Where did Benja Orchids go?

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LolaBeltran
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Where did Benja Orchids go?

Post by LolaBeltran »

Stopped by Benja Orchids on the canal road and they have gone. Anyone know where or have an alternative orchid dealer?
They were so handy, had a large selection and always friendly. I will go through orchid withdrawal soon. . .help!
gerryha
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Re: Where did Benja Orchids go?

Post by gerryha »

From the old place go through the trafic lights at soi 6 and they are about 1/2 KM on the left. Now benj orchid 2, spotted them this morning
LolaBeltran
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Forget Benja Orchids

Post by LolaBeltran »

Well I have now scratched Benja Orchids off my list . . .which is a real shame. They used to be an excellent business and an enjoyable visit with friendly attentive staff, a wide variety of orchids both expensive and cheap. I made a special trip there today and was very disappointed and appalled at how badly this once thriving business has deteriorated.

The driveway down is treacherous, and there is nothing to see or buy. Small office, a shed with what looks like remnant orchids ( no blooms) set out on the floor (never seen that before) A few dozen pots and couple of deserted derelict greenhouse type structures. . .and that was it. No welcome signs, no directions . . .and the people "working" there ignored me. The very fact that I had made it down their treacherous driveway warranted at least a round of applause.

Bottom line. . .forget Benja Orchids.

More important for me now ..is there another orchid farm/greenhouse in town with a wide variety of orchids ( both type and price) and friendly service? You would think that in a town like Hua Hin with so many people living the tropical dream ( in homes, condos and hotels) such an orchid center would be a lucrative business.
LolaBeltran
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Benja Orchids

Post by LolaBeltran »

Just bumping this up. I stopped by the new Benja Orchids place . .canal road just past traffic lights. . . in the hopes that they had pulled their act together by now. .. no such luck. The driveway down is still perilous unless you are in an off-road vehicle. Nobody around. . .nothing to see or to buy. Huge disappointment.

Let me try again to see if any one here knows if there is another local source ( Cha- Am/ HH) that retails orchids. There must be someplace here. . .or does every hotel, resort small restaurant and guest house order from suppliers in Bangkok or what. I see orchids everywhere. ..but no source!

I know there is some kind of government orchid farm out by the bypass, but a visit there ( been a couple of times) is frustrating. Few orchids in bloom, acres to wander through and no sales staff to speak of. Be nice to have a few to brighten up the house & garden over the holidays! Thanks for any suggestions
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joelle
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Re: Where did Benja Orchids go?

Post by joelle »

you can find some beautiful orchids and other flowers at Thips Flowers Cha Am
here is the address :
499/14 Srisakhunthai Road
Cha-Am
tel : 081 271 7036
Thip speaks very good English and has a page on Facebook called "Thips Flowers cha am"

best of luck in finding what you are looking for
LolaBeltran
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Re: Where did Benja Orchids go?

Post by LolaBeltran »

Thanks so much for the tip Joelle. I appreciate your taking the time to post. I made the trip to Chaam this morning but was disappointed in Thips. (She wasnt there to start with.) I usually buy a dozen to 15 orchid plants. .. for a total of 300 to 600 baht . . . .and that is all she had in her small "store." This is to say nothing of the fact that most appeared to be priced 250 to 500 baht each.

I really need a place like Benja orchids used to be. . .and it is amazing to me that no such place exists in Hua hin proper. It is a terrific business opportunity I would think . . .with proper advertising and marketing. If I knew anything about growing orchids I would be tempted to have a go. But my relationship with orchids (talking about plants here not cut blooms) is to buy a bunch in various colours,.. enjoy the hell out of them for the few weeks they are in bloom and then toss them. ( They NEVER bloom again no matter what you do to them.)

So back to square one here. . .any wholesalers of orchids in Hua Hin? Or retailers with a large selection/stock?
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buksida
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Re: Where did Benja Orchids go?

Post by buksida »

There are plenty of orchid places at Dansingkhon in Prachuap and along the highway around Kuiburi.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
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joelle
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Re: Where did Benja Orchids go?

Post by joelle »

So sorry to read about your disappointment lollabeltran, I was only suggesting a place I read about on facebook, had no idea about the prices charged, hope you will find what you are looking for and let us all know
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Re: Where did Benja Orchids go?

Post by LolaBeltran »

While I am at it here, I will bump this thread up too. I have stopped a few times over the past months at the "new" Benja orchid place on the canal road. Stopped there a couple days ago in the morning and afternoon and they were closed. Sad really. They used to be a wonderful thriving business with cheerful friendly staff a wide selection of reasonably priced orchids, large greenhouses etc. They were even exporting them at the time. Now there are just a couple of thatched sheds, some tattered signs to identify the place and obviously no staff the day I checked. Soooo

Does anyone have a suggestion of a place in Hua Hin selling orchids?
NOTE: I did visit the place in Cha Am that someone suggested here, but it was very small and only a dozen or two orchids were displayed all for sale at healthy prices.
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Re: Where did Benja Orchids go?

Post by oakdale160 »

I don't know but there are 2 ways to fail in business in Thai. 1.If you do not have enough business then you will loose your investment and have to close. 2 If business is good and you are making money--- your family, police, authorities local mafia etc etc will all demand to share the wealth and you fail.
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Re: Where did Benja Orchids go?

Post by LolaBeltran »

Yes, as I observed Oakdale, it is just a really sad situation. I believe that the owner was French and I have heard from a former worker ( via a friend) that he ( worker) quit because the pay was not enough. It was a thriving business and the owner appeared to have a great deal of technical know-how on growing orchids as well as connections here and abroad for selling them. Your reason #2 is probably the case.
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Re: Where did Benja Orchids go?

Post by Name Taken »

oakdale160 wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2017 7:01 am I don't know but there are 2 ways to fail in business in Thai. 1.If you do not have enough business then you will loose your investment and have to close. 2 If business is good and you are making money--- your family, police, authorities local mafia etc etc will all demand to share the wealth and you fail.
Actually there is more than just 2 ways to fail in business anywhere(Not just in Thailand) and I am not saying that this is the specific reason why this particular business failed.
3. If your competition is selling better and higher quality products then customers will stop buying from your business and instead only buy from your competitors business that is selling better and higher quality products.
There are many ways to fail in business, and starting a business(especially a small or medium sized business) is always a risky endeavor.
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Re: Where did Benja Orchids go?

Post by europtimiste »

I know the person, he had more income by exporting his orchids abroad. I didn't know about closure of his farm.
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