New protests against giant foreign retailers

[dirtydog]

New protests against giant foreign retailers


More than 200 local small retailers from across the country staged a new round of protests against multinational retail giants in front of Government House Tuesday, urging the government to reduce the impact of the fast expansion of retail giants in many communities.

The protesters submitted a letter to Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, Interior Minister Aree Wongsearaya, Commerce Minister Krirk-krai Jirapaet and Army Commander-in-Chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, asking them to find a solution to the controversy between local retail operators and the larger retailers.

Thailand Consumer Power Association president Viroj na Bangchang and Association for Thai Wholesaling and Retailing president Somchai Pornratanacharoen submitted the letter on behalf of the protestors. PM's Office secretary-general Pongthep Theprateep accepted it.

Viroj said small local retailers faced serious problems from the fast expansion of multinational retail operators. They want the government quickly to implement the country's first ever Retail Business Act, which has already been drawn up but not yet approved by the Cabinet.

The protesters demanded the government clearly define the areas in which large retailers can set up stores.

The Nation

[ChiangMai noon]

They have just opened a little Tesco store about 3 minutes away from me.
i shall never use the local store again.
Don't like the gossiping kunts anyway.

[William]

^I thought you had your own store mate?

[Skulldigger]

I bet those protesters were hired by the Chinese dude who owns Big C, the crappiest of them all.

[blackgang]

I will buy nothing from the small retailers any more since they open a TESCO in our area.
Nice to buy pork without blood dripping all over and cut gut smells and fly blows all over it.
Freah produce that you can wash, cook and eat that you do not have to tear all apart to get the fuckin worms and bugs out of it.

They don't even have a few large buckets of Balaa stinking up the store either

[watterinja]

Wonder why the locals have not thought about trying to outperform the large stores?

The larger stores have weak points in most countries, but in Thailand, the locals are just so bad, that even the mega-stores shine.

[Spin]

The protesters demanded the government clearly define the areas in which large retailers can set up stores.

That'll be wherever the biggest back hander payers want to put thier store

[ChiangMai noon]

^I thought you had your own store mate?

not anymore, upped and moved on.
i am no longer in the 1% profit on a pack of chewing gum game.

[William]

^oh yes, forgot how much more profitable tearing up passports was

[dirtydog]

7/11 has destroyed the local mom and pop stores in my area, Thank Fok, it's nice to be able to buy a can of drink that aint passed it's sell by date, is cold, and aint got a load of shite and crap round the rim that you have to try and clean with the bottom of your dirty t shirt, last few times when I have nearly resorted to buying a can of beer at a mom and pop store the cans were so dirty I just stuck them back in the fridge and bought some cigarettes so they didn't think I wasting their time.

[RandomChances]

i am no longer in the 1% profit on a pack of chewing gum game.

No wonder you packed it in, we work on a 20% mark up....a lot more on low value items.

[blackgang]

Now if the Thai managers of the big stores will just learn to order ahead and keep hot sell items on hand instead of always selling everything and then a week later order with a 2 week delivery date.
Used to be at TOPLAND that every month they were out of butter for a week or 2 because of not ordering in time, but that seems to be a Thai thing and happens everywhere, even in the new Tesco store.

[in4zip]

Now if the Thai managers of the big stores will just learn to order ahead and keep hot sell items on hand instead of always selling everything and then a week later order with a 2 week delivery date.
Used to be at TOPLAND that every month they were out of butter for a week or 2 because of not ordering in time, but that seems to be a Thai thing and happens everywhere, even in the new Tesco store.

the foreigner here is expected to be a "plan ahead" man with a plan type of dude

buy two weeks of groceries. sorted!

[Whiteshiva]

Wonder why the locals have not thought about trying to outperform the large stores?

The have probably considered it, and decided against it because:

1) You would have to be nice to customers.
2) You would have to provide service.
3) You couldn't sell crap and get away with it.
4) You couldn't work in shorts, flip-flops and a dirty t-shirt.
5) You would have to keep the place clean - i.e wash it more than once per generation.
6) You would have to install additional lighting (1 fluorescent light tube is not enough).
7) You couldn't sit on your ass all day and do nothing.

[blackgang]

SHIVA, thats about right.

But I do buy ahead, I keep 4 or 6 cubes of butter in the freezer now.
But Tesco had some NZ frozen Peas and I like them and used to get them from Belgium from my supplier in BKK, but they quit them and now get em from China, and they are the same grade shit that you can buy here, so I bought 6 of what Tesco had and they sold out and told the MGR. that I would take a case when he could get more in, that took 6 months.

I buy a lot of stuff for a years supply as when we go to CM for a visa renew in August I get it as there was no store above a TOPLAND here and they didn't even carry good Thai stuff.
But now that Tesco is here I can cut back from the $1000 we used to spend once a year in CM.