My oldest sister emailed this to me and I absolutely love the photos, I thought I share this with everyone.

Every house has a beach — Architecture @ its best !!

Now see this stuff………………….
This is taken from world’s tallest building ‘Burj Dubai’ @ 2,620 ft / 801m!!!

What do you think guys…………………

Really amazing

Look at the edge (uppermost right corner) of the picture, you can almost see the turn of the earth

The persons who are working on the upper most Girders can see the ‘ROTATION OF EARTH’
So terrifying…..

I was talking to someone who is in a position to lend money, he said that an Asian restaurant that he often visits, the owner approached him and asked if he’d borrow money from him. At first, he thought it might be a couple of thousands, but after he learned that it’d be about half a million, that’s no longer borrowing anymore, that’s term money with interest payment and collateral.

This man is highly intelligent and wanted to help, but at the same time wouldn’t take the risk of loaning the money himself because he obviously wouldn’t get it back. He asked for the exact figure, then the borrower went on and explained that he has to care for the whole family, that his sister and her boyfriend needed to purchase a truck because they’re going into trucking business, and another sister needed to buy a house because she doesn’t have a place to live at the moment, but when asked for the exact figure, this person couldn’t come up with one; the deal didn’t go through and now they’re not even on a speaking term.

What kind of impression does the lender have if this is the scenario that’s given, this is more of a visual figure, and he explained to me that he feels like he is being hustled, this is definitely not a way to get a loan and not a good impression. When you ask for a business loan, even from a friend, you have to realize that the answer could also be no, and the information presented in this situation was poorly presented, instead of getting a loan or a potential investor, he also lost a good friend that could have helped him in his day-to-day business decision because this man is a very successful businessman.

Assuming that this person (borrower) went to the bank for a loan and presented this information, the chance of getting a loan is not likely; time is valuable for business(wo)men, rarely can they give anyone matter the attention it deserves, this is especially true of bankers, venture capitalists, and other investors who are inundated with business plans and proposals, a typical venture capitalist can expect to see more than 1000 business plans a year if not more.

Most people don’t read, mainly because they don’t have time, so it’s crucial to make your plan compelling the first couple of minutes, according to Andrew Anker, Venture Capitalist, “The first thing I read are the first two paragraphs of the executive summary. They’ve got to get that right. If they can’t describe it in two paragraphs, if I can’t be dragged in, there’s no way the next five million people can be dragged in. It doesn’t take more than a minute to decide whether a business is interesting.”

Interest statement, just one minute and here, you might spend five months preparing your plan, the cold, hard fact is that an investor or lender can dismiss it in less than five minutes. If you can’t make a positive impression in those critical first five minutes, your plan will be rejected. Only if it passes that first cursory look will your plan be examined in greater detail. The most important aspects of your plan must jump out at even the most casual reader. Even if your plan is intended for internal company use only, it will be more effective if it’s presented in a compelling, vivid form; highlighting specific facts, goals, and conclusions makes your plan easier to review, more effective as a working document, and increases your chances of making a positive impact.

I think in the above situation, since the restaurant is already established, if presented differently, then the chance of getting a loan might be greater, if not from him maybe from his friends, he knew and is a good friend of the president of a local financial institution, but the information was so poorly presented, no wonder he is in a financial bind.

Most lenders primarily look for answers to questions such as, is the business idea solid? Is there a sufficient market for the product or service? Are the financial projections healthy, realistic, and in line with the investor’s or lender’s funding patterns? Is key management described in the plan experienced and capable? Does the plan clearly describe how the investors or lenders will get their money back? Within the first five minutes of reading your business plan, readers must perceive that the answers to all these questions are favorable.

If you’ve guessed that this borrower is a Laotian man, you’re correct, but that’s not an important factor because if his plan and presentation were good, then it’d be considered.

Do you find yourself developing a business plan because someone else wants you to do so? Perhaps the bank is requiring it before giving you a loan, or an investor or venture capitalist needs one to decide whether to finance your business, maybe your attorney or accountant said you must have one, or your company president requires a strategic plan for your new division.

I guess these are good reasons enough, but entrepreneurs are self-motivated people, used to setting their own goals and determining their own tasks. They undertake endeavors not merely to please others, but because they understand the importance of an activity in reaching their overall objectives, but creating a business plan only as a response to someone’s request makes the process seem like a burden instead of an opportunity.

Meeting needs is the basis of all business. You can create a wonderful new machine, but if it doesn’t address some real and important need or desire people won’t buy it, and your business will fail. Even Thomas Edison recognized this fact when he said, “Anything that won’t sell, I don’t want to invent.”

Typically, entrepreneurs get their original business inspiration from one of four sources, such as previous work experience; education or training; hobbies, talents, or other personal interests; or recognition of an unanswered need or market opportunity. Occasionally the motivation comes from the business experience of a relative or friends.

As you think about what your business concept, keep in mind that successful business incorporates at least ONE of these elements.

Something New-This could be a new product, service, feature, or technology.

Something Better-This could be an improvement on an existing product or service encompassing more features, lower price, greater reliability, faster speed, or increased convenience.

An Underserved or New Market-This is a market for which there is greater demand than competitors can currently satisfy, an unserved location or a small part of an overall market, a niche market, that hasn’t yet been dominated by other competitors. Sometimes, markets become underserved when large companies abandon or neglect smaller portions of their current customer base.

New Delivery System or Distribution Channel-New technologies, particularly the Internet allow companies to reach customers more efficiently. This has opened up many new opportunities for businesses to provide products or services less expensively, to a wider geographic area, or with far greater choice.

Increased Integration-This occurs when a product is both manufactured and sold by the same company, or when a company offers more services or products in one location.

As mentioned earlier, your business should incorporate at least one of these factors, more than one if possible. Ideally, you can bring a new or better product or service to an identifiable but underserved market, perhaps using a more efficient distribution channel. Evaluate the ways your business concept addresses the elements described above. Your concept should be strong in at least one area. If not, you should ask yourself how your company will be truly competitive.

Source: The Successful Business Plan Secrets & Strategies by Rhonda Abrams, Fourth Edition.

When I saw a photo of this man on Thairath news, 9/4/07, a 39 year old man who was wearing over 1000 amulets of Jatukarm Ramathep lucky charm at the ceremony of the making of the new edition, this is what they called a number one fan, but I’m sure he is not the only one, the majority of Thai citizens are head over heals for these amulets.

Since I wrote a post on “Laser Art of the Jatukarm Ramathep Lucky Charm,” I do have to say that this has been one of my top ten posts since July 2007 and it has been very consistent. I posted a history on “The Legend of Jatukarm Ramathep” and hoping that it gave you some idea as to who this famous Jatukarm Ramathep talisman.

Not too long ago, my dad received a Buddha statue from a local temple where he keeps on his Buddha Mantle, I remember that he didn’t use the term purchase, more like ‘Bu Sar’ or donation, and in return received a Buddha statue as a gift.

Formerly in Thailand, Buddhist amulets were not traded, but were gifts offered by monks to the donors, and meditation masters to their disciples. It’s not as that anymore, when did this all changed. It was the crisis of the Indochina War between Thailand and France in 1941 that gave birth to the amulet market, as many soldiers and volunteer recruits sought the power of protection and invulnerability in battle. After the war, the demand for amulets (boosted by stories of their miraculous powers of protection) persisted and even extended to include all kinds of portable sacred objects. Over the past 50 years, the market has grown hand-in-hand with capitalism in Thailand. [1]

The Jatukarm Ramathep is, however, a special case as it is not directly related to the sacred Triple Gems. From its very name, it is a pair of twin gods, the guardians of the Phra Dhaat(u) of Nagor Sri Dharma Raj, the largest and most sacred pagoda of Nakhon Si Thammarat province in southern Thailand. The first generation of the amulet of this god(s) was produced for the first time three decades ago. But for some unknown reason, the twin gods were caste in the shape of one god with a demonic appearance. It was not a god in Buddhism, but rather a demon with many arms surrounded by eight other demons or Rahu (Asura).

Two years ago, almost no one in Thailand has heard anything about this, not that it didn’t exist because it was produced awhile back. This is not your average Buddhist talisman which is small and worn concealed from view, I have one but don’t wear it mainly because I work with mostly Christian people, and one has been trying to convert me to Christianity and often times would look at me as if I’m a sinner and will definitely go to hell, but I do have to say my mind and heart are a lot purer than hers’. But, the images of the Jatukarm Ramathep talismans are huge and worn as jewelery more akin to a rapper’s medallion than a discreet nod to religion. I think it’s more of a fashion statement than anything, Id, lead singer of the band Pong Lang Sa-on wore a huge one at a concert rehearsal at Wat Lao Buddhavong, and the pirates CD/VCD vendor that I purchased fake music CD from back in July, the owner also wore one, you can’t tell me that he has pure heart, and bottom line, most people are not wearing and/or purchasing it because of their Buddhist belief because this is definitely not according to the teaching of the Lord Buddha.

The Buddha has clearly stated that external objects are not strong enough to protect those whose minds are weak and confused. Our only security is to take refuge in our knowledge of the truth and in our realization of the true nature of the self and other phenomena. Once we understand that, there is no reality in a self that can be harmed, we become secure and confident, and we don’t need an amulet such as Jatukarm Ramathep talisman.

For educated Buddhists, the rise in popularity of this talisman is a bad omen for the religion. It is clear that the Lord Buddha never taught his followers to take refuge in any material object, portable or stationary alike. Buddhism was for self-empowerment and spiritual development through the cultivation of morality, meditation, and wisdom. The icon of the gods is a clear paradigm shift from the Buddha as the ultimate refuge, to the local twin-god guardians of a pagoda. Apparently, Buddhists in Thailand have forgotten the true message of the Lord Buddha and they have taken refuge in things the Buddha told them not to. [1]

I can’t help but to think that the soaring in demand of Jatukarm Ramathep talisman in Thailand is due to the instability of their economy and also the recent transformation of their government, people began to loose confident because it seems as if a huge wave of ‘bad luck’ has swept the whole country, they are suffering from fear, suspicion and insecurity. The popular belief is that the amulets are wealth spinners which explains by the launch of Jatukarm Ramathep collections with extreme and odd labels such as Kote Ruay Maha Sarn (Enormously Super Rich) and Kum Sap Thep Prathan (Divine-Given Treasure), and many, many more; by having these talismans, then high expectation that things will turn up for the better, just as the name suggested. This spiritual placebo shows another nature of the amulet market in Thailand, which is highly flexible and adaptive, ready to comply with any new emerging demand in Thai society.

Soaring demand has driven prices through the roof and spawned a speculative bubble so big that some share traders have turned their attentions to the market. So desperate were some to get their hands on a fresh issue of the Jatukarm Ramathep lucky charm that when a new edition went on sale, a woman was trampled to death in the stampede. [2]

This might seem good for the Thai economy at the moment, but really, if you’d look at it closely, the amulet economy is also part of Thailand’s shadow economy because it is tax-free and beyond the reach of government, unlike other investment markets, neither Wat (temple) tax nor income tax is collected. Some investors that used to trade on the stock market now turned to the Jatukarm Ramathep talisman and not for divine intervention, but for making easy profit, almost a return of 100%, plus tax free, what more can you ask for? This is what I call a divine invention.

I spoke to my dad recently and he said that many Thai citizens are now fearing to buy the Jatukarm Ramathep talisman because there are so many out there, you can’t tell the real from the fake ones, unless if you’ve trained eyes, its buyers beware market. The question of, “what if people suddenly lose confidence in the value of the amulets, that they are trading in so enthusiastically nowadays?” that was once asked is beginning to have an answer of its own, what will happen to the Thai economy?

Sources:
[1] An unprecedented phenomena, the booming business of Buddhist spiritual placebos. By Mettanando Bhikkhu, Bangkok Post, May 5, 2007

[2] Thais hang hopes of good fortune around necks, By Ian MacKinnon in Bangkok Friday June 29, 2007

Related Posts:

Buddhist belief in Images, Holy Water, Holy Thread, Talismans and Amulets

The Legend of Jatukam Ramathep

Laser Art of The Jatukarm Ramathep lucky charm

I think I must have contracted a disease from ‘ma-noy’ K (‘ma-noy’ means ‘brother’ in his province) from reading his post, ‘Postsecrets: Looks like I’m wearing a panty’. I’m not one to go shopping at the mall but after reading him saying that ‘I think it’s a disease that sometimes I cannot stop spending my money unwisely.’, I’m beginning to see why, and totally agree with him, I might have contracted this disease just by reading, you’ll see what I’m talking about.

I was bored, so I went to the mall during my lunch break, didn’t have anything particular in mind that I need to buy until I saw a Summer Breeze stand; they sell Rainbow Sandals. I remember one of my co-workers told me in the past that I have to get one, because it’s so me. I’ve never seen them before so walked around the stand twice, and stopped at the lady section.

I asked to try them on, a size M in black, and I can’t believe they were too small, I do have long feet for an Asian person, so I asked for a size L (size 7 ½ – 8 ½), which feel somewhat odd because I’ve never buy anything in a size L before. The sales person asked if I want the single stack or double stack, I thought for a moment, since I want to be tall, so I asked for a double stack. They were a bit narrow, but since my feet are thin, they look okay. I decided to make my purchase.

When he told me that it’s $47.95, $51.23 included tax, I couldn’t believe it, that much for a pair of sandals. He explained that it’s lifetime warranty, which sounds a bit better. I’m thinking to myself, if I have to buy a pair of sandals every 2 years for the next 30 years at $8 a pair, that would be $120 future value, then the present value of these sandals at a discount rate of assuming 6% would roughly be $20. The sales person probably was seeing smoke coming out from my head, I don’t know if it’s worth it. Its $51.23 now but assuming that I put this in a saving and earning 1.50% interest, in 30 years it’ll be $80. I’m torn if I should part with $51.23 as an investment for this pair of Rainbow sandals, if you’re still confusing about the calculation, don’t feel bad because I’m too.

I keep thinking, if ‘ma-noy’ K can buy his silly ‘tri-colored’ briefs, and was smiling up to his nose when he left the store, why not. So I made the purchase. When I got back to work, all the ladies wanted to see what them pair of $50 Rainbow Sandals look like. One lady mouth dropped open after finding out the price. I had to explain to her that they made me look tall and thin; she then wanted a pair if they’d do that for her; it’s strange that short people want to be tall, and tall people want to be taller.

At this point, I feel kind of bad that my co-workers think that I’m paying too much for a pair of sandals. I went back to my desk, then my office buddy, whom is in her early 60s wanted to see what them $50 pair of sandals look like. She asked me if they’d be damaged if they get wet. I didn’t think they would, and stressed to her about the lifetime warranty. She said, “If it’s comfortable, then its worth it, just like the sandals that I have on, I washed them several times in the dish washer, and they still look brand new.” I didn’t think I heard her right, so I asked, “You mean washing them in the washing machine with your laundry, right?” She said, “No, I washed them with my dishes, most of the time if I’m washing coffee cups, and glasses on top, then I usually wash my sandals on the bottom, it’s antiseptic, everything come out clean at the end.”

I looked at her strangely, I keep thinking, “Note to self: if invite to her house, not to eat or drink from her cups and plates.” I’m Laotian, I don’t do this, in fact, I seldom use my dishwashers. I’m beginning to wonder, do all American wash their sandals with their dishes?

I think it’s fun to read blogger screen names, the reasoning and psychological reasoning that go behind them. Mine is Nye Noona, which was supposed to be a male blogger, a name with a slight attitude, that’s me. Then the latest name that I added to my bloggroll was Dangling Monkey, if I have to guess, he is somewhat adventurous, an outdoor person and was born in the year of the monkey, for him to be dangling like a monkey. Then there is Karmadiva, which her anthem for life is “If one speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows one, like a shadow that never leaves”, (from Amphone’s blog,) she believes in Karma and that’s why she’s always trying to be pure in thoughts and actions, very nice gesture I think.

I also read Sao Lao, which is Darly, your average sao lao that loves Tum Buk Houng, oh, she might call it “Tum Maak Houng,” with her soft sweet Lao Northerner accent, the name describes her well. Knoizki, or K Speaking! lives in Hong Kong, someone gave him that name in college and kept it since, I often wonder if there’s any real meaning behind his name, maybe he’ll tell me, if by chance strolls by to read this post. Thesim, I wonder why Sim choose “THE” in front and not just Sim, might sound manlier or something. I read once that his name should have been ‘Simeung’, means color of city but he misspelled it, so got stuck with Simoung, Sim for short, that’s pretty cool, it’s ashamed that he misspelled his name.

I also read Wutthiphan’s blog, he lives in Thailand and recently visited the Southern part of Laos, it was a lot of fun to read, a very good writer but too bad most of you can’t read Thai language, but I’ve been waiting for a long time, still at the 2^nd part of his trip…I’m beginning to wonder, what’s happening to the rest of his trip. I think he’s using his real name.

One of the things about the free version of Word Press is that we can’t change our Domain name, but we can change our display name. I changed mine from Nye to Ginger because I was trying to outdo someone and got stuck with it, that was silly of me to have done that, but Ginger is easy to pronounce and it’s grown on me now. I recently discover that it’s the same name as K’s dead cat, his (former) little rascal.

Then there are business names that I came across that are so odd, and I can’t say that I fully understand the psychological reasoning that go behind these names. There is a restaurant that I often pass by and laugh every time I’d see it; it’s called Hummer Dinger. I’m not sure what to think, but it’s a hamburger joint.

When people decide to open a business, then the name sort of tells of whom they are, so there’s a lot of brain storming involved. Most business names that I came across are somewhat suitable as to the types of business that they’re in, and some are just so obvious, they couldn’t have made them any clearer, such as CIRCUIT CITY, or any restaurants’ name. Then there’re some names that you have to stop and ask, Say what? Did I hear that right? You must be joking, right? That’s so funny? That didn’t make sense!

Well, I have several business names that I thought they’re somewhat funny, odd, weird, and wild names,

HOT,COOL,DOG,CAT

LETTUCE DUIT

HANKY PANKY

THAT’S MY GIRL

GONE FISHING

WARPED WOMAN ENTERPRISES

YELLOW RIVER (why yellow river? Did someone pee in there or something?)

YOU NAME IT

BESTWAY (It’s a name of a trucking company, very confusing if they asked you to ship Bestway. What, the cheapest way?)

SATURDAY KNIGHT LTD.

TUESDAY MORNING

DR. LUCY ANN PRICE (not a doctor’s office, or remotely related to doctor)

(I’ll add more later…)

Virtual office is a new concept to me, but imagine if you want to invest in a foreign country, but just don’t feel 100% confident about the economy or business that you’re in; I guess this is an ideal situation for someone like me that don’t like to take too much risk, but expect huge return, and still want to have some level of comfort. Assuming that I’ve decided to open a business in Thailand, I obviously don’t want to set up an office, imagine having to buy all the office supplies, hiring employees, and having to pay rent. There is no need to do all that because there is a company that provide virtual office service, Regus is a company that service over 70 countries, and Thailand is one of the countries. I checked to see if Laos was one, sadly no, but you never know in the near future, they might because the company is expanding, I’ll be sure to check back at a later time.

What is a Virtual office?

This is from Regus web site: Enjoy all the benefits of having a fully functioning office without moving from your present location, including priority access to our offices and meeting rooms worldwide when you’re on the road. Regus offers the following virtual office solutions to fit your needs:

• Prestigious business address – Choose from 950 world-class business addresses for use on your business cards, letterhead and marketing materials
• Mail collection and forwarding – Mail is collected, packages are signed for and sent to you according to your instructions
• Preferred rates on office supplies and couriers – Receive discounted rates on Staples, FedEx and more
• Access ready-to-use offices and meeting rooms – Work from any of our locations around the world at preferred rates
• On-demand administrative and technical support – Access to our administrative and technical IT support teams
• Incoming and outgoing faxes – Use our local fax number; we’ll collect and send faxes to you, wherever you are*
• A local phone number in any of our 400 cities – Provide a local phone number to all your contacts
• Personalized call answering – Professional receptionist answers your calls in your companys name according to your specifications
• Call redirecting – Specialized technology enables call redirection to your primary number*
• Voice mailbox – Remote setup and retrieval of your personal voicemail 24/7
• Lobby listing – Your company will be listed in the lobby along with all building tenants*
• 16 hours of private office time – Work from a professionally furnished and equipped office, in your location, for 16 hours a month**
• Starts at US$175/month

*Additional fees may apply

**Available by the day in 8-hour increments in most U.S. locations (not available in locations outside the U.S.)

Assuming that I have this virtual office set up in Thailand, and of course, the address of my new company on my business card would read:

How cool is that; imagine the look on my clients’ face when I handed them my business card, they probably think how in the world can I afford to rent that building because it is located in the heart of Bangkok at the lively and stylish All Seasons Place, Regus is in a well-established business district on the famous Wireless Road. Regus is situated near commercial centres and major embassies. Lumpini Park, bangkok’s largest oasis is just minutes away. This Regus centre is part of a 27 storey tower, one of three in a newly developed complex which includes the Conrad International Hotel. On the exclusive Wireless Road, a well established business district, the tower is diagonally opposite the American embassy compound.

Sounds too good to be true, but really, assuming that your client call, the secretary/receptionist will be able to answer everything about your company because technically speaking she is working for you, they’re a pro at this, but the only draw back is that you won’t know what s/he looks like. Worst scenario, assuming that my business is not doing too well, and I’ve decided to shut the door, then I just have to stop using their service, end of the story, no question ask.

If you’re interested in investing in a foreign country, check to see if Regus have service in that country. You never know, one day, I might just decide to pack my bag and go to Thailand or Laos. What do you think about this? Care to share your idea, please leave a comment here. Thanks.