How to open a restaurant in Thailand. “How I opened a cocktail bar in Thailand. What business should a Russian citizen open in Thailand?
Pattaya, of course, is never Bangkok, but in our village there are decent places to admire the panorama of the city (which, by the way, is quite nice) from above while enjoying a cocktail accompaniment.
What should you keep in mind when heading to a rooftop bar? Firstly, the best time, without a doubt, is sunset. Arrive at 5 o'clock and sit until dark if you wish. We are very lucky here with our geography, and a cocktail against the backdrop of the stunning sunset of the bay is, of course, a mega-experience. Unfortunately, I usually show up for cocktails later, but the view of the city at night usually slightly compensates.
My list of rooftops in Pattaya is non-exhaustive: only I know of at least a couple more. But I haven’t gotten around to getting to the rest yet.
Horizon Restaurant @ Hilton Pattaya
Rooftop at the Hilton Hotel on Beach Road, the same place where Central Festival is located. 34th floor and direct view of the bay. In general, in an amicable way, you should go to “Horizon” when the other rooftops have already been visited. To get at least some pleasure from them. There are always a lot of people here in the evenings, and on weekends it is logical to either come early or book a table, otherwise you may be left with nothing, despite the fact that, in principle, there are a lot of seats in the bar.
At night, waiters run around with flashlights to illuminate the menu, which is quite laconic. However, people come here not to eat, but to drink. Cocktails from 270 baht (classic) to 420 (house signature), which for a place of this level is downright an attraction of generosity. Basically, however, the menu contains only long drinks. But “Manhattan” was still found for me.
DIB D Varee Inspiration Bar @ D Varee Hotel
Theoretically, the rooftop at the D-Vari hotel (the former Furama between 13 and 14 jays of Jomtien) could well compete with the Hilton: certainly in terms of the opening panorama. But! My first acquaintance with this rooftop about a year ago was marred by completely clumsy service, although the serving of cocktails in ice glasses was creditable. The next attempts turned out to be much more successful (maybe due to the fact that I went to this particular establishment at sunset). There are classics (Negroni, Mai Tai, Margarita) and variations on the theme (for example, Cosmopolitan with pomegranate juice or Ginger Martini). From 18.00 to 20.00 there is happy hour at DIB (two cocktails for the price of one for 260 baht - are you kidding me???). It is better to be located in the northern part of the terrace, rather than in the southern: not only is the sunset view more pleasant, but also the atmosphere is more comfortable. Light snacks, including beef carpaccio with arugula and parmesan (180) or foie gras with caramelized apples and balsamic vinegar (380), are not amazing, but not bad either. Minus: there are not many visitors, and those who are there are seen in flip-flops and shorts.
The Roof Sky Bar @ Siam@Siam
Despite the fact that this northern rooftop (Second Street is almost right next to Northern Street) leaves an ambiguous impression, you should not miss it under any circumstances. Why? The cocktail menu is creative (240-280 baht), the menu contains absolutely enchanting dishes, and the price tag is the most inhumane for such a location. And that's not it! There is also a real swimming pool on the roof. You can settle down with a glass on the couch and enjoy a movie show: films - time-tested and Oscar-winning classics - are broadcast right there on the big screen. And all this with an incredible view of the bay. Since I was more accustomed to seeing the view from south to north, the option from north to south seemed something new to me and created a complete feeling of moving to a new latitude.
Sunset Lounge @ HotelBaraquda Pattaya
No, of course, putting a bar on a modest sixth floor in Barakuda, and even on Second Street, on a par with the previously listed high-rise rooftops is somehow even indecent: in fact, there is no view (i.e. there is a view of the city, but not condescendingly, so more than modest), and the terrace itself, although designed for 100 people, seems cramped and crowded. However, the atmosphere is still pleasant, the chairs and sofas are comfortable, the staff is quite friendly. And that's not it. Once - the cocktails are quite good - this is already a test; two - they are served with a large selection of creatively designed tapas - it seems that you don’t need to ask for more. And three - in winter there is a live saxophone playing on weekends. Sax, rooftop, cocktail – and Sunset Lounge confidently makes it into my list of the best rooftops in the city.
This concludes our brief review of rooftop bars in Pattaya. Chin-chin!
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With a salary no less than the average in the Russian Federation, which is about 30 thousand rubles, it can appear provided that your specialty is not in and you know Thai well or at least. But since this opportunity is close to zero, foreigners (or) prefer to open their own business in Thailand or buy ready-made.
A Thai employer planning to hire a foreign specialist will incur very significant financial costs associated with obtaining and for his employee. Therefore potential employers in Thailand and do not seek to hire foreigners.
Types of Russian business in Thailand
Our compatriots are usually engaged in the following types of business:
- They collaborate remotely with clients on other continents, while simultaneously earning money from rent in or Russia.
- They have a “remote” business that does not require a permanent presence in Russia and allows you to fly.
- They work unofficially, providing the services of photographers and guides (read more about this in the following materials: " " and " ").
- Open or buy ready business in Thailand. If you buy a ready-made business, you most likely will not have to hire, it will remain from the previous manager, but if you wish, you can also hire foreign workers (if their activities are not prohibited).
So what business is most popular among foreigners?
Bars and cafes
Open a business in Thailand in the form of a beer bar in a good location costs up to 2 million baht. However, renting with a deposit of 100 to 200 thousand baht and monthly payments of 15-25 thousand baht to the bar owner is also possible. Maintenance costs must also be taken into account. Also, during the work, many nuances and production issues arise, which become clear after about six months. By the way, opening a business in Thailand implies...
Profit in this type of business depends on turnover, i.e. number of attracted clients. To do this, the bar must become your essence: you must literally live in it, communicate with the permanent contingent around the clock, and even drink with guests. After all, many of them will come to you to discuss pressing problems with you. You should not rely on the Russians in terms of contingent. Yes, you can have a drink with them, but they won’t bring in any income. Profits can be counted on from Australians and Western farangs.
Payouts and Payments
Key payment(kei money) is the rental of premises for a business, which, as a rule, is paid in advance for a year in advance. In addition, a monthly rental amount is also paid. Recent trends are the possibility of renting without key money. In addition, a deposit is also required when renting - an option for a security deposit. If there is no violation of the terms of the rental contract, the deposit is returned.
Apartment rental business
The best property with European-quality renovation and furniture in View Talay 5 costs from 3 to 3,300 million baht. The monthly long-term rental amount is 18,000 baht, short-term - 20-23 thousand. Long-term contracts will ensure almost 100% occupancy, short-term - up to 75% in a good situation.
Thailand is a very attractive country for a large number of tourists. This is a state that has a very long and interesting history and an equally interesting present. Siam (as Thailand was previously called) was the only source on Earth for the extraction and cultivation of natural black pearls. There is also a huge amount of seafood products, famous for their beneficial properties and amazing taste.
Among other things, the weather here is excellent all year round and, accordingly, the mood is great. All this allows us to conclude that Thailand is a very attractive and acceptable country not only for temporary stay, but also for permanent residence. From this it is clear that in Thailand it is possible in almost any field. But how to choose it?
First of all, you will need to consider the basic rules for starting your own business in this amazing country. So, of course, it is possible for foreigners to open a business here, but recently some changes have been made to the legislation designed to protect domestic entrepreneurs from foreign ones. So, you will not be able to open a publishing house or editorial office of any newspaper in this country. This matter is purely internal to the country and does not tolerate any outside interference. Traditional crafts are also prohibited for foreign companies. Another industry that partially excludes foreign entrepreneurs is agriculture.
How to start your own business in Thailand?
So, you need to start by choosing the field of activity in which you are going to realize your business ambitions. Undoubtedly, tourism has been and remains one of the leading business areas in Thailand for a huge amount of time. That is why any of your enterprises, focused on meeting the needs and interests of travelers and guests of the country, will definitely be profitable. Thus, by opening a cafe, bar, hotel or at least a mini-hotel, you will benefit.
Thailand is visited by several million tourists every year, which is why it becomes the most profitable platform for both opening a new business and expanding an existing one.
Thus, many entrepreneurs, when expanding, go to Thailand, but before they “get the go-ahead” to open, they must go through the following stages.
If you have already decided on the name of your enterprise, now you move on to determining what status your organizational form will have. In most cases, foreigners choose from the two most suitable for. This may be a partnership or a private organization. The first of the above is much easier to organize, but if you open a private organization, you will be able to pay a much lower percentage of income taxes in the future. If doubts still remain, you should seek help from a legal entity that is in close contact with foreign destinations in regulating relationships between entrepreneurs. He will definitely have the necessary and practical advice.
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Main stages of registering a business in Thailand
The next step is obtaining a business visa. If you or any other business is in Thailand, then in order to obtain a business visa, you will need an approved business plan. In addition, you need to find several Thai partners, who must also provide their approval in writing for opening a particular business. All necessary documents are prepared at the Thai embassy in Moscow. Once you receive approval to enter the country specifically to start your business, you arrive in Thailand. Here you need to go to the commerce department. In this department you receive a list of documents required to register an organization in the state. Once you have collected everything you need, all that remains is to pay the business registration fee. In most cases, it costs approximately $1,000 to open and register a business in Thailand.
This is what constitutes formal actions associated with paperwork. In reality, everything is even more complicated. In order to make any profit, you need a sufficient number of customers. This is why most entrepreneurs or bars are in Pattaya, because here the flow of tourists never ends. The same applies to choosing a neighborhood or street. It is quite natural that in central areas and on central streets it is almost impossible to rent any premises. Another thing is the purchase of a building. They are sold (especially in Russian regions) quite often. But this does not always correspond to the intentions of businessmen, because purchasing premises as property costs much more than renting it on a monthly basis. And even if you have money, you won’t be able to purchase a building along with the land. According to current legislation, foreigners cannot own more than 42% of the shares. Accordingly, if you still do not want to rent, then you can try to negotiate a joint purchase with one of your Thai partners.
Another disadvantage, which is expressed financially, is that in areas where the flow of tourists is constant and profitable, opening a business requires additional investments in addition to the main ones. They number in the several millions. The advantage of doing business in Thailand is that there is no need to open a local bank account.
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Starting a small business in Thailand
When thinking about what kind of business to open in Thailand - small, medium or large - you should clearly understand the necessary expenses associated with both finances and time, and as we know, money is money, especially in Thailand, where several people constantly come hundreds and thousands of tourists. It is completely natural that they all want to eat, drink, and they need to live somewhere. The last option applies to a medium or large business, which will require you to start a few tens of thousands of dollars that you can risk. Just take a risk, since Thai entrepreneurs are not always ready to keep their promises. And if you rented some premises today, renovated it tomorrow and put it in proper shape, this does not mean at all that the day after tomorrow you will be able to open a bar, cafe or restaurant. Quite often it happens that businessmen or building owners, after their premises have been renovated, suddenly change their minds and find another use for this or that area.
When opening your own business or private company in Thailand, you may also encounter the problem of mandatory cooperation, in most cases only documented, with at least four Thais. The fact is that this state does not allow the operation on its territory of an enterprise that is entirely owned by a foreigner. In solving this problem, companies located in the country for registration of individual entrepreneurship help, which independently find the so-called “dead souls” who supposedly work with you. They sign a document confirming the fact that they have received dividends from you for 100 years in advance, and have no claims against you, therefore, you become the sole manager of this enterprise. A huge amount of money will be spent on it.
There is, however, a less expensive and risky option for opening your own business here. The point is that, provided that you have a girlfriend or wife in Thailand who has citizenship of this country, you can spend about 5,000 baht in her name. And the police will not pester you with constant checks, since they support their businessmen in every possible way.
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For those entrepreneurs who decide to try themselves abroad and move to live and work in another country, one of the most obvious business options is a restaurant, cafe, bar or other similar leisure establishment. In countries popular with Russian business emigrants, competition in this sector is quite serious, but many still manage to find their niche and succeed. One of these “heroes of our time” is Novosibirsk entrepreneur Dmitry Trifonov.
“Not just lying on the beach”
After graduating from the institute - in 2010 - I went on vacation to Thailand, to the island of Koh Samui. I liked it there and stayed there for two months. I had some savings, plus my parents gave me money to graduate from college, and I lived on it. And I didn’t just lie on the beach, but walked around, looking at how life works, how people make money. I realized that it was possible to live and work abroad.
A year later I went again, thinking that I would try to get into the rental business - flipping houses. But it didn't work out. In the third year, I went again, but already knew what I was going to do - in Novosibirsk I started to engage in Forex, the remote income appeared - enough for rent, for a normal house.
I lived like this for a year, and at some point my friend Artyom told me that there is one establishment on Samui, let’s say, not very popular, but on the main tourist street. It recently closed, it was put up for sale, but for a long time they could not sell it. And so the owner and I somehow managed to agree that we would take the establishment under management - we would do renovations, rebrand it, relaunch it, in general. And then, if we succeed, the owner will take part in our project, as a share.
It was an old fisherman's house, 80 years old: the second floor was residential, and the first floor was a cafe with tables, a kitchen, etc. Each floor has 70 square meters. We initially planned to throw 200-300 thousand baht in there (at that time - 2013 - it was about 10 thousand dollars). It took about six months to build, and during the construction process the investments grew to almost 2 million baht. No matter what they grabbed, they soon realized that if they didn’t do it right, they would end up with just another cafe. But I wanted to do something special, for myself, cool, and exactly in the place where we live.
"Yes, serious level"
We decided that the format would be a cocktail bar. This concept is rare in Thailand; here there is either a separate restaurant, or a separate bar, or a separate club. I had in my head an image of a Novosibirsk cocktail bar, where my sister worked. People come to have a drink, chat, gradually the music gets louder, those who wanted to dance, those who didn’t want to, then relax, no one bothers anyone. People of my age, of my generation, stopped going to nightclubs - it’s loud, uncomfortable, unatmospheric. And they go to cocktail bars.
My sister Lisa is a cool cocktail bartender, I brought her to Thailand to help us make a good bar with the right cocktails. And she created a unique menu, the likes of which are nowhere else on the island. People from different countries tried our cocktails and nodded their heads - yes, a serious level.
In Thai bars, cocktails are made haphazardly and from whatever is haphazard; both in taste and in quality - complete rubbish. We use only good expensive alcohol, high-quality syrups and ingredients.
“We decided right away: we won’t make an establishment for Russians.”
Our wooden house-bar is located on the main tourist street, there are many restaurants here - Italian, French, Indian, they are mainly run by Europeans. And we fit into this street very well.
Every Friday there is a fair here, and every Friday we host a big Friday Party - for which our establishment quickly became famous. And not only among tourists, but also among people who permanently live on the island. These are the owners of restaurants, hotels, some of their own businesses - in general, entrepreneurs, active young people.
Mostly foreigners come to us, Russians - 30-40 percent. We immediately planned this, we told ourselves that we would not make an establishment only for Russians and in the Russian style, because this is some kind of artificial limitation. The decision turned out to be correct, because in the last two years about seven Russian establishments have opened and closed on the island, none of them lasted more than a year. People just throw in money, open something, sit empty for six months and close. “Here, we are all Russians, let’s get together, let’s hang out together” - there is no concept in this.
We make money not only from food-drinks-parties. For example, we can be a platform for IT conferences - people come to us, hang up a projector, people gather, and make reports. Psychological trainings, webinars, and educational events were also held.
“We invest everything in the business”
I would not call our establishment super-top, but it is definitely on the lips, in rotation on the local word of mouth. At the same time, we never spent money on advertising. We promoted ourselves through reviews, through the atmosphere. And through parties. For example, on Friday we have a real sell-out, everyone either comes specially or stops by on the way. And during the tourist season, people actively come to us on other days - regardless of the events that we give.
At our first Friday party we earned around 6 thousand baht, now the figure is 60 thousand. That is, the profit from a particular event has increased at least ten times in two years. At the same time, our prices did not change - a cocktail cost and costs from 200 to 350 baht, that is, somewhere around 7-10 dollars.
We take little money from profits for ourselves; we invest almost everything in business and development. If we had not repaired anything after the launch, then, naturally, the invested money would have recouped long ago. But we continue to invest.
To be honest, it’s time for us to move, our premises are already small - there are only 40 seats. And we would change the format a little. We are now looking for investors who would open similar establishments as a franchise; It’s possible in Phuket, it’s possible in Bali, in some beach resort area.
Entertainment in Thailand- this is first of all entertainment in Pattaya. Once upon a time, Pattaya was a quiet, cozy place. A small Thai settlement is located in a secluded fishing village. But everything changed during the Vietnam War. Over time, Pattaya ceased to look like itself: the once quiet, secluded place was simply destroyed and turned into just a garbage dump. European travel magazine often published very negative reviews about this place, describing in vivid colors all the dirt and diseases raging in that area.
Well, let’s skip the events of those years and see what was closer to the present. Over the past few years there have been incredible changes to improve appearance and service. And those who once slandered Pattaya now come here every year. The number of go-go bars, evening parties, pubs has increased, and hotels have been adjusted to European standards. The competition in the entertainment sector is very high, so they will go to great lengths to attract customers.
Therefore, you can only say “goodbye” to old Pattaya and say hello to new Pattaya - the world center of entertainment and sex tourism.
The historical excursion is over - now let's get acquainted with some of the nightlife in Pattaya and the places where you can find them.
First, let's explain the basic terms that will help you navigate the nightlife in Thailand.
An open bar is a bar counter on the street.
An indoor bar is a bar counter and indoor seating.
Go-go bar - striptease bar.
Barfine - payment to the bar for hiring a girl.
Walking Street is a pedestrian street in Pattaya with the main concentration of bars and go-go bars, sex shows.
Carrot is a girl in Pattaya who is not particularly strict in her behavior.
Lady Drink - a drink for a girl in Pattaya, costs 100-200 baht, the girl usually gets half of its cost.
Mama-san is a not very young woman who runs a bar, and she usually negotiates the price for how much you can pick up a girl in Pattaya.
Room - a room for sex, found in many indoor bars and some go-go bars.
Beach Road is a beach street that stretches along the beach in central Pattaya.
Soi 6 - lane number six with a large concentration of closed bars for short time.
Hilton is the largest hotel in the center of Pattaya; the first 6 floors are occupied by the Central Festival shopping center.
Shot time (shorts) - sex in Pattaya until the first orgasm (yours, not the girl's).
Long time (long) - I'll eat a girl all night.
Blowjob bars and beer bars in Thailand.
Bars are the main form of nightlife in Pattaya. How many bars are there in Pattaya? Roughly speaking, there will be about 1000-2000 of them, and maybe even more. Therefore, your search for a place where you can drink beer, chat with one of the local sexy girls, or even secure her company for a longer time, will not last long.
Make sure first of all that everything will happen: 1. Without a condom 2. Not in a private room (which you will otherwise have to pay for). Well, of course, you should ask about the price before you “clean” your penis, otherwise the girl may make a big deal out of you. And don't forget to check if she's a girl...
To pick up a girl in Pattaya from “her” bar, you need to pay the so-called bar fee. Usually this amount is about 300 baht. This amount will be added to your account if you decide to take the girl with you.
What you need to pay attention to is that girls in Pattaya, frankly speaking, are excellent prostitutes and they serve not only men, but also women, couples and families.
And even if you're not looking for female company or are traveling as a couple or even a family, a night in Pattaya can still be a lot of fun. Although the staff in the bars are always girls looking for someone to make extra money, they are also very friendly towards ordinary visitors (who will not leave a fee to the bar) who drop in to drink beer and chat with other visitors (these, by the way, are the majority).
To be honest, there are not many places in Pattaya with a “blowjob bar” sign, so not knowing where to go, you can spend a long time looking for what you need. Where then to go in search of sex and nightlife in Pattaya? Where are the best girls in Pattaya waiting for you?
Soi BJ:
Yes, that's what it's officially called. The name is written on a government sign for everyone to see. Let's take a stroll down Walking Street and see what we have here.
Soi 13/4 (Soi Pattayaland .2.):
here is the largest concentration of go-go bars (sometimes this street is even called GoGo Street), but there are also beer bars here (in fact, they are found anywhere in Pattaya).
Soi. 13/3 Pattayaland 1. :
The Billion Bar is one of the best bars for sex entertainment in Pattaya. All the girls here look much above average. Their team is updated regularly, although the best quality workers can stay here for 2 years. They can serve you both on the spot and in a separate room upstairs. The rooms are certainly spartan, but extremely clean. But the quality of the service makes up for all the shortcomings.
Soi 13/2 (Soi Post Office) Blow Job Bars —
it's a "Blow Job" street of all kinds, with most bars opening around 2am. Condoms are usually not needed. Check out the bars “Pump Station”, “Spricy”, “Golden Girls” (they are next to each other) - they will all provide you with exclusive blowjob services. Pump Station has been around for a long time and is well known. Spricy is quite popular. However, do not relax - in these (and in many other) bars there are katoi (transvestites, in other words).
Average prices for blow jobs: there are some differences in prices depending on the establishment and the girl. 500-700 baht is the average price. You will have to pay about 375 baht for the room. But in most bars it is not necessary to take a private room. 700 baht is just right. If you have nothing to be ashamed of, then agree to go to the sofa and enjoy. If your upbringing does not allow it, rent a room. Give the girl a tip if you were very satisfied. About 100 baht. And don’t settle for “with a condom”! What kind of nonsense did they even come up with?! And be sure to ask the standard question before you start - “How much?”
The advantage of blowjob bars is that you will be served even in public. Well, purely theoretically, the girls are masters of their craft and will help you relax in a couple of minutes. And they have more than enough experience
A couple of quickie bars and Blow Job establishments where girls will give you oral satisfaction in private bar rooms on the upper floors are located on Soi Post Office, or Soi 13/2.
Soi.8 and Soi.7 Beer Bar Street :
Very popular places for sex entertainment in Pattaya. The girls are sitting at tables, you grab one and sit down. 300 baht is the fee to the bar for using the services of his girlfriend, 1000 baht if you are with her for a long time. If you pay more, you are overpaying.
Soi.8 is located very close to the fun on the main sex symbol of Thailand - Walking Street, where there are also countless beer bars. Soi.8 will appeal to those who want to stay away from tourists and crowds. You don't have to look for them - they will find you.
Soi.7 is also a popular place in Pattaya. If you've already made it to Soi 8, why not check out Soi.7? They are not much different - the same prices, the same sex services, the same sex entertainment. But what if your beauty will sit and wait for you right there?
And this is how they have fun in the bar -