I'm thinking of buying a business

[Olddaddy]

To cut a long story short I'm thinking of packing it all in and retiring to Pattaya but I want to be able to do something all day 

I get bored & depressed otherwise.

Im thinking of a boy go go bar ,one currently for sale actually I see for 1.5 million baht Dream boys

,or a boy massage maybe easier , 

I'm thinking a massage place in Jomtien complex open at about midday close at 10pm 

I have my retirement and rental income coming in from my home country, so it's not the money if I can "break even " it's ok ( as the owner of the former Corner Bar used to say to me ..."as long you can break even" 

I don't want something too time consuming 

Maybe a gym would be better , I really don't like old farangs and I don't like talking to people.

What about those massage places in Jomtien complex,are they too time consuming for the owner & stressful?

I need something to do though, I don't want to retire there sitting in my condo all day , Im very fit with gym and Muay Thai at my age so I need something to do 

 

 

[TotallyOz]

I would say just open something that makes you happy and let a Thai boy run it for you. You will never loose money if you are not looking to make money. And, they are all so experienced in helping older guys like us to dispose of our income. It is a win win if you ask me.

[Olddaddy]

Yes maybe even a apartment on top of the business would be good 

I'm thinking I can go to my gym & Muay Thai boxing and have someone manage it during the day 

I don't want to lose money but as long as I break even it's ok .

Last time a few months ago I was in Pattaya 3 months I got so bored I ended up going to the gym 2 to 3 times a day !

This is my greatest fear as I suffer from depression for no reason, and I don't want to retire there and "do nothing " 

I have to look at this as lateral thinking , so if I pack everything up and move to Pattaya , what can I do that's going to keep me going lifestyle wise .

I'm not a alcohol drinking or smoking, I get bored easy ,

Is retiring going to suit me , these are things I'm going to risk 

 

[Boy69]

Without any experience of managing a bar or massage place and without social skills ("I really don't like old farangs and I don't like talking to people.") You may lose lots of money and gain lots of stressful do your save a favor and avoid such kind of business.  

[Olddaddy]

Yes your right

 

[Londoner]

I remember a Pattaya-resident named Neil, well-known to many, who had seemingly unlimited funds from a profitable business in the US, spending millions on up-grading a fading Boyztown bar into something rather splendid.  He relied on an old Thai  friend, a former go go boy, to run it so that he could relax, occasionally enjoy it and continue  his pursuit of other (if similar) pleasures.

Pattaya regulars will remember what happened. Millions were spent. The planning was exhaustive. Neil wanted to make it the best gay bar in Thailand. He persuaded me to visit despite my having given-up such bars years before. It was not for me; the guys were mainly macho and the music too loud resulting in an ambience that was aggressive...quite at odds with what I regard as echt-Thai.

Soon, the mamasan decided to take advantage of Neil's nightly absences- it seems he just became bored with it- and organised after hours parties for both sexes. A rival went to Neil's house, woke  him and told him what was going on. Neil arrived to the bar with the party in full-swing and sacked his old mate on the spot.

Like other go go bars in the area, it failed. Clean toilets, though welcome, weren't enough to attract punters. Even its location (Pattayaland 2) was a minus.

Neil made many enemies, particularly when he was running another gay forum, bitter ones who even celebrated his death in the most unwholesome terms. He died while travelling back to the US for medical treatment. The poor guy was suffering from many serious ailments.

i always found him an amusing companion  and loved the way he would be seen walking around followed by a coterie of four or five cute guys. He was- as many will recall- a very large man indeed. He reminded me of a mother duck being followed by her baby ducklings....his chosen guys tended to be on the small side.

Bottom line on buying a go go bar? Don't.

 

[Mavica]

No, don’t do it.

[spoon]

What do u do for fun back home? Do u run a business as well?

[PeterRS]

Unless you know a Thai who has run a successful bar or massage spa and whom you’d trust with your life, I’d keep well away from Thai business ventures. Think of all the hassles - finding somewhere in a good location, rental costs, substantial renovation costs, equipment costs, staff costs, boys in blue on-going costs, endless form-filling, tax, security and so on.
 

Sad to say, one of my best Thai friends whom I had known for over 20 years ran a small clothing business starting in Chatuchak and expanding into Bangkok’s Terminal 1. He was a bright, intelligent guy, a university graduate who travelled regularly in the region to source materials and I loved hearing about his life and the business over our regular lunches. Not having heard from him for almost 6 weeks, I went out to visit him in Chatuchak. His partner took a few moments before telling me he had died - at the age of 45. It gradually became clear he had committed suicide as his business was actually floating in a sea of red ink. Yet never once had he even hinted this to me.

[reader]

As Totally Oz suggested, I think you should pursue your dream of happiness. You may find that you’re a people person after all.

[a-447]

Neil's story is a lesson for all prospective business owners in Thailand, especially businesses involving sex and bars.

Although he was the most despicable, narcissistic human being I have ever met (I haven't met Trump), he was a great businessman and went out of his way to look after his young, sometimes wild, staff.

He tried to sit all night at the bar in order to supervise what was going on and make sure the guys stayed inside with the customers, but due to various health issues, he was often absent, leaving the running of the place to his manager.

One evening I turned up at the bar when Neil was absent. Despite pleas from the timid manager, the boys had taken over the bar, standing out on the street drinking copious amounts of alcohol and chatting up women while the customers sat by themselves inside without drinks. Needless to say, there was no show. It was obvious the bar would not survive if customers were ignored and the guys were drinking the profits.

If you are going to run a successful business, you need to be in a position to supervise it all the time and/or employ a strong, competent manager.  Given how well Neil treated his staff it was disappointing so see how they treated him.

But boys will be boys and while the cat's away.............etc, etc.

[ichigo]

5 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

I need something to do though, I don't want to retire there sitting in my condo all day , Im very fit with gym and Muay Thai at my age so I need something to do 

Somewhat unrelated, but if you are looking for something to do during the day, why not spend some time learning the Thai language? Going to a daily class and then some self study could easily knock out a few hours of the day, not to mention would be super beneficial if you are going to live in Thailand full-time (assuming you do not already speak Thai).

[Marc in Calif]

5 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

Last time a few months ago I was in Pattaya 3 months I got so bored I ended up going to the gym 2 to 3 times a day !

This is my greatest fear as I suffer from depression for no reason, and I don't want to retire there and "do nothing " 

... if I pack everything up and move to Pattaya , what can I do that's going to keep me going lifestyle wise .

I'm not a alcohol drinking or smoking, I get bored easy

Have you not developed any passions or hobbies in your long life? Is going to the gym the only activity you've pursued outside of work?

Living in a foreign country has much to offer. You can volunteer. You can mentor or teach (English) either informally or formally.

And, as the previous commenter suggested, you do need to learn to speak and read Thai. This is a must -- it will give you both satisfaction and some definite goals. 

Please stay OUT of the business world!

[Patanawet]

5 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

To cut a long story short I'm thinking of packing it all in and retiring to Pattaya but I want to be able to do something all day 

I suggest you seek out and read recent postings from Cameron Mc Kean, the owner of Pride and Circus, as well as many non gay related business.
I didn't plough through it all, it is quite wordy, but my overall impression was  'don't'.

 

[PeterRS]

2 hours ago, Marc in Calif said:

You can volunteer.

I am near certain that if you are on any kind of Thai retirement visa you are not permitted to act as an unpaid volunteer for any organization. It’s a regulation which I believe is hugely counterproductive. I would happily volunteer and lend my experience to one or more charities if allowed to do so, and I’m sure many others would do likewise.

[Patanawet]

32 minutes ago, PeterRS said:

I am near certain that if you are on any kind of Thai retirement visa you are not permitted to act as an unpaid volunteer for any organization. It’s a regulation which I believe is hugely counterproductive. I would happily volunteer and lend my experience to one or more charities if allowed to do so, and I’m sure many others would do likewise.

Yes weird but typically Thai. The very people who have the time and life experience to pass on are barred from doing so.

[Moses]

Observing current situation in Pattaya, I think idea to open nursing home is quite interesting idea. Bungalows in the garden, skilled chief at the kitchen, cute "nurses", doctor's patronage, legal adviser for to fill all these govt's forms for your clients, and group excursions around from time to time - islands, concerts, museums. 

[Olddaddy]

20 minutes ago, Moses said:

Observing current situation in Pattaya, I think idea to open nursing home is quite interesting idea. Bungalows in the garden, skilled chief at the kitchen, cute "nurses", doctor's patronage, legal adviser for to fill all these govt's forms for your clients, and group excursions around from time to time - islands, concerts, museums. 

Would be a great business!

Myself though ,I'm just looking at something like a hobby business

 

[Department_Of_Agriculture]

3 hours ago, Patanawet said:

Yes weird but typically Thai. The very people who have the time and life experience to pass on are barred from doing so.

The kind of experiences that sexpats and and sex pests are eager to pass on aren't exactly something that Thailand is in desperate need of.

[reader]

So I guess that means it certainly doesn’t need your particular expertise, DOA.

[Moses]

13 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

Im thinking of a boy go go bar

 

3 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

something like a hobby business

Well, if you are ok with "go-go"... condoms and lubricant paid delivery by cute couriers then. Minimal investment: website with photos of couriers for to choose from, few condom and lubricant packs, small advertising around of city. You even not need to find own couriers - just talk with few most cute boys in bar about "part-time job"

[Travelingguy]

Perhaps, you have already answered your own question. When you are in Thailand, you get bored.  Perhaps Thailand is not the place for you to retire.

Running a business, even if it is only with the goal of breaking even, is basically a 24 hour job.  You could entrust it to someone else, but how does that address your boredom?  It also dramatically increases the risk that the business will be run at a loss (perhaps great loss).  

If you want to just have a place to hang out during the day, you can do that at gyms or cafes by buying a membership, not the whole business.  But for that to work, you would probably need to be social, which you said that you struggle with.

Someone suggested learning Thai.  Taking classes is a great way of scheduling your day, and you can learn a skill.  You may not be able to volunteer in Thailand, but I would think that language exchange would not be considered volunteering.  You could meet with local Thais in coffee shops and they can speak to you in Thai and in exchange, you can speak with them in English.  A win win. It is also informal and could help you form social connections.

You say that you like to travel.  You could just travel to Thailand regularly for periods that are short enough that you do not get bored and you can schedule many things to do during that time to keep yourself busy.

But honestly from a financial point of view for a person at a point in their life where they are “retiring”, I cannot think of a worse reason to start a business than boredom.  The answer to boredom is not going to be found in taking on the risk and stress of running a business that your heart really isn’t even into.  You might as well keep working in your current job.

[Londoner]

One benefit of living in Thailand, or as in my case, being a frequent visitor, is that Bangkok is the hub for Asian travel. If I were to be based here, that's what would give me enormous satisfaction....health permitting.

I was interested in the retirement- home suggestion. I'm sure this was  proposed a decade or so back and that perhaps even plans were made. It was certainly a popular topic on one of the gay forums. However, the generation which considered and lauded the idea is no longer here and their successors, as has often been noted, may well be very different in what they seek in retirement.

I never regretted aborting my plans for relocation back in 2005. They were made in the first heady months of my meeting with P, and  significantly, when sterling was very strong against the baht. I ended-up being a frequent visitor, travelling and living as luxuriously as I can afford - as I've noted before, growing old as disgracefully as my bank balance and body will allow- and have never regretted that decision, even if I can be a little tearful (in a manly sort of way!) when I say goodbye.

As to owning anything here (I am posting from Thailand), thereby turning days of carefree  delight into nights of worry....not bloody likely.

[Olddaddy]

2 hours ago, Londoner said:

One benefit of living in Thailand, or as in my case, being a frequent visitor, is that Bangkok is the hub for Asian travel. If I were to be based here, that's what would give me enormous satisfaction....health permitting.

I was interested in the retirement- home suggestion. I'm sure this was  proposed a decade or so back and that perhaps even plans were made. It was certainly a popular topic on one of the gay forums. However, the generation which considered and lauded the idea is no longer here and their successors, as has often been noted, may well be very different in what they seek in retirement.

I never regretted aborting my plans for relocation back in 2005. They were made in the first heady months of my meeting with P, and  significantly, when sterling was very strong against the baht. I ended-up being a frequent visitor, travelling and living as luxuriously as I can afford - as I've noted before, growing old as disgracefully as my bank balance and body will allow- and have never regretted that decision, even if I can be a little tearful (in a manly sort of way!) when I say goodbye.

As to owning anything here (I am posting from Thailand), thereby turning days of carefree  delight into nights of worry....not bloody likely.

How many times a year do you travel to Thailand and is it more expensive travelling  than actual living there?

[Londoner]

Much more expensive, I cannot deny. Mainly because of the travel. Once there, hotel rates are cheap compared to Europe and food....well, we eat well though not extravagantly every night. Neither of us drinks alcohol which is a help, but we find it nigh on impossible to spend more than 1000 bht for two.

Three trips a year, each of three weeks. Some consider this too little-  I agree sometimes- but I find the anticipation and then the recollection of the days in Thailand means that I always have something to look forward to. And my life in London has pleasures that not available in Thailand,  cultural, political and sporting- if you can call being a season-ticket holder at a Premiership football club "sporting"!