Pattaya - Protest about Tesco Express stores opening

[dirtydog]

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Tuesday 6th March 2007

Protesters vent their frustration at plans to open Tesco Express stores here in Pattaya.
This protest comes from the front of Pattaya City Hall and took place on Tuesday Morning. The group is known as the Pattaya-Naklua Protest Action Group and is complaining about plans for the Tesco-Lotus Group to open branches of their Tesco-Express 24 Hour Convenience Stores which can be found in Bangkok and the Provinces, here in Pattaya. There are currently 189 Tesco Express stores around the Country and the company now has plans to open a number of the stores here in Pattaya. Local family owned convenience stores that make up the bulk of this protest group are angry at the plans to open these stores and believe the traditional convenience stores will be forced out of business by these ultra-modern multi-purpose stores. A petition was handed to Khun Watanna, Deputy Mayor of Pattaya who promised to hand the document to the Mayor. For now though, the opening of the Express stores here in Pattaya will still be going ahead as planned.

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[Gerbil]

Cnuts. Learn to compete or die you twats.

[Spin]

the traditional convenience stores will be forced out of business by these ultra-modern multi-purpose stores

By "traditional" they mean dusty shop house with 5000 bahts worth of out of date products propped up on rickety old shelving?

[stroller]

I am afraid it will be the customers' choice to decide where to shop, as much sympathy as I have with the little stores who don't have the resources to compete with highly-organised chain-stores.

I make the 2hour journey there and back to travel to Tesco/Lotus myself once a fortnight, loading my bike to full capacity - product range unmatched by the small stores, and competitively priced. Fresh products I buy at the local market, though.

[klongmaster]

enjoyed a Sunday afternoon BBQ chat with the Pom who is responsible for this TL expansion...he said they plan to open 600 stores this year in thailand...so I guess we'll see lots of whingers...

a thoroughly good guy - for a pom - rugby man of course so that helps...

[dirtydog]

rugby man of course so that helps...

= a guy that likes showering with other naked men, klongy it is a well known fact that guys that play rugby are just suppressed gay men that don't want to come out, hell ask kingwilly about it, I mean no normal hetro is gonna use the name kingwilly is he, it's all about attracting the same sex, they aint like normal people are they, bloody pooves

[Gerbil]

^ Much as I enjoy watching (and in the past playing) a good game of rugby, I do have to admit there there is a lot that is more than a little gay about the whole thing. You do tend to come across (!) a fair number of repressed arse bandits in the 'scene'.

I know one guy who was invited to joined an 'exclusive' ex-pat touring team - on his introductory tour after a massive drinking binge, he woke up in his hotel room to discover himself about to be rogered by two of the committee members.

[Spin]

he said they plan to open 600 stores this year in thailand

wow, thats a lot.

How many 7-11's are there in Thailand?

[dirtydog]

on his introductory tour after a massive drinking binge, he woke up in his hotel room to discover himself about to be rogered by two of the committee members.

That kingwilly and marmers are right bstards

[blackgang]

There are about 27 million 7-11s in Thailand I think,,damn sure more here than in the whole USA.
We got 4 or 5 right here in the little town of Phetchabun, and down the road in Tha Phun there is a couple and it is just a village.

[Gerbil]

^^ No, not that particular club. That's the one where most of the members can't get it up anymore isn't it?

[Gerbil]

There are about 27 million 7-11s in Thailand I think

I think that might be a bit of an overestimate.

[dirtydog]

There are 6 7/11's within 500 meters of my place, I think that maybe 4 too many....

[dirtydog]

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Thursday 8th March 2007

Tesco-Lotus halts construction of two new Express stores as protests continue.
An update now on a story we featured on Tuesday’s show regarding a protest by local convenience store owners at Pattaya City Hall who are angry at plans for the Tesco-Lotus group to open Tesco Express Stores around Pattaya. The protesters from a group known as the Pattaya-Naklua Protest Action Group believe that the traditional family-run convenience stores will be forced out of business because of these new ultra-modern stores who are able to sell items at cheaper prices. On Thursday Morning, Khun Wirawat and Khun Watanna, both Deputy Mayors of Pattaya summoned a small group of the protesters to a meeting at City Hall which was also attended by Khun Choocheep from the Tesco-Lotus Group. The Deputy Mayor’s mentioned that the group is currently constructing two stores in Naklua and Soi Neun Pleub Wan. In both cases, operating licenses have not yet been issued. The Deputy Mayors requested that construction at both sites should be suspended for now until a compromise can be reached in this ongoing dispute which, it is feared, may escalate if construction continues. The Tesco-Lotus group officials agreed to this and further meetings are expected soon.

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[stroller]

So, it's all just about 2 stores, in a place like Pattaya?
Unbelievable...

[RandomChances]

There are about 27 million 7-11s in Thailand

No thats just Jomtian I'm about 8 km from my nearest, after that about 30 km to the next

[Propagator]

Cant understand some of this. About a year ago a new Tesco place was built in Loei and would be easy for me to get to. The nearest place with a big store (Big C, Tesco and shopping mall) is Khon Kaen a mere 140 km away. Yet the place in Loei still remains unoccupied and there are no good stores in Loei.

[Whiteshiva]

I wonder what kind of compromise they are looking for. Perhaps they will demand that Tesco turn off their air-con, increase prices, instruct all their staff to be as rude as possible, sell shoddy goods and cover the building in dust and spider webs. That would at least level the playing field......

[klongmaster]

Perhaps they will demand that Tesco turn off their air-con, increase prices, instruct all their staff to be as rude as possible, sell shoddy goods and cover the building in dust and spider webs.

you must have been shopping at the end of my soi WS:...

always amazes me how they survive...

[keda]

How many tailors are there in Walking Street, and what is their ratio against 711/Family in central Pty? I reckon Tesco would clean up if they opened a tailor shop.

[dirtydog]

Lotus Express Moving Slowly

Maybe some of you noticed a big group of people standing on both sides of North Pattaya Road on the morning of Tuesday the 6th March in front of City Hall and Tesco Lotus? Well,


that was all about a public protest that was going on there in a heated debate with City Hall.
The group was filled with vendors that do not agree with the fact that Tesco Lotus is planning to build 4 new branches around Pattaya. One in Naklua Market, one in Soi Khao Talo, one in Soi Nongprue, and the other in Soi Noenplabwan. According to the protestors, this will make all the local vendors in these areas lose profit dramatically. They are afraid that when Tesco Lotus does this, they will not be able to sell their products at a competitive price. In the future their shops might have to shut down if Big C, Carrefour, and others do the same, because at the moment their sales percentage have already slumped because of the many 7-Eleven Supermarkets that have created branches all over the area.

Since Tesco Lotus, which is a British based Company, opened up in Thailand for business, it has dramatically affected the small Thai companies that could not possibly compete. Now, the Tesco Empire is planning to have small branches around Pattaya, avoiding some laws by having premises not more than 300 square meters space, using the name of Lotus Express.
Deputy Mayor Wattana Chantarawaranon was there representing the Mayor as he was away overseas. The administrators of City Hall have gathered all the information from both sides to solve the problem.
Finally, Deputy Mayor Wattana explained to the protestors that City Hall will not issue a permit for Lotus Express to start constructing, which made them happy and all went home contented after they got this answer.

Pattaya People

Pattaya People reporters have followed up with the protest of local retail vendors that occurred on 6th March, led by Mr. Wichian Tangtumsatid, former candidate in the last Mayor Election, and found that they had a meeting on 8th March at City Hall to discuss further into the details of the situation.
Deputy Mayor Wattana Chantarawaranon who dealt with the situation on 6th March passed the issue on to Deputy Mayor Weerawat Kakhai.
More than 50 vendors were at the meeting and also representatives from Tesco Lotus to listen and discuss the problems.
The representatives were rather shocked to see the vendors and reporters at the meeting that day since no one informed them of who was going to be there. The Deputy Mayor only asked us to come along today and didn’t mention who was going to attend the meeting. It was easy to see that they were not prepared at all.
All that one representative said was “I am not in the position to say or promise anything at this time. I cannot give you any details. We must bring this matter into the board of directors first”. However, after being forced by the public’s questions – demanding for an answer and conclusion, the representative could not stand the pressure and stepped outside to make a phone call. When he returned, he requested all to postpone this meeting to the 14th of March when all the answers will be announced.
Deputy Mayor Weerawat explained to the vendors that City Hall understands the problem if Lotus Express was ever to be opened, and at the moment City Hall are trying to find ways according to the law to stop the construction, which made the vendors happy.
Pattaya People Weekly had an exclusive short interview with Deputy Mayor Weerawat where he stated “Today I did not tell Tesco Lotus that the vendors and reporters would be here at the meeting because then they wouldn’t come. I just requested them to come over for a talk about what had just happened. I asked the representatives straight forwardly to take my words back to tell the directors directly that I am asking - in the name of City Hall for them to not construct. We already have enough shopping centers in Pattaya. Please don’t make these things happen here. At the moment the administrators of City Hall are working hard on this issue. I asked them to go find out if Lotus Express has a permit for construction or not? And if not, then tell them to stop constructing straight away. During this time, the letter that we issued to the Ministry is being considered. We want everyone to know that we definitely agree with the residents but City Hall is not powerful enough to fight large companies. All we can do is to block them at one point, but it is up to the high rank of Ministry to manage it. We understand that vendors are affected by this but I also told the vendors that at the same time, they must also improve themselves like cleanliness, packing, and the way they present their products – not make only complaints about others. Actually, when the protest started on 6th March, no one here at City Hall really knew anything about it. No one was here at City Hall prepared to deal with anything. The only person here was Deputy Mayor Wattana Chantara-waranon. The group said that they made an appointment with City Hall to hand in a complaint, but when they got here it was a big mob to get everyone’s attention. When Deputy Mayor Wattana invited all into the meeting room to discuss about the problem, the mob refused by saying if they go in the room, then no one will see them. Actually that was not right but never mind, we are here to help our people anyway”.
Pattaya People also had an interview with the leader of the protest march; Mr. Wichian Tangtumsatid, who is also himself a retail vendor since he has a photo shop. He stated “Normally in all countries, there is a law to protect retailers that is a law to prevent commercial competing, use the local power to protect the residents and protect their careers. Actually last year there was going to be a law issued for this matter, but since the government’s management changed, this matter was delayed, and that was why Big C and Tesco Lotus were able to construct two of their stores here in Pattaya, Carrefour was allowed to construct right in the middle of Pattaya, and so many little supermarkets like 7-Elevens, Family Marts, and so much more are here. The vendors that were in the City then were automatically forced to move outside – to the outskirts of Pattaya where they now have businesses there. Now, Lotus Express is going to construct around local markets on the outskirts and ruin their careers again. As a matter of fact, nowadays the vendors buy from these superstores and sell them in their shops. Like Tesco Lotus; many vendors buy cheap products from Lotus at wholesale prices and sell them to residents close to their home, which of course they have to pay a little more but it is convenient for them. This makes vendors customers of Tesco Lotus, but now, it is like Tesco Lotus is betraying their own customers.
It might have looked like we were directly protesting against Tesco Lotus but actually no, we were protesting against all the modern Superstore forms like 7-Elevens, Family Marts, other shopping centers, etc.
Vendors at local markets have been in Thailand forever. For example, when there are celebrations, cremations, Tamboon, or weddings; the vendors always get white envelopes from residents to help by putting in money, which they always do. This is like a tradition. If we allow the foreign way to come in too much, then what will be left of the Thai tradition?
I am also a vendor myself. I have a photo shop. If there is no law to protect retailers, then many people will lose their jobs – they will have no work. As soon as the vendors came to discuss this problem with me, I agreed to join in. I am very thankful to you Pattaya People for being the middle person to release out my words to the public so that all would know of the truth of the problems and understand that it is really affecting many lives here.
Thank you”.
Pattaya People will keep you updated about this matter from the next meeting that will take place on Wednesday 14th March and we should know the results.

Pattaya People