OneMoreFarang

Wow! 6 hours later we have 111 replies in this post. I would have never expected that one. Thanks!

I visited Foodland Soi 5 the first time in 1995. And I don't think it was new at that time.

About Foodland: I go there most of the time in daylight. No problem. And within 1km radius around Soi 5 there is a lot more than just what you describe.

That is an interesting comment, at least from my point of view. My shopping in Foodland takes maybe 5 or 10 minutes. It's clean and it is bright enough to see. And most of the time I don't have to wait at the cashier. Would I pay more only because the aisles are wider, or the ceiling is higher? No. And motorcycle parking right in front of the door is a big advantage from Foodland Soi 5. But I guess you are not alone and that might explain why fewer people go to Foodland. It definitely does not feel like a 5-star hotel.

It's hot! I wear a helmet because it protects my head and I am used to it. But having the wind in the hair and no helmet feels a lot better. It's a lot easier to get used to a mask. Personally I don't use them anymore since maybe 1/2 year or longer.

I don't know what is happening in the background. But I don't think I ever bough any fruit or vegetable in that shop which was old. And I have to admit I don't look at it in detail before I put it in the shopping basket.

There are, or at least there used to be, so many people in that area that Foodland Soi 5 was busy and Soi 16 was busy. In general the shops obviously have to look what places are available. The Ambassador complex, in which Villa Market was located a couple of years ago, changes all the time. I would be surprised if there is any shop in there in the same location for more than 5 years.

That is something I can confirm, at least from Foodland Soi 5. I see regularly the vegetable and fruit people checking the items and the labels. And I saw them taking old products out for the shelves.

Are you maybe just a little racist? I also see the Arabs and (presumable) Africans in that Soi and in Foodland. And I had never trouble with any of them. There are rumors that the African's sell drugs. Maybe they do. But nobody ever asked me to buy any. At least for me the nationality and the skin color of the customers don't matter as long as behave. And IMHO drunk farangs are a lot more likely to misbehave.

Some people here mention fruit and vegetable, etc. I buy all those at the Klong toey fresh market. It's fresh, tastes better and is cheaper. My Thai gf buy there also fish and seafood - she knows how to judge the quality. I don't buy any meat at the fresh market because just looking at all that raw meat in the open and with the dirt all over the place I just don't want to risk that. On 2nd thought about Foodland Soi 5: I walk to that place or take my bike, and I can park in front of it. But if people have a car that is definitely more difficult.

That is an interesting point I never thought about. Now I buy a lot of things online which I never ordered online before Covid. But I still never did supermarket shopping online.

No I know that many people point any remote at the receiver, often with outstretched arm. But in most cases the remote works just fine even if it is not pointed in that direction. Just try it.

Good one! That reminds me of the alcohol promotion ladies in Foodland. I think they are still there. I never understood the reason to have them there. Do people buy more bottles if some women with makeup stand near to the bottles and play with their mobile phones? Strange.

It might be a function of the remote. Or it might be a function inside the AC unit. Both options are possible.

The remote won't add a function which doesn't exist. But an 3rd party remote control might pretend to press some buttons at a certain time of the day. Logitech Harmony is such a 3rd party remote control. I never tried it with an AC, but it might do the job.

I agree the expats and tourists are still not on the pre Covid level. But I don't think they are 80% down. And it seems Foodland business is way down. I wouldn't be surprised if they close it in that location because there are just not enough customers anymore.

In Soi 5 they still sell bread. But they don't have the same bakery supplier anymore, I think they changed the supplier already before Covid. Now the bakery products are lower quality than before - at least according to my taste.

Really? IMHO Villa is often more expensive. If I want some special cheese, then it's more likely that I will get it in Villa and not in Foodland. But for many everyday items, including fresh meet, I prefer Foodland. Normally I avoid TOPS, at least the one below Robinson in Sukhumvit Soi 17. My reason is their attitude to hygiene. They have often meet, like fresh chicken, presented in the open where people walk through. People and touch it, people can sneeze near or on it. No, I don't need that one. And I saw that they too meet out of sealed packages to put it on the open pile to sell it. What a stupid idea! Just that alone is for me reason enough to avoid that place - at least for anything which needs cooling and/or hygiene.

I posted this in the Bangkok forum, it's about Sukhumvit Soi 5 in Bangkok.

I like in lower Sukhumvit since decades. For all that time Foodland in Soi 5 was my main supermarket. I go there almost daily. In Covid times the whole area, including Foodland, was almost empty. No surprise. But even after Covid Foodland has maybe only 10% or 20% of the customers which it used to have - at least in my subjective experience. Why? As far as I know there are a few other supermarkets in the area, but IMHO nothing better than Foodland. Now, with the fewer customers, they also have fewer service people in the shop. It's a slow downhill spiral. Does anybody know what is going on or have a good idea for some reason(s)? Took Lae Dee restaurant, within Foodland Soi 5, is also almost empty.

From the perspective of the child (any of them): Wouldn't it be best for each child to have the same last name as the parent who takes care of them?

I know it's not what you asked for. But when I read the headline my first thought was: Retirement is definitely better than Marriage.

Maybe next go to the bitcoin forum and ask if you should put all your money in it. I am sure you will get some enthusiastic answers. Go for it! What could possibly go wrong? After all, you got the advice in an expert forum. ????

Are they talking so loud while they ride the bikes that you know they are Russians?

It would be nice if people who start such threads later come back and tell us all how the situation developed. @Raymonddiaz why don't you tell us?