Thread: Building a mini resort business in Thailand

a ho tel ??

I hope it is a No Tell

Also - since it's 7 years since I built these 2 mini-resorts, it's maybe interesting to tell you what has become of them.

The Nature Resort was built by me among the rubber trees for my ex-wife #2 (the mad one). The plan was to help her build it and take a share of the profits. But prior to the build I decided that her mental state meant that I might not see any share of the profit - if any. I negotiated a lump-sum payment to build the resort.

The 9-room resort opened in about 2012, and initially all was fine, with a reasonable profit. But external factors (the change in tourist demographics from 'westerners' to Chinese reduced the profits year on year.

Also, this mini-resort was being run by my ex and her dysfunctional Thai family. Guest service and cleanliness went up and down like a roller-coaster, with resulting comments on Tripadvisor.

After a few years, the land-owner offered the land for sale to my ex (she was leasing it for 15 years). The price was reasonable, but a bank loan would be needed. I calculated a very pessimistic monthly profit margin on her business and told her only to agree to the bank loan if the monthly payments were less than X.

She went to the bank, signed the loan papers, came back and proudly showed me where she had signed for a loan term and monthly payments of 3X!!

At that point, I told her that she would lose her business, (my comments didn't go down very well...)

And of course, lose the business she did! The business struggled on for a year or so, but the monthly bank loan repayments were too much. Finally she was able to sell the land and buildings for the value of the bank loan balance. She walked away with exactly zero baht. (So fcuking 'som nam nar' to you for screwing up my previous business, marriage and family life...)

Last year when doing a visa run from Burma, I was staying at the Nana Hotel (as you do!). I was walking down soi 4 and someone called out my name. It was my ex-wife, working and sitting in Morning Night bar, in exactly the same seat where I met her back in 2002.....

But what about the City Resort, built for wife #3? That build went well and she and her brother (yes, real brother!), worked hard and just the two of them to build up the business.

Although I was legally-married to that wife, we had previously known each other for 15 years as very good friends. The marriage was a mistake, because wife #3 is a really lovely person, but totally useless in bed! (I mean, absolutely, completely bollox). We quietly divorced some years ago, but remain the best of friends and plan to live together (as friends) up in Issan in the future. (I'm moving up to Bueng Kan in 4 weeks from now).

And her little hotel? Doing just fine now in 2019. She has built more rooms and now has a total of 12 rooms and very good reviews on TripAdvisor etc. Her profit margin is less than anticipated, because of the mainly Chinese tourists who visit Phuket now. But she still makes about 200,000 baht every month, in low and high season.

To explain why I'm moving up to live in Isaan....

I previously lived in Nong Khai, right by the Mekong. I really love the Isaan rural life and Morlam music, but it was always rather impracticable to live up there and hold down a job.

(To comment - I was in NK with mad ex after she had gone so bonkers that me and her Thai family banished her from Phuket, before she destroyed the hotel business with her lunacy. We chose NK because it's far from Phuket and we thought that she couldn't do any 'damage' from up there - she managed to forge my signature on a NK condo purchase and the sellers demanded 1 million baht from me LoL..... such fun... NOT!!).

Anyway, I returned from my in-class teaching job in Burma because I wanted to see if online teaching could give me a viable income, and therefore allow me to settle wherever I wished (with a 4g internet connection).

I was well-paid by the international school in Burma, teaching English and Science. Now, some 4 months after leaving that job, I'm teaching English, French, Maths, Science and Thai 'online' to students in China, Burma, Thailand and some in Russia/Europe. I'm earning more than I earned in Burma and my job/living location is completely flexible, (with no ties to a wife also).

So, expect another construction thread soon, because I want to do the lease land project again ==> lease cheap land for 20 - 30 years with a secure and registered contract, then build on the land.

But this time, I don't need to build a small hotel. I plan to build a small 'knock-down' Thai-style wooden house (the Ayuthaya sort of style on stilts) that overlooks Laos and the Mekong, where I can live (alone!), do my online teaching from and improve my khaen skills. I also have a very good Canadian friend who retired to the same region with his Thai wife last year. He's a radio ham like me, so welcomes my move to his locality.

An honest and down to earth man is Simon
Always a good read.

Originally Posted by Simon43

It was my ex-wife, working and sitting in Morning Night bar, in exactly the same seat where I met her back in 2002.....

Simon, your life story is too entertaining not to be properly and definitively diarised!

Please do a complete life story thread. I don't care if I have read some bits before and if some of it is CPed from Stickman. It is worth a second read!

Simon. It’s a long, interesting and challenging story.

Good luck with the epilogue.

Had a pretty good night out on the town since it is warmer. Started with burgers and beers and the Shangrila

Then moved onto Nasca for some Peruvian food

note to self
Never go to Nasca

Well that was embarrassing, too hungover to post on the correct thread
D-

Originally Posted by Simon43

Last year when doing a visa run from Burma, I was staying at the Nana Hotel (as you do!). I was walking down soi 4 and someone called out my name. It was my ex-wife, working and sitting in Morning Night bar, in exactly the same seat where I met her back in 2002.....

A poignant moment indeed.

And also bang on the crux of the problem...

Originally Posted by Latindancer

A poignant moment indeed.

And also bang on the crux of the problem...

Lulu Walt.

I reckon Simon deserves his slice of paradise oop north after the chaotic and interesting life he's had and is having. I look forward to buying the book one day


All the best.

I look forward to buying the book one day

Well, that's one way to help fund my eventual retirement..

Maybe I should adopt a pen-name?

Suggestions? - rude or otherwise

Well done Simon, your life story is a lot of fun to read, and interesting

not sure if writing a book would be practical, it takes a lot of time and commitment, it's a full time job that few can do, it's hard to write about yourself in an interesting angle without losing inspiration, that's why you hire a ghost writer for auto-biography, and that's expensive

maybe write a book only on mad ex 2 as some kind of revenge and self therapy, but is she worth it?

Originally Posted by Dragonfly

Well done Simon, your life story is a lot of fun to read, and interesting

not sure if writing a book would be practical, it takes a lot of time and commitment, it's a full time job that few can do, it's hard to write about yourself in an interesting angle without losing inspiration, that's why you hire a ghost writer for auto-biography, and that's expensive

maybe write a book only on mad ex 2 as some kind of revenge and self therapy, but is she worth it?

Thing is, he doesn’t need to write it in Flemish, French or Algerian. He teaches English and writes with a natural charm, humour and intelligence, that you lack.

Unlike you, Simon has actually embroiled himself in real life experience. It’s obvious that 90% of your posts are manufactured, and very badly at that. He is interesting and you are a bore. He has truth and a measure of self deprecation. You have lies and an all consuming ego.

Spotthe difference yet big head?

Originally Posted by Switch

Unlike you, Simon has actually embroiled himself in real life experience. It’s obvious that 90% of your posts are manufactured, and very badly at that. He is interesting and you are a bore. He has truth and a measure of self deprecation. You have lies and an all consuming ego.

that's rich coming from someone posting from his bed full of shit and piss

Originally Posted by Simon43

I was walking down soi 4 and someone called out my name. It was my ex-wife, working and sitting in Morning Night bar, in exactly the same seat where I met her back in 2002.....

Originally Posted by Latindancer

A poignant moment indeed.

And also bang on the crux of the problem...

What problem is that?

best of luck Simon>>>
friend of mine from here in Phuket onws a 14 bungalow resort 8 kms outside Chiang Khan right on the mekong,
its pure heaven there

If that house is teak, going to cost a pretty penny :-)

maybe write a book only on mad ex 2 as some kind of revenge and self therapy, but is she worth it?

Actually I hardly give her the time of day now. I have absolutely no ill-feelings towards her, water under the bridge etc. That was 14 or so years ago and my life (and personality) have changed hugely. That period was definitely the lowest point of my life, but I came out 'the other side' much stronger, far-less stressed, and above all at peace with whatever life throws at me.

If that house is teak, going to cost a pretty penny :-)

Actually Mai Daeng is much cheaper and far cheaper to obtain a supply (and very plentiful) by purchasing the hard wood from an existing Isaan house or rice-barn. I've seen the prices ==> very cheap, such as 50,000 baht to buy enough wood to build a 3-room house.

I prefer to construct the house on concrete/rebar columns that are then faced with small bricks, rather than using expensive teak columns. I can also run cable ducting etc up inside the concrete column.

It will take me 3 days to drive up to the Mekong from Ranong, because I have to stop and teach 'online' on the way, (can't stop the money tap...).

I've booked a week in a local hotel and will drive out to the nearby villages to accost old Isaan women and ask if I can sleep in their house on a long-term basis, (er.... that's after the old hag has moved out of course).

Originally Posted by Simon43

Well, that's one way to help fund my eventual retirement..

Maybe I should adopt a pen-name?

Suggestions? - rude or otherwise

I'll kick off then...

Simons Great Escapes

Slim Simon to Nakon Noi

Confessions of a radio operaror