I just realized that being a trader is not as difficult as I thought. You just need to understand what it really is and start correctly.

Simply put, what is a trader? It’s someone who makes money by buying low and selling high, whether it’s gold, currency, stocks, or crypto. Like someone going to a market and buying a shirt for 100 baht, then reselling it in a Facebook group for 200 baht, making a 100 baht profit. That’s what a trader does too—just replacing shirts with gold and doing it via mobile phone instead.

What sets traders apart from regular stock investors is that investors buy and hold long-term, waiting for it to grow. But traders are more active—buying and selling more frequently, maybe holding for just a few hours or days, then selling for a profit. I compare it like this: an investor is like planting a mango tree and waiting 3 years to harvest, while a trader is like buying mangoes from the farm and selling them daily at the market, earning the margin.

But I must tell the truth: according to FINRA statistics, 72% of day traders end the year with losses. I say this not to scare you, but to make you aware that if you want to start, you need to prepare well.

There are many ways for traders to make money. The first is buying low and selling high—simple to understand. For example, if gold is priced at $4,600, you buy it. When the price rises to $4,650, you sell and make a $50 profit. Done.

The second way is Short Selling—selling first, buying back later. Sounds strange, right? Like your friend has an iPhone, you borrow it and sell it for 30,000 baht. A week later, the price drops, so you buy it back for 25,000 baht and return it. The difference of 5,000 baht is your profit. In trading, you can do this easily—just press the Sell button on the app.

And then there’s Leverage—multiplying your buying power. Suppose you have 1,000 baht. Normally, you can buy something worth 1,000 baht. But with 1:100 leverage, you control assets worth 100,000 baht. Your profit can increase 100 times, but so can your losses. It’s like driving fast—sure, it’s exciting, but if you crash, it’s serious.

There are four main types of traders, categorized by how long they hold positions:
- Scalper: entering and exiting within seconds to minutes. Like selling grilled skewers, earning 2 baht per skewer, selling 500 skewers a day for 1,000 baht. Very stressful—not recommended for beginners.
- Day Trader: trading within a single day. Buying in the morning, selling everything by evening, no holding overnight. The advantage is no need to worry about tomorrow, but the downside is needing to be free all day, which is hard if you have a full-time job.
- Swing Trader: what I recommend for beginners. Opening an order and holding for 2-3 days up to 2-3 weeks. No need to stare at the screen all day—just check in the morning before work and in the evening after work. Like casting a fishing line, not watching constantly. Suitable for working people.
- Position Trader: holding positions for weeks or months, focusing on the big picture, ignoring daily price fluctuations.

If you understand what a trader is and want to try, where should you start?
First, learn the basics—no need to go deep. Just understand the main concepts: what can be traded, how to read price charts, what is Stop Loss, what is Leverage. Just these basics first.

Second, most important: practice trading with fake money first. Every good trading app offers a Demo Account with virtual funds. The prices reflect real market prices. Everything is like real trading, just without risking actual money. It’s like a driving simulator before driving a real car. I recommend practicing on Demo for at least 2-4 weeks before trading with real money.

Third, choose a trustworthy trading platform. Picking the wrong one could lead to scams or high fees. It must have a valid license, be easy to use, offer a Demo Account for practice, not charge commissions, and have analysis tools. MiTrade is an example of a good platform—regulated by ASIC in Australia, no commissions, and with Negative Balance Protection.

Fourth, plan before trading. Traders without a plan are like people buying lottery tickets. Answer these four questions:
- What will I trade?
- When will I enter?
- How much am I willing to lose if I’m wrong?
- Where will I take profit if I’m right?
Golden rule: don’t risk more than 1-2% of your capital on each trade.

Fifth, start trading with small amounts. After practicing on Demo and gaining confidence, gradually move to real trading. Don’t bet large sums initially—start with an amount you can afford to lose without hardship. Increase your capital gradually as you gain experience. If you want to try risk-free trading, start with a free Demo account—trade immediately without real money.

From studying over 8 million traders over 27 years, it’s found that 74-89% of retail traders lose money. The remaining 11-26% succeed because they do different things: follow a plan, set Stop Loss every time, accept losses as normal, practice with fake money first, keep records of every trade. Successful traders are not those who never lose, but those who lose less and profit more over the long term.

Being a trader isn’t hard, but it requires three things: knowledge, practice, and discipline. There are no shortcuts or get-rich-quick formulas. Traders make money from the price differences of assets.
There are four types: Scalper, Day Trader, Swing Trader, Position Trader. Always start with a Demo account—free, risk-free, easy to use, licensed platform, transparent costs, and always set Stop Loss.
This is what separates traders from gamblers.
Start real trading with small, manageable amounts that you can lose without hardship.
The best first step is to open a free Demo account and try trading—no need to deposit real money yet. Just see if you like it. If you do, learn more; if not, there’s nothing lost.