What everyone seems to miss about the failure of 'mom and pop' stores (ohh how a cute name can effect media spin) is that they dont effectively service a modern need.

I go into the Thai run mom and pop corner store near me.. Dirty concrete floor.. Unpredictable opening hours.. Children of the owners running the isles.. Dry bread products that look like they have been there since they opened.. Milk that needs to have its sell by date checked.. open packets of cigs and lao khao to be sold by the shot and in singles.. Basically unless I need a sealed pack of water bottles or a dusty can of carnation milk theres not much in there for me. Even then they will probably not have change !!!

And thats not just my 'western' mind working thats the same for Thais also. Why can where I live support a family mart and 7/11 every couple of 100m ?? Because the need for its products is there. Why are mom and pop stores having a hard time ?? Because the product and service they supply are poor quality and badly managed.

Yep, they couldn't be much more inefficient if they tried.

To call it effective.........

Well, that's the funniest thing i've heard all day.

Thailand is starting to fall behind the rest of the world, and will continue to do so at a faster pace if they carry on the way they are.

Hopefully I can get whats left of my $ out and then i'll just sit back and watch with not a care in the world.

What everyone seems to miss about the failure of 'mom and pop' stores (ohh how a cute name can effect media spin) is that they dont effectively service a modern need.

The pressure is mounting on the gvt...

Small businesses rally in favour of retail law

Small retailers nationwide yesterday urged the Commerce Ministry to hasten the progress of the country's first-ever retail business law for Cabinet approval, because they fear that any delay would prompt the government to reverse its policy and favour foreign operators instead.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/01/26...ss_30025132.php

On the right side the foreign business community, plus a lot of "international attention" (coup, bombs, capital control, Thaksin's attacks in the medias etc.).

And on the left side, the small thai retailers... Who are very active, because basically... well their businesses are at stake.

What will do the referee, gvt ? My bet : 1 point to the right, 1 point to the left, and next round in one year to cool off. That's the thai way. The wise one...

I imagine they'll delay until a new government is elected and then flick pass it to them. I think it's called a "hospital pass" in polliespeak because the poor sucker minister who catches the ball gets crushed by the stampeding mob.