Nakhon Ratchasima Mini Mart Operators Protest Against Lotus Department Store

[Jai Dee]

Nakhon Ratchasima mini mart operators protest against Lotus Department Store

Nakhon Ratchasima (นครราชสีมา) mini mart operators today gathered in front of the provincial City Hall to protest against Lotus Department Store.

At 9.00 hours today, Mr. Chana Aunmetta_aree (ชนะศักดิ์ อุ่นเมตตาอารี), the president of Pak Chong (ปากช่อง) mini mart operators and the representative of Nakhon Ratchasima residents, said that they strongly oppose to the expansion of mega-stores including Lotus and carrefour for fear that Thailand will be under the same situation like in Argentina. Argentina has allowed foreign investors to invest in the country too much, causing loss to local retail entrepreneurs until they have no choice but to cease operation.

The protest was created by 100 representatives of retail entrepreneurs from four districts, which are Bua Yai (บัวใหญ่), Pak Chong (ปากช่อง), Pak Thongchai (ปักธงชัย), and Si Kiew (สีคิ้ว).

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 05 February 2007

[Plus]

Mini Marts?

Most of those are franchises of foreign chains themselves.

[thai_narak]

Mini Marts?

Most of those are franchises of foreign chains themselves.

Not true... Many local people have their own mini-mart. They may not look like the typical 7-11 store but look around and you will see that most of them do not have air-conditioning, no front door (shop houses), and sells cheaper than 7-11 obviously. These are the local entrepreneurs that will suffer if the mega-stores expand in their area.

[taxexile]

the words king canute and rising tide come to mind.

[hammered]

It gets further complicated when considering the poor. The large stores sell cheaper than the mini marts and they also pay higher for workers.

[KK-Mike]

Mini Marts?

Most of those are franchises of foreign chains themselves.

Open your eyes, it's the mom and pop little stores. Not 7-11's

[Galong]

The mom and pop shops don't have everything you want/need in one place. They are sometimes a bit tacky and dirty too.

These evils stores from the lands of bread-eaters are full of Thai customers. What's that saying?

Sorry mom and pop, you can't simply paint your store the same as a 7 - 11 and expect the thundering masses to come in to shop. You gotta have the same stuff available inside. Instead of whinning, do a better job... please.

[thai_narak]

The mom and pop shops don't have everything you want/need in one place. They are sometimes a bit tacky and dirty too.

These evils stores from the lands of bread-eaters are full of Thai customers. What's that saying?

Sorry mom and pop, you can't simply paint your store the same as a 7 - 11 and expect the thundering masses to come in to shop. You gotta have the same stuff available inside. Instead of whinning, do a better job... please.

They meant to sell small things not like mega-stores where you can get everything. For instance, when you just need one bottle of beer, 1 small can of sardines, 1 piece of bread, 1 mama, etc. in small quantity. Poor people don't go to mega-stores just to buy 1 bottle of coke or 1 mama. Mega-stores are suppose to be located in cities not in amphoe.

[gummy]

The mom and pop shops don't have everything you want/need in one place. They are sometimes a bit tacky and dirty too.

These evils stores from the lands of bread-eaters are full of Thai customers. What's that saying?

Sorry mom and pop, you can't simply paint your store the same as a 7 - 11 and expect the thundering masses to come in to shop. You gotta have the same stuff available inside. Instead of whinning, do a better job... please.

Tesco in the UK are now for the second time within 8 years being investigated by the monopolys commission. The issue, apart from the fact that in some towns Tesco has a Superstore plus umpteen Tesco Express outlets, they hold vast amounts of land, in other towns, with outline planning permission to build a store. Under the Town and Country planning acts this invariably means that no further Superstore would allowed. Tesco have not actually built any stores in these instances rather just go for an extension of outline planning permmison every 5 years , however the opening of small, convenience stores has continued apace. In Poland and and some other EU countries Tesco's expansion was stopped due to the perceived effect it would have on the local shops and business etc.

In the UK Tesco it appears that now this equates to 6% of the entire retail market and have 1/3 of the entire Supermarket market. Although stores such as 7-11 etc have been worried are they no worse or no better than Tesco in their manipulation of local markets? In the long term, with these multi-nationals driving down prices from local suppliers it may appear good for consumers, but what about when that local community , employed by those local producers can no longer afford to cut prices at the behest of these multi-nationals, and hence have to dispense with that local labour? You then have a situation when a multi-national is impacting the prosperity of a town or village far removed from their corporate headquaters and almost certainly removed from the envioronment in which the Directors of these multi nationals reside and bring up their own families.

Therefore do you not think that for the local community to raise their concerns is only fair and reasonable? after all, these facts and figures are easily available on the internet so despite what some may think, most peopl eare not ignorant of the facts anymore.

[TAWP]

Buhu, higher wages for workers and lower prices for customers - evil-evil free market!

[falux]

The biggest problem I see is for mom and pop owners themselves. They are often over 50 and don't speak a word of English (might not be that big of an issue outside Bangkok). The problem is that they won't get a job in Lotus / Tesco / Carrefour. So what are they supposed to do?

The last ones existing disappeared in the 80's in Europe (at least where I come from), so I guess it will be the 2010s here.

Oh, a last thing: I feel sorry for them, but I don't go there anymore. I simply can't stand the dirt on the cans etc.; they seem uncomfortable having me on the "inside" and many say "falang" when I come in (try to say African when a black comes in; or Jew etc.)

[Dupont]

Buhu, higher wages for workers and lower prices for customers - evil-evil free market!

Maybe Tesco should organise a protest against job loss and the higher prices that would ensue. Sure for sure for sure, it would raise more than a motley crew of 100.

As for age being a reason to protect it, are the next generation aspiring to nothing more than sitting in an old shack 18+ hours a day selling out of date goods.

Luddites also spring to mind... As do Arkwright and Granville. That used to depress the hel_l out of me when I was a kid. What about diversifying? Most of these shops sell exactly the same things and I suspect they are in the grip of some middlemen who are probably behind the scaremongering.

The country is going to need to look forward if its going to progress to become half the country it now thinks it is!

Stop the world, Thailand wants to get off!!

[Tony Clifton]

A Tesco Express will open in about a week here. I wonder why as when you come in the moo ban there's already a Family Mart on on side, as you exit, a Tesco Express on the other, both on each corner. Close enough so that employees will be able to throw each other rolls of coins when they run short.

I remember walking in BKK and seeing three 7-11 signs from where I stood. Poor city planning if you ask me. Big energy wasters as well, their air-con units are still running full blast even with the cool season we're having, problem fixed with doors being opened.

Edited February 5, 2007 by Tony Clifton

[wpcoe]

A Tesco Express will open in about a week here. I wonder why as when you come in the moo ban there's already a Family Mart on on side, as you exit, a Tesco Express on the other, both on each corner. Close enough so that employees will be able to throw each other rolls of coins when they run short.

I remember walking in BKK and seeing three 7-11 signs from where I stood. Poor city planning if you ask me. Big energy wasters as well, their air-con units are still running full blast even with the cool season we're having, problem fixed with doors being opened.

Tony: "Market Share."

7-11 is reported to open stores close to existing ones to prevent a competitor from doing so. Better to have two 7-11's in the neighborhood competing than one 7-11 and one Family Mart, or so the corporate thinking goes.

[Old Man River]

They meant to sell small things not like mega-stores where you can get everything. For instance, when you just need one bottle of beer, 1 small can of sardines, 1 piece of bread, 1 mama, etc. in small quantity. Poor people don't go to mega-stores just to buy 1 bottle of coke or 1 mama.

If the people shopping at a mini mart don't need but a few items, then why would they travel to the modern trade? The modern trade, due to their size, are not located on every street corner. What is on almost every street corner, directly competing against the mini marts for the people that want only a few items, is the 7-11 stores. They are all over the place and poor people don't have to travel far to shop at these stores.

Why don't we see those owning mini marts complaining about the 7-11's that are their direct competition?

I will give you a hint. They are not foreign owned.

[kmart]

There is definitely a space for both the "mom & pop" stores and the hypermarket in Thailand, but the biggest problem seems to be city planning. ie, there is none.

People wanting to knock the little shops should try learn to speak some Thai, and they might find that those little old people manning those dusty old shops do not get a state pension / benefits, but will sometimes try their damnedest to find what you require, and are also a fountain of information regarding where you can find the best car mechanic; garden centre; whatever / wherever it is that you need.

Try asking some spotty kid sniffing shampoo bottles in aisle #37 where the nearest plumbing supplier is, for example.

[Plus]

Mini Marts?

Most of those are franchises of foreign chains themselves.

Open your eyes, it's the mom and pop little stores. Not 7-11's

Usualy mom and pop stores are called mom and pop stores in Thai media and 7-eleven like franchises are called minimarts, that's what puzzles me.

I tend to think that the protests are organised by suppliers and middlemen who lost their business, not by shop owners themselves. Look at Macro's business, for example - most of their customers are shop owners stocking for a week leaving no place for a middlemen. For middlemen 7-Elevens are not a competition at all, so we don't have any protests against them.

Kmart, with a login like that you can't be expected to post unbiased opinions

[thai_narak]

They meant to sell small things not like mega-stores where you can get everything. For instance, when you just need one bottle of beer, 1 small can of sardines, 1 piece of bread, 1 mama, etc. in small quantity. Poor people don't go to mega-stores just to buy 1 bottle of coke or 1 mama.

If the people shopping at a mini mart don't need but a few items, then why would they travel to the modern trade? The modern trade, due to their size, are not located on every street corner. What is on almost every street corner, directly competing against the mini marts for the people that want only a few items, is the 7-11 stores. They are all over the place and poor people don't have to travel far to shop at these stores.

Why don't we see those owning mini marts complaining about the 7-11's that are their direct competition?

I will give you a hint. They are not foreign owned.

Wrong... 7-11 is very expensive compare to locally owned mini-mart. Just consider this, 1 Singha beer in 7-11 cost about 50-55 Baht (maybe more) and local mini-mart only about 35-37 Baht... Where will you buy? But obviously, Lotus is cheaper.

Edited February 6, 2007 by thai_narak

[kmart]

Mini Marts?

Most of those are franchises of foreign chains themselves.

Open your eyes, it's the mom and pop little stores. Not 7-11's

Usualy mom and pop stores are called mom and pop stores in Thai media and 7-eleven like franchises are called minimarts, that's what puzzles me.

I tend to think that the protests are organised by suppliers and middlemen who lost their business, not by shop owners themselves. Look at Macro's business, for example - most of their customers are shop owners stocking for a week leaving no place for a middlemen. For middlemen 7-Elevens are not a competition at all, so we don't have any protests against them.

Kmart, with a login like that you can't be expected to post unbiased opinions

Its just a pun on my real name. Honest!

I have no connection with the lovely store of the same name.

[Old Man River]

Usualy mom and pop stores are called mom and pop stores in Thai media and 7-eleven like franchises are called minimarts, that's what puzzles me.

I tend to think that the protests are organised by suppliers and middlemen who lost their business, not by shop owners themselves. Look at Macro's business, for example - most of their customers are shop owners stocking for a week leaving no place for a middlemen. For middlemen 7-Elevens are not a competition at all, so we don't have any protests against them.

7-11's used to be referred to as chain stores, but in Thailand I also thought the term mini marts were synonymous with the the 7-11's, but got confused by the poster responding to your message.

In any event, the organizers of the protests would be the middlemen playing up the foreign issue to Thai lawmakers. The suppliers don't care, as they continue to make their products available to both the mom and pops and modern trade.

Interestingly, the 7-11 franchise in Thailand is owned by the CP Group, which as we know owns, with Tesco, a number of Thailand's modern trade outlets. Smart people.

[Plus]

Tescos put a lot of pressure on suppliers, too. I don't think it was entirely fair to them judging by Tesco's practices, but they are also interested in bringing big stores down.

In fact, if it's really a proxy war, no retail law will solve the issue unless middlemen and suppliers come forward and negotiate a deal for themselves.

[h90]

Buhu, higher wages for workers and lower prices for customers - evil-evil free market!

thats simply BS, try to open a small shop and look if you can get the products you need.

You can't buy them, the factories will not deliver to you, some may even aggreements to not deliver or to a price which is higher than the lotus, big c and so on can sell that.

So it is the opposide from a free market.

Knowing it from other products: seals, you want to import them, the factory tells you "sorry mate we have already 3 reseller in Thailand, thats enough". That may change if you can put 100 Mill on the table but mam and pa shops can't do that.