Goods & Services that would never sell in Thailand

[BigBangkokTheory]

Some western goods & services would never sell in Thailand.

 

Take for instance long-term care insurance. This is an insurance scheme in which care-giving expenses are paid for people who need assistance with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, toileting, etc.; services predominately needed by the elderly. Obviously the demand for this type of insurance would be substantially limited due to the culture of family support in Thailand.

 

On the other hand this type of insurance is generating a lot of buzz here in America due to the aging population and dispersed families. Interesting how culture is reflected in the marketplace.

 

What else just wouldn't sell over there? And turning it around, what Thai goods & services would never sell in the west?

[LongPlay]

Well, dating services for one.....

 

They would sell FOR Thailand, here in the states, but FROM within Thailand you would be a pretty sorry sack if you needed help getting a date in LOS once you are there!!!

 

I understand your idea about the long term care. I am 57, and my retirement plans are centered around very inexpensive care available in the Philippines, done out of pocket, since for about 3 USD per day, you can have full time, live in care with a trained nurse if you look for it.

 

Places like Thailand, Philippines etc, especially Malaysia hold an interest for many nearing retirement. Lot of advantages.

 

For the humorous answer to what would never sell in the West..... I present Soi 6.......... would not last an hour.

The lines would be like opening up the Superbowl to free tickets on a first come first served basis...... Then within 2 hours it would be closed by the narrow minded people that feel this kind of thing is more important to police than the dozens of other truly serious problems our countries face........

Edited September 20, 2009 by LongPlay

[gogo dog]

driving lessons

[BigBangkokTheory]

I understand your idea about the long term care. I am 57, and my retirement plans are centered around very inexpensive care available in the Philippines, done out of pocket, since for about 3 USD per day, you can have full time, live in care with a trained nurse if you look for it.

 

 

LTC in Phils is perfect. I heard about that once but forgot until I read this. I'm self-insured on $3 per day!

 

driving lessons

 

LOL good one.

[BigBangkokTheory]

Vehicle emission control devices would never sell in Thailand.

[onenosite]

I'm sure this is the finest driving academy in all of LOS

[tjvol]

I have never seen a tanning salon in LOS.

[Mr.DreamTransport]

driving lessons

 

Its actually pretty scary with the driving lessons here even. Most of the driving schools get about 2000baht for Thais, and they only teach them what they need to know to get their license. The absolute bare minimum. When I was teaching my wife to drive, I had her taking lessons as well. I wanted her to take 2 courses worth of lessons, 1 course just driving to and from the airport. The instructor told me after she got her license, whats the point? To think of how many people are driving around with minimum very basic skills, is horrifying. The number driving around without any licenses whatsover, is probably in the majority of the people overall on the road.

 

 

Something I think that would never sell here, breathalizers to police departments.

[SmellyFarang]

Multi-cultural sensitivity training classes

[QuotaMan]

Things that won't do well in Thailand-

 

-hand sanitizers

-retirement homes (though I have heard entrepreneurs are starting to look at starting such a concept in China)

-roach coach food trucks, big in the U.S. but with soooo many food carts all over, no chance

-second tjvol's mention of tanning salons/parlors

 

Things that won't do well in the U.S.

 

-Tuk Tuks

-Dual pricing (though there are some dual pricing things in the U.S. like out of state vs. in state and local faves, nothing like Thailand)

-Standing at attention in a movie theater while a song about the president plays

[arbiez]

Things that we can't bring to market in the West, regardless of the demand or popularity.

1) The concept that a trinket of our religious deity cannot be sold or removed from the country.

2) The business model of a blowjob bar.

3) The soapy.

4) The cart selling bug and scorpion snacks.

5) The portable sidewalk bar.

6) The idea of washing dishes with dirty water in the street (from said sidewalk bar).

7) The mobile bar (aka VW Bus Bar).

8) The complete acceptance of every other countries criminals and rogues. (We lost that idea a LONG time ago.)

 

 

Things the west can't bring to LOS:

Our erroneous concept that lust equals love.

Underground cable.

A sewer system.

Rodent control.

Individual responsibility for one's actions. (In this case, I refer to finances)

Freedom of speech and concept of democracy.

Free Market System.

Solar electricity.

An oversight committee (of any kind).

The concept of Innocent until proven guilty.

The concept that a well paid policing force is less prone to bribery.

Decent 'up' time on the internet.

 

 

Things I'm sad to see entering LOS:

Fast Food, Anarchy for fun and profit (regardless of cause), high prices and poor exchange rate (not a behavior, but still exists)

Bar closure liquor laws (the days of the 24 bar are going away)

Over commercialization of the beaches

 

 

Things I hope we never see get to LOS:

Overeating as a defense mechanism

Extreme feminism (not to be confused with lesbianism)

Ageism

Fundamentalist Evangelical Christian Movement

Nuclear Armament

[QuotaMan]

Things that we can't bring to market in the West, regardless of the demand or popularity.

1) The concept that a trinket of our religious deity cannot be sold or removed from the country.

2) The business model of a blowjob bar.

3) The soapy.

4) The cart selling bug and scorpion snacks.

5) The portable sidewalk bar.

6) The idea of washing dishes with dirty water in the street (from said sidewalk bar).

7) The mobile bar (aka VW Bus Bar).

8) The complete acceptance of every other countries criminals and rogues. (We lost that idea a LONG time ago.)

 

 

Things the west can't bring to LOS:

Our erroneous concept that lust equals love.

Underground cable.

A sewer system.

Rodent control.

Individual responsibility for one's actions. (In this case, I refer to finances)

Freedom of speech and concept of democracy.

Free Market System.

Solar electricity.

An oversight committee (of any kind).

The concept of Innocent until proven guilty.

The concept that a well paid policing force is less prone to bribery.

Decent 'up' time on the internet.

 

 

Things I'm sad to see entering LOS:

Fast Food, Anarchy for fun and profit (regardless of cause), high prices and poor exchange rate (not a behavior, but still exists)

Bar closure liquor laws (the days of the 24 bar are going away)

Over commercialization of the beaches

 

 

Things I hope we never see get to LOS:

Overeating as a defense mechanism

Extreme feminism (not to be confused with lesbianism)

Ageism

Fundamentalist Evangelical Christian Movement

Nuclear Armament

 

 

Good list. While I haven't seen a soapy like they do in Thailand, they do have rather weak 'massage parlor' type experiences throughout the U.S. They really should try the soapy thing!

 

As for overeating, I'm starting to see a lot of ads and commercials in Thailand for dieting centers people can go to lose weight. Maybe they are starting to get fatter?

[LaaMok]

Books on business and especially customer service skills.

[BangkokBangher]

Vehicle emission control devices would never sell in Thailand.

 

Wouldn't be so sure, more going on in that dept. than one might think:

 

Hmmm, for some reason i can't get it to provide a link......

 

Go to Google.co.uk

 

Put in

 

thailand emmission controls

 

click on the 4th result entitled "automotive emmssion controls in Thailand"

 

its a Powerpoint presentation.

 

I was suprised by the large CO differential between passenger cars with & without catalytic convertors.

Edited September 25, 2009 by Lancashirelad

[BangkokBangher]

Something I think that would never sell here, breathalizers to police departments.

 

 

They already have them!

 

Some nice punishments too....... like klong cleaning in Bangkok.

[Lok Jit]

Thai squat toilets with never any paper should do very well in most other countries....

[praf974]

western stuff would never sell :

motobility Scooters (the things pensioners drive down pavements)

rollerblades

speed dating

pocket handwarmers

unemployment benefit

 

thai stuff not to be a hit in the west:

street bbq'd rat & insects

baht buses

gogo's (oh god imagine the outcry)

connect 4 in pubs

working for a living or going hungry

[kbrainr]

The ideas presented here are all great. But, the point that I keep going back to is that these differences are what makes each country more interesting to visit or live in. For those of us who have the opportunity to visit them, we can experience the local cultures and customs when we want to and for as long as our finances allow us to.

[Glenn A]

A book on feminism and political correctness would probably sell five copies tops, while a book advocating a Thai republic would most likely end up on a bonfire and the author driven out of the country.

Actually the lack of feminism, political correctness and a respect for the monarchy I find admirable as Britain seems to be dominated by this left-wing crap at the moment. I would love to see how long a loathsome feminist bitch like Harriet Harman would last in Thailand.

[Angelo]

Never work in Thailand:

 

* Street food vendor health inspections - Always nice to see the guy cooking BBQ pick his nose and sharpen his knife on a concrete telephone pole right before he asks you what you'd like.

 

* Real sidewalks - As in, for walking on so you don't get hit by a car. Thais can't leave more than a few feet of sidewalk clear of food carts, small shops, beggars or phone booths that never get used.

 

* Racial integration - No matter how long you stay or how well you speak Thai, you're always an outsider and in tourist spots, a walking ATM.

 

* Paved roads on Koh Samet - My ass still hurts from driving on those dirt roads.