Any internet shop owners?

[neeemu]

Hi, I am interested in setting up an internet shop but my gf believes that police/mafia are a real problem and stop any real profit being made as well as causing numerous problems.
Just wondered if any internet shop or indeed any type of shop owners have such problems?

Cheers

[Doc]

As long as you do everything 100% legal - such as maintaining licenses and such - you shouldn't have any problems.

I know of an existing Internet Shop that is for sale at this time. If you are interested in more information, send me a PM.

[Prenders88]

Hi, I am interested in setting up an internet shop but my gf believes that police/mafia are a real problem and stop any real profit being made as well as causing numerous problems.
Just wondered if any internet shop or indeed any type of shop owners have such problems?

Cheers

As Doc said as long as you keep everything legal you should be OK.
The Police and the local education office will come down hard if they find out you have kids in the internet shop during school hours. The best person to ask is Pop Pops, as long as don't open any where near his place.
You can't open any where near a school.

[tawan3]

The mafia makes alot more money from its traditional businesses than bothering internet shop keepers. Find out what a T 1 line costs in Thailand would expand your product mix and help offset low customer user fees.

[BKKSTAN]

Keep everything above board!No counterfeit products,no illegal activities!Might help to check out WHO the competition is

[PopsIcafe]

Good luck in the internet shop business.....there has to be 100's of these shops around here, 6 shops including mine here near Nong Prajak Park. You can't ope an internet shop within 100 meters of a school or Wat. Your operating hours are from 0830 hrs to 2400 hrs. During school days (Monday thru Friday) no kids on computers (in or out of uniforms) before 1400 hrs and must be off the computers by 2200hrs. Some games online you have to purchase a license to have them on your computers. If you need more information just PM me.

Pop's

[Paul]

Police, other shop owners, record/music labels, games companies, software manufacturers - they're all out to get you.
Kids that mess up your PC's
Unreliable Internet and telephone connections
rock bottom charges for use (10 or 15 baht per hour)

Just one question - why ?????

Been there - done that - was better off closed !!!

[Doc]

Police, other shop owners, record/music labels, games companies, software manufacturers - they're all out to get you.

Such cynacism Paul. As long as you do everything legal no one can mess with you. They might check you out once or twice to make sure that you are legal - but the odds of them hitting you again other than random inspections are very, very slim.

Kids that mess up your PC's

Common complaint. Cleaning up the messes takes a bit of time - but no business is without its individual problems.

Unreliable Internet and telephone connections

Connections seem to be getting better as time goes on.

rock bottom charges for use (10 or 15 baht per hour)

Can't make a killing on everything. Quantity is the key to success.

[PopsIcafe]

I agree with Paul. It's a pain in the arse but it's something I don't mind doing. Kids seem to want to delete icons from the desktop or delete files ( they do manage to get into the My Computer ) or change the names of icons or download and install duplicate software or programs . Ladies checking their email, "download this?" "yes or no" and they always click "yes" now to clean out the virus they downloaded. As far as my place being checked, it's only a couple of times and all is order. If you don't give them a reason and keep a low profile or a good high profile then you should be in great shape. As far as paying the police, as far as I know, that doesn't happen here in Udon Thani. We opened this shop little over 2 yrs ago, and there 2 other shops here at the time. One of the shops closed. A year later an internet shop opened with 10 baht price, last year another shop opened down the street from us nere the Arena, this year 2 other shops opened near Pop Pop's and they are 10 baht online gaming and 15 baht internet. So if you open a shop in an area that doesn't have an internet shop or 1 or 2 but far apart, expect in the next year to have a couple more shops open near you, across the street from you or even next door to you. If you are doing good buisness then they thinK they can do the same kind of business (TIT). The internet shops in the Ban Hoy area are struggling, they have about 10 shops within a 1km of each other. I know 3 of the shops might be making 600 baht at the most on a good day, but averaging maybe 400 baht a day. If you can live on that, good luck to you.

Pop's

[Paul]

Police, other shop owners, record/music labels, games companies, software manufacturers - they're all out to get you.

Such cynacism Paul. As long as you do everything legal no one can mess with you. They might check you out once or twice to make sure that you are legal - but the odds of them hitting you again other than random inspections are very, very slim.

Kids that mess up your PC's

Common complaint. Cleaning up the messes takes a bit of time - but no business is without its individual problems.

Unreliable Internet and telephone connections

Connections seem to be getting better as time goes on.

rock bottom charges for use (10 or 15 baht per hour)

Can't make a killing on everything. Quantity is the key to success.

Thank you Doc for your words of wisdom:)

Fortunately I speak from 3 years experience and shared my views and experiences. How long did YOU run an internet shop for ?

[BKKSTAN]