring up his family for help to get him home. While his Happy GF will be laughing and smiling to another Guy. Welcome to Thailand.

Grow up Kid

Just because you may have been stung by your Thai girlfriend or partner, doesn't mean it's gonna happen to me. Get a grip old man, we're not all as stupid.

Tell this to yourself when you have nothing left in your pocket.

I am not a old man and i'm sure i would be at most 10years older than you because if you're anything less than that you'll wont be allow into the country alone.

Yes i am 28 this year, Never been stung by my Thai Girlfriend because i got married 5 years ago. i don't even need to explain to you all these but all we're doing is that your Idea suxs and with your kind of EQ you won't succeed. At first i still think maybe you might if you work Hard enough. But from the way you speak the way you handle conversation i know you won't. What i'm telling you is that it takes more than 6 months to know the Country and definitely much more than 6 months to know your girl. Some people just fall for everything the girl says in your case i bet you won't make it out of the country without your bank account emptied. Good luck anyway would wanna see if it work out for you.

[georgemandm]

This is only going to go one way , and to be polite if you need to post on TV for advice on this its allready probably doomed but as you say your going ahead anyway so could you post back when you open the doors and then also when you close them and shut up shop.

Ill start by guessing 6 months

But good luck !

How true are you .

I can't understand how stupid some man are who think they can go to thailand and think they will make a living out of a bar , how stupid.

And get so suck in by thai pussy .

Gets me , I see it time and time again man go there and get suck in by the thai girl friend.

[SoiBiker]

Hindsight being what it is, I wonder why the OP did not take that "fair inheritance" and make some sort of low-risk, low-maintenance investment in his home country, and live from the proceeds, doing F.A. here in The Kingdom.

I'm young and stupid. My Mum always wanted me to go travel so I used some of the money to do that. I still have the house in the UK.

I didn't really have much guidance when my Mum died. Not looking for sympathy by the way.

Thanks for the normal reply though

Why not just rent out the house in the UK and live off the proceeds?

[impulse]

Hindsight being what it is, I wonder why the OP did not take that "fair inheritance" and make some sort of low-risk, low-maintenance investment in his home country, and live from the proceeds, doing F.A. here in The Kingdom.

Simple math. The first year investment for the bar in the OP was 1 million baht for the business, 1.2 million for 12 months rent, and around 1-2 million for salaries.

That's around $100-150K. Put that in a nice low risk investment, and he may get $100-200 a month. If he wants a better return, he has to put his trust in the banksters with a higher risk investment. Hardly a bonanza.

Still not saying the bar is a good idea. but it's good that he's considering options.

In answer to his question about what else to do, if they ever figure out a way to get paid for polishing barstools with butts, we'll have a ton of gazillionaires here.

[mgjackson69]

Hindsight being what it is, I wonder why the OP did not take that "fair inheritance" and make some sort of low-risk, low-maintenance investment in his home country, and live from the proceeds, doing F.A. here in The Kingdom.

I'm young and stupid. My Mum always wanted me to go travel so I used some of the money to do that. I still have the house in the UK.

I didn't really have much guidance when my Mum died. Not looking for sympathy by the way.

Thanks for the normal reply though

"Young" is not necessarily a negative, you have time to go make more money.

Had I gotten a "fair inheritance" at a young age I might have very well done the same sort of thing.

I like to think that now, when I am a lot closer to the end of my working years than the beginning (I started working and paying taxes at age 13), I would take an inheritance and put it away for my "golden years"...but I might be tempted to throw a bit of it around, even now.

I would never discourage anyone out of hand for trying anything. Hopefully you have gleaned a few bits of useful information from this thread.

[ubonjoe]

The OP has asked for this topic to be closed. Instead I have removed several posts that have taken it off topic an were unhelpful. Please do not post unless you useful info.

[qwertymerk]

Hindsight being what it is, I wonder why the OP did not take that "fair inheritance" and make some sort of low-risk, low-maintenance investment in his home country, and live from the proceeds, doing F.A. here in The Kingdom.

I'm young and stupid. My Mum always wanted me to go travel so I used some of the money to do that. I still have the house in the UK.

I didn't really have much guidance when my Mum died. Not looking for sympathy by the way.

Thanks for the normal reply though

"Young" is not necessarily a negative, you have time to go make more money.

Had I gotten a "fair inheritance" at a young age I might have very well done the same sort of thing.

I like to think that now, when I am a lot closer to the end of my working years than the beginning (I started working and paying taxes at age 13), I would take an inheritance and put it away for my "golden years"...but I might be tempted to throw a bit of it around, even now.

I would never discourage anyone out of hand for trying anything. Hopefully you have gleaned a few bits of useful information from this thread.

Thanks man. I've had my blowout and now it's time to try and do the right thing. Going back home isn't something I want to do so I'm gonna have to take a few risks. I'm certainly put off the bar venture though.

The OP has asked for this topic to be closed. Instead I have removed several posts that have taken it off topic an were unhelpful. Please do not post unless you useful info.

Thank you very much.

[brain1]

As others have stated the learning curve can mean your early demise, have you ever considered a franchise? Asia BackPackers have a hostel/resort/bar on Koh Chang with a 50% deposit of around a million baht you not only get an existing profitable business you also get their back up in taking the business forward. Google them if you want to know more.

[qwertymerk]

As others have stated the learning curve can mean your early demise, have you ever considered a franchise? Asia BackPackers have a hostel/resort/bar on Koh Chang with a 50% deposit of around a million baht you not only get an existing profitable business you also get their back up in taking the business forward. Google them if you want to know more.

Thanks man, I will look into that