Impressive increase of number of small shops in rural Thailand.

[tartempion]

Impressive increase of number of small shops in rural Thailand.

I don't know if this is happening everywhere around Thailand, but it is here.

We live for 10 years now 40km from Udon Thani, the nearest amphur is 10km away.

I drive up there a few x week and noticed at least 10 new small shops alongside the road, mostly food: fruit stalls, kay yang and som tam.

But also 2 aircon shops and one battery shop.

A family that sells bananas, from 50 to 100B the bunch, I now buy bananas there 1 or twice a week, nearby other side road someone else made also a small banana shop (i never stop there), next ground sells plants and flowers.

All of that was not there 1 year ago, even not one month ago.

Are people getting desperate for income?

My gf has been complaining over the last 10 years she wants to open a shop in front of our door on a road connecting villages.

It used to be a quite pothole road, now black top was redone twice and lots of trafic.

She spent 30k B sofar on having a shop built, coffee, bbq, bananas, will see what she will try to sell.

I told her she will never earn her investment back...and to "you want to sit there from 07 to 19h" she replied "I close any time I like"

100m from our place a lady set up some hangers and sells cheap (second hand) clothes "sometimes" when she needs some money?

[slapout]

If these small shops, mom/pop stores, etc, and those who sell something for those going to work to eat, were not there, then unemployement would probably be in double didget figures. Many do not want to work for other people as they do not like being told what to do. others have a family member who share the take from a noodle shop in the evening/morning. Seems few cook at home anymore as they live in small apartments and many times its takes 2 people working to stay ahead of the debt/bills due.

 

Just my take on oberservations I have made.

[fruitman]

I agree , if the other stalls sell banana's than your wife also should start selling those...can't have too many banana's. 

 

It's everywhere in Thailand, 20 stalls in row all selling the same thing and nobody shows a price.

 

Those people who sit at the roadstalls all days must get bored there, if your house is close i would train a dog or monkey to deliver something at the shop so the wife can stay at home and the dog will bring what the customer wants.

An RC car can also do it, maybe even on solar power.

 

Why not buy some product in the next province and sell it there? Here we even have fresh mussles or crabs being sold along the roads. Actually the farmers bring anything to BKK to sell along roads.

 

 

[elgordo38]

2 hours ago, tartempion said:

"I close any time I like"

I notice this business practice all the time here in Thailand. Hard to achieve a customer base doing this. 

[Rc2702]

15000 market stalls banned from selling on bkk streets had to pop up somewhere.

[robblok]

I don't see why the increase in shops would mean that people are desperate for income. It could be a sign that things are developing, more people moving into the area. You say it yourself the road in front of your house is better busier etc. 

 

As for your gf her businessplan you might be right about that, could take a long while to get her investment back.

[tartempion]

I agree , if the other stalls sell banana's than your wife also should start selling those...can't have too many banana's. 
 

That banana stall is 8km from our house and better quality than the usual talad nat bananas. GF already made a deal with the banana shop owner to buy from them.

The shop she is building will be at the front of our property, a bell will do when she will not sit under her umbrella listening to a radio.

Even in the village many more people set up small food stalls as compared to 1 year ago, something is going on and it is not that the region is booming.


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[realenglish1]

I think you should have asked her what she wanted to sell before you shelled out the money

[fruitman]

10 minutes ago, realenglish1 said:

I think you should have asked her what she wanted to sell before you shelled out the money

Well which girl would NOT want to sell banana's? Especially if hers are bigger than the other ones.

 

So if i drive over that road between the fields i can buy banana's at every 10km, that's awesome. Boy would i be disappointed if i see bigger ones after 10 km.

 

If i had to sell something along the road i would go farang style....a huge sign telling (shouting) "banana's 30 baht a kg"...I never see roadshops telling the price but when i do see a price i always buy cause i guess it must be a good price since they dare to show it in huge numbers.

 

I mean, who will stop the car to ask how much it costs? Yup i know, Thai will do so but it's time they grow up. They also like to shop from vendors where it's busy, well if you sell cheap it will get busy and that attracts more customers. Once it busy she can also start to sell mango's papaya's and what not.

 

But Thai never go for quantity, they are more happy to get 10 baht extra on some banana's so they don't have to work hard.

 

We have ladies sitting at the road all day selling banana's but i've never seen customers stopping there. Since they won't show the price i also never stopped to buy. 

 

Another vendor at the market had a big bunch of big banana's for 50 baht...i wanted half of it for 25 but it was 35 for a half bunch...i have never been back and he is close to us. Oh well, for banana's i go to 711 and pay 10-11 baht for one now, open 24 hrs perfect.

[Kabula]

There have been many job losses in the last year countrywide, combined with less cash receivables for the young ladies in Bangkok and Pattaya.  With the financial retreat, less foreigners are sending money to their lady friends like they did in the past.

 

It's a aging population and women pushing 40, for the most part get turned down for most jobs because of their age.  Many are forced to start their own small businesses.

[Gonefortea]

Setting up a small shop is an easy non expensive option. Keep the overheads down therefore more money for stock. The reason for selling the same things stalls after stalls in certain places is as far as I can tell and understand they are funded by one person or one family on a shared profit basis. If I heard correctly 65 - 35%. We tend to stock things no others do in our shop in village then when it starts selling and the other shops stock the item we move on to next product. Works quite well for us not having a large stock we are not left holding the baby so to speak. Therfore allowing us to diversify. Along with the printing service we offer. And a new service we have started providing for the older generation of the village things run quite well.

[tartempion]

Well which girl would NOT want to sell banana's? Especially if hers are bigger than the other ones.
 

Fruitman, your comments are getting ridiculous.
The banana shop I refer to is not your usual banana shop.
I am not going trying to explain you anything, except there is a price on every bunch in that shop.
My gf wants to run a shop for as long as I know her, that's 15 years, and the bananas concept from THAT shop is just one of the things she wants to sell.

So as far as I am concerned your comments are a worthless bunch of crap.

[Hutch68]

1 hour ago, fruitman said:

Well which girl would NOT want to sell banana's? Especially if hers are bigger than the other ones.

 

So if i drive over that road between the fields i can buy banana's at every 10km, that's awesome. Boy would i be disappointed if i see bigger ones after 10 km.

 

If i had to sell something along the road i would go farang style....a huge sign telling (shouting) "banana's 30 baht a kg"...I never see roadshops telling the price but when i do see a price i always buy cause i guess it must be a good price since they dare to show it in huge numbers.

 

I mean, who will stop the car to ask how much it costs? Yup i know, Thai will do so but it's time they grow up. They also like to shop from vendors where it's busy, well if you sell cheap it will get busy and that attracts more customers. Once it busy she can also start to sell mango's papaya's and what not.

 

But Thai never go for quantity, they are more happy to get 10 baht extra on some banana's so they don't have to work hard.

 

We have ladies sitting at the road all day selling banana's but i've never seen customers stopping there. Since they won't show the price i also never stopped to buy. 

 

Another vendor at the market had a big bunch of big banana's for 50 baht...i wanted half of it for 25 but it was 35 for a half bunch...i have never been back and he is close to us. Oh well, for banana's i go to 711 and pay 10-11 baht for one now, open 24 hrs perfect.

What 711 sells bananas? I have never seen one in 20 tears of visiting Thailand.

[lungnorm]

I am living in the Philippines where every 2nd or 3rd house is a small store. They call them Sari Sari stores. They sell most things in packets like coffee all the different 2 in 1 3 in 1 4 in 1 etc. My wife has inherited the family store and she sells everything imaginable. One good item your wife may care to try selling dried fish I know Thai's love it. and its not really perishable. We sell cooking oil in small finger size plastic  bags, ciggs and tobacco leaves all the soft drinks and cheap small and medium size bottles of  Philippino rum and whisky. We even sell 5-6 different types of rice. Small sachets of washing powder and hair shampoo and just about everything else found in the supermarkets. Its a pain restocking all the time luckily my wife has 3 brothers and they do all the fetching and carrying. She makes a good living nearly equal to my Aussie pension. Hope this info was helpful.

[BsBs]

Just by saying that she can close anytime she wants, your GF shows that she understands nothing.

 

Of course she must open her shop from 7am to 7pn AT LEAST and maybe better till 10pm.

 

Anyway, what else does she has to do ?

 

Most people fail doing business because they are are just lazy and have boyfriends/family who also understand nothing.

 

 

[fruitman]

31 minutes ago, Hutch68 said:

What 711 sells bananas? I have never seen one in 20 tears of visiting Thailand.

Yes the one here in the moobaan has banana's...perfect and it's always open 24hrs! 

 

I won't write anymore nonsense here cause i'm a citydweller with banana's in the 711 at the end of the street next to the pool/fitness/tenniscourt..some guys have all the luck...but i'm going to buy some right now, pancake with banana tomorrow for breakfast!! Oh and maple sirup (real one) of course.

 

 

[BsBs]

2 minutes ago, fruitman said:

Yes the one here in the moobaan has banana's...perfect and it's always open 24hrs! 

 

I won't write anymore nonsense here cause i'm a citydweller with banana's in the 711 at the end of the street next to the pool/fitness/tenniscourt..some guys have all the luck...but i'm going to buy some right now, pancake with banana tomorrow for breakfast!! Oh and maple sirup (real one) of course.

 

 

 

 

All 711 have banana and other fruits now, but all people never open their eyes.

 

 

[Hutch68]

1 minute ago, fruitman said:

Yes the one here in the moobaan has banana's...perfect and it's always open 24hrs! 

 

I won't write anymore nonsense here cause i'm a citydweller with banana's in the 711 at the end of the street next to the pool/fitness/tenniscourt..some guys have all the luck...but i'm going to buy some right now, pancake with banana tomorrow for breakfast!! Oh and maple sirup (real one) of course.

 

 

Good for you banana man but like I said never seen one ever and I have been about a bit for the last 20 years. Do you mean the people sat on the floor outside? if so they  don't work at 711 they are just banana people.

[fruitman]

17 minutes ago, BsBs said:

Just by saying that she can close anytime she wants, your GF shows that she understands nothing.

 

Of course she must open her shop from 7am to 7pn AT LEAST and maybe better till 10pm.

 

Anyway, what else does she has to do ?

 

Most people fail doing business because they are are just lazy and have boyfriends/family who also understand nothing.

 

 

She can close her shop when she wants cause she's Thai and her banana's won't start rotting i guess. And if they do her husband will buy her a new stock..

 

Did i tell you that i don't buy from shops who close when they want? Many times i go to a small shop to buy something to see a closed gate...Makro is open untill 10 pm every day, much easyier for me.

 

Anyway, i'm glad i could give my advice about bananashops to this farang OP...My MIL has the biggest bananabunches of the whole province and she gives them all away for free. She even has been on tv with her tree's cause they grow so huge.

[Dumbastheycome]

Other than  bananas and the strange inferences  about the sale of  them  I can agree that the proliferation of  small  business by the  roadsides in general  has  been  rapid. Ranging from cloth shanty  construction and upwards  to  quit large scale  commercial  structures.

Perhaps  it is  the  recognition of the  fact that the  days of the  funny  munney and  the  nights of the  barking  dogs  are   genuinely over  so  the suggestion of  some  self  sufficiency  is being taken on  board?

Nothing  ventured , nothing gained. 30.000 Bht is  no  fortune  but   should  at least  provide  a  reasonably  respectable commercial venue.

Best  of  luck  to you and  yours.

[Rc2702]

2 hours ago, Hutch68 said:

Good for you banana man but like I said never seen one ever and I have been about a bit for the last 20 years. Do you mean the people sat on the floor outside? if so they  don't work at 711 they are just banana people.

Maybe he means banana flavoured condoms. Maybe he likes the taste

[Gonefortea]

38 minutes ago, Rc2702 said:

Maybe he means banana flavoured condoms. Maybe he likes the taste

Lol

[swissie]

Brings a smile to my face. It reflects "Rural-Thai-Economics". It goes like this:

 

1) He/She opens store/road-stall. Sells something = makes some money. Neighbors notice this.

 

2) Within 3 Months there are 7 stores/road-stalls, selling basically the same thing. = Nobody makes any money anymore.

 

3) Within 6 months 6 have closed. (Those 6 "Owners" don't know how to pay back the loans they took out to establish the business.)

 

- Things are back to normal.

 

One month later, a well trained "Masseuse", freshly returning from Pattaya, opens a Massage Business..................

 

Do I need to go on ?

 

Buddha knows, I have tried hard to convey to potentional Thai-Rural-Enterpreneurs the basics of a market-economy, based on "Supply and Demand". Much to my chagrin, my efforts were in vain.

 

So truly, this thread brings a smile to my face. But still not shure if I should laugh or cry concerning this matter.

 

Cheers.

[kannot]

Your girlfriend or you could easily  grow bananas many different varieties I have the small Thai ones, Dwarf Cavendish , Red bananas and a  very big Plantain all edible.

Those shops......here today gone tomorrow, never know if  open or closed as owners just disappear.

[kannot]

5 hours ago, fruitman said:

She can close her shop when she wants cause she's Thai and her banana's won't start rotting i guess. And if they do her husband will buy her a new stock..

 

Did i tell you that i don't buy from shops who close when they want? Many times i go to a small shop to buy something to see a closed gate...Makro is open untill 10 pm every day, much easyier for me.

 

Anyway, i'm glad i could give my advice about bananashops to this farang OP...My MIL has the biggest bananabunches of the whole province and she gives them all away for free. She even has been on tv with her tree's cause they grow so huge.

Bananas like water ( lots of) and fertiliser, (lots  of) throwing dead dogs around the base of the tree will help and  kills  two birds with one stone,

Having said that I buy coconuts for 10 baht each and Tesco want 45  baht...........  good  profit for someone

[kannot]

My local small shop ( one of 3 opened in the last 5 years and all seem always empty with dusty products on the shelf)  tells  me business is  awful, he opened a  second shop, borrowed  6  million and was  asking my Wife if he could  borrow  20k off her as he couldnt repay this  months debt....thinking she wouldnt tell me, fortunately we dont have a marriage  based on secrets and lies...........I think he was a  bit surprised she told  me .

He  bought a  shiny  new makro 1.2  million a  Pajero Sport 1.2  million, a  small truck? and another small pick up with  tipping back, hes a  nice  bloke  but no sense judging by this borrowing.

[Odysseus123]

5 hours ago, kannot said:

My local small shop ( one of 3 opened in the last 5 years and all seem always empty with dusty products on the shelf)  tells  me business is  awful, he opened a  second shop, borrowed  6  million and was  asking my Wife if he could  borrow  20k off her as he couldnt repay this  months debt....thinking she wouldnt tell me, fortunately we dont have a marriage  based on secrets and lies...........I think he was a  bit surprised she told  me .

He  bought a  shiny  new makro 1.2  million a  Pajero Sport 1.2  million, a  small truck? and another small pick up with  tipping back, hes a  nice  bloke  but no sense judging by this borrowing.

I have seen that pattern endlessly repeated in this cluster of villages.Set up a small-and completely non-viable business,borrow endless amounts of money,buy a shiny new pick up truck and then do a runner when the creditors show up.Furthermore,any family or business that looks like having even modest prospects for success is instantly surrounded by hordes of family members who are expert skivers and have spent a life time developing their skills in that regard.A baht "lent" to them is a baht that is gone-never to return.

[Suitcase]

10 hours ago, Hutch68 said:

Good for you banana man but like I said never seen one ever and I have been about a bit for the last 20 years. Do you mean the people sat on the floor outside? if so they  don't work at 711 they are just banana people.

Talk about dumb as they come!

 Go inside the 7/11 and you might find the bananas

Near the check out counters.

[djayz]

12 hours ago, Hutch68 said:

Good for you banana man but like I said never seen one ever and I have been about a bit for the last 20 years. Do you mean the people sat on the floor outside? if so they  don't work at 711 they are just banana people.

I noticed 7/11 and some Family Mart stores selling individually wrapped bananas about a year ago. Don't know if every store stocks them or not, but some of them definitely do. 

[djayz]

@ OP: be happy your partner wants to do something and try to earn some money. There are enough girlfriends amd wives in Thailand who are content with sitting in front of the TV day in, day out while being supported by their bfs/husbands. 

It's not just about money, but it'll be a chance for her to socialise a little with customers and it'll build up her self-esteem being a "business person". It should be seen as a long term investment/business allowing her to make some money on a daily basis for the rest of her life. I encourage it. 

My partner opened a nice coffee shop in our village and is very happy there. She hated working in BKK but now she's back home and happy. When she doesn't have any customers, she's out attending to her strawberry plants or making soap and body scrub from natural products which she also sells. 

She makes a little money every day, doesn't have to clock in/out, is her own boss and is proud to be self-employed. 

One thing I have noticed here over the years is that there are far more women working/wanting to work than men. They seem to have more of an entrepreneurial spirt and get up and go in them than many of their male counterparts.