'And then we had a massage business'

We have been staying in the store every day for two weeks. Open at ten o'clock and stay there until the chance of another customer coming is zero. With any luck, we've had five customers at one time, but most days the counter gets stuck at one or two. On average we certainly do not get further than 2,7 and you cannot live on that.

My friend now has a one and a half person company. Officially I am not allowed to work and to prevent deportation I do not. I am also a bit 'in' the company because it has acquired my money. The consequence of a one-man business is that if two people want a massage at the same time, an on-call worker is brought in.

To this end, there is a list of telephone numbers that are being processed, while customers are told that it will take a few minutes. Once that failed and the customers were sent home again, but normally a lady or gentleman is at the door within ten minutes who immediately goes to work.

But before that happens: The phone rings. Ten! That means work. Not so. Ten calls asking if my friend is still looking for a massage parlor? And if so, is he interested in their shop right in the center? Two beds for Thai and oil massage and two chairs for foot massage. That's all it is. It's better if I don't interfere for a while, my friend starts a conversation.
We can take over the business for ฿70.000. We pay for the inventory and the goodwill. We wouldn't be good Thais without negotiation, so the price includes the first month's rent. After all, it was already paid (it's the second of the month).

When we go to look everything is still there as if they are working on it. After my fiat, a takeover is made, which means that a kind of contract is drawn up that I also have to sign, we pay the money and get the key. In three stages, the case is then stripped of everything they designate as personal belongings. Finally, all wall decorations are included. Before that the stereo was already gone. Apparently quite normal, because my friend says nothing about it.

My friend also worked as a freelance worker until now, crouching all over the city after a phone call. Not a pleasant existence. You have no home base and just hang around. One time you keep talking (if the owner is your friend), the other time you have to leave immediately and find another place to spend your time. The tip is yours, but the rest you share with the boss. Thai people don't tip much, so you'll usually be out with ฿125 after an hour's work.

Ta and Ten found a dilapidated building, a bit outside the center, that they could rent for ฿ 3000 a month. As soon as the knot was made, the renovation could start. With apparently sufficient cash on hand, most of the work was outsourced to local construction workers, who probably live on just over ฿300 a day.

It seemed such a good idea. Working Ta in one case and Ten in the other. But the reality is more stubborn. Sitting alone in your shop all day in the low season is equivalent to doing nothing for twelve hours. To save money, no internet was connected in the new business. Who can get through the day without digital contacts in this day and age?

Within reasonable limits, I would pay for a massage parlor for you, I told my friend a little over a year ago. That had not fallen on deaf ears, because the same day he turned out to have started looking and came to tell me triumphantly that he had found one. We look. On the main road from Krabi to Ao Nang. Nice case, five beds and four chairs and everything in neat condition. It should cost ฿ 100.000, which is a very reasonable amount in my opinion.

At first I don't understand, but later the monkey comes out of the sleeve. The owner wants to sell the company, but continue to work there herself. With two it is much nicer than sitting alone all day and she can also visit her daughter now and then, a few hundred kilometers away. Although I didn't like it after this information, I still asked about the turnover of the company. A foggy story that mainly boils down to the fact that you cannot make any statements about that, that she has never kept track of it, but that she often has two or three people in the low season. Without days off, that yields about twenty thousand Baht per month. With ฿ 10.000 fixed costs, she can barely make ends meet.

A few days later there is another offer. Now less far from the center, in a quiet street, right in front of the Baptist church. Not bad either, also ฿100.000 and no customers either, so this one won't be it either.

And now we are waiting for customers all day long. The rent is 8000 Baht and the other costs over 2000 Baht. But actually we are waiting for the high season, because then the money has to flow in.

What can we do to generate more income? First of all, we need to be easier to find, so that I started building the website. That's no problem even for an old man like me. Make it visible on the search engines.

The second idea has already yielded something. You can also follow a Thai massage course with us. At least a week for five thousand Baht, three hours a day. A French girl is the first candidate and loves it.

We don't have any more ideas, but if you know anything, let me know.

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