Bangkok Bryan

The most beautiful Prime Minister in the world: Yingluck...

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 12:03:40 -0400

The most beautiful Prime Minister in the world: Yingluck Shinawatra

Summer goal: buy stock American Suzuki TU 250 and customize to a...

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 10:44:00 -0400

After

Before

Summer goal: buy stock American Suzuki TU 250 and customize to a stock Japanese Suzuki Grass Tracker 250.

I’ve seen surfing dogs before, but skateboarding in a...

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 21:01:00 -0400

I’ve seen surfing dogs before, but skateboarding in a skatepark with transitions is a whole different level. Must have been a surfer in a previous life….haha.

Thailand has hot ".com" companies too

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:43:00 -0400

Thailand has hot ".com" companies too:

The Singapore-based website PropertyGuru.com plans to spend 80 million baht to expand the online property market in Thailand and develop data management systems after acquiring the Thai website DDproperty.com earlier this year.

PropertyGuru Group CEO Steve Melhuish said the investment over the next two years would be for upgrading the website’s data management, with a focus on marketing and promotional activities to give DDproperty.com more exposure to potential customers.

The group expects to break even within 18 months. It aims for DDproperty.com to have at least 1.5 million visits with over 10 million monthly page views by the end of the year, up from about 740,000 visits and 4.96 million page views in June with 95,000 property listings.

“Thailand has potential for growth due to the strong economy and the online explosion,” said Mr Melhuish. “The investment climate is expected to be positive after the election. The residential market is strong and commercial property is improving.”

He noted internet penetration reached 33% of the population last year.

The online advertising sector overall in Thailand has a value of more than 1.5 billion baht a year, with a growth rate topping 20% in the past year. The dynamic online property market is still young and has plenty of room to grow.

“We will put together a property database across countries. Singaporean investors can buy Thai property and vice versa,” said Mr Melhuish.

DDproperty.com was founded in late 2007 by Tanomsak Khacharoen and Siriporn Paewattanakul. Last year it generated 2-3 million baht in revenue from banner and display ads and listings.

PropertyGuru.com, found in 2006 by Mr Melhuish, has seven websites in eight countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, Hong Kong, India and Macau, with 4 million users and 50 million monthly page views.

Published in Bangkok Post: 22/07/2011 at 12:00 AM

Original Article

Robert Thurman on Buddhism

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 23:51:12 -0400

Video: Robert Thurman, Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, explains some of his experiences and beliefs in Buddhism.

The bike ‘began’ with a ‘69 Aermacchi scooter...

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:28:00 -0400

The bike ‘began’ with a ‘69 Aermacchi scooter tank on Ebay for $65.

My custom-made, Converse “Chuck Taylor All Star”...

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:06:00 -0400

My custom-made, Converse “Chuck Taylor All Star” shoes…should be ready for my birthday next month.

Thailand is full of entrepreneurs, including small businesses...

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:48:00 -0400

Thailand is full of entrepreneurs, including small businesses that sell toast - all kinds of toast!. I bet this would make a killing in California!

Startup Costs:

1 loaf of bread: $3.50

Can of Jam: $2.50

Toaster: $15

TOTAL COSTS: $21!

clumsyorange:

Toast shop (by mic*)

ขนมปังสังขยา or else known as huge sliced white bread with custard. You can find these almost everywhere in Bangkok. Fills your tummy up with the most delicious things!

Thailand’s unemployment rate is 1.2%! No kidding…

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:17:32 -0400

Thailand’s unemployment rate is 1.2%! No kidding…

I was pretty horrified the other day when my wife giggled and...

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 12:30:00 -0400

I was pretty horrified the other day when my wife giggled and told me how a woman just cut off her husband’s penis and threw it down the garbage disposal. Then this morning I’m reading the LA times and I see this article explaining castration is not as uncommon as one would assume and that Thailand may lead the world in penis slashing. The act is colloquially referred to as “feeding the ducks” because that is apparently a common way of getting rid of the evidence.

So I ask my Thai wife if she’s heard of the expression, “feeding the ducks.” She replies, “Oh yes, it’s an old expression…” Really?!

It has begun…

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 02:19:36 -0400

It has begun…

Went surfing this morning at Trestles. Always glad to see this...

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 02:10:00 -0400

Went surfing this morning at Trestles. Always glad to see this big warning sign every time I walk down the trail. Keeps the crowd down…rip currents, submerged rocks, uneven bottom, no lifeguard. That’s right, just turn around, you won’t like it here!

River surfing in Colorado. My friend Jason took this picture on...

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:35:38 -0400

River surfing in Colorado. My friend Jason took this picture on his motorcycle road trip.

Lub d Hostel, Bangkok. Low budget hostel that doesn’t scrimp on...

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:56:00 -0400

Lub d Hostel, Bangkok. Low budget hostel that doesn’t scrimp on design…only about $10 to $25 U.S. dollars per night. Visit silom.lubd.com.

It would be fun to run one of these; be a nice break from my career in banking.

yoshtin: The view… #lebua #bangkok (Taken with Instagram at...

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:39:36 -0400

yoshtin:

The view… #lebua #bangkok (Taken with Instagram at Bangkok)

PRO TIP: You may not want to check in everywhere you go. Source:...

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 11:28:45 -0400

PRO TIP: You may not want to check in everywhere you go.

Source: Mashable

Good neighbors…let their dogs crap on your sidewalk!...

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 22:20:00 -0400

Good neighbors…let their dogs crap on your sidewalk! #likeagoodneighbor #humor

Public Service Announcement (PSA) to encourage exercise in...

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 21:03:49 -0400

Public Service Announcement (PSA) to encourage exercise in Thailand. Too funny.

As a commercial banker, I meet hundreds of entrepreneurs....

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 15:10:00 -0400

As a commercial banker, I meet hundreds of entrepreneurs. Frequently, I do site visits where I visit a small business, take notes, see the back room and the inventory, and take pictures, etc. Then I write reports to help my underwriters (who hate meeting clients) understand the nature of a business and why we should lend to them.

This video of Deus Ex Machina in would be a bankers dream presentation. What a cool business - surfing, motorcycles, apparel, art, bar, and Bali!

"Under such circumstances even Mother Teresa would look extremely suspicious, especially if her hands..."

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 19:29:03 -0400

“Under such circumstances even Mother Teresa would look extremely suspicious, especially if her hands were cuffed behind her back.”

- Is it time to end the “perp walk”? Parading the accused in front of television cameras humiliates criminal suspects. But it can be a risky business for prosecutors too. (via theeconomist)