I had a few errands to do today and one of them included buying some vodka and whisky for a dinner tomorrow. 

 

I arrived at the Food supermarket at 13.45 and proceeded to the wine department only to see them pulling a rope across and closing it off. I pointed to my watch and told them in Thai that there was still 10 minutes to go. They replied that i couldn't make it to the cashier by 14.00. I told them exactly what I wanted and pointed out that there was no queue at the check out. They wouldn't budge.

 

I asked for the manager only to be told that she/he was at lunch. Ok never mind I'll go to another big supermarket nearby where I know they sell alcohol any time of day, but they don't sell one of the food products I really needed.

On the way out I noticed they were all laughing at me for complaining. I didn't create a scene or anything and in fact my Thai wife also complained to them and told them that they had just lost a couple of thousand baht in revenue and maybe more now that we know they are so strict with the times.

We have been in Big C. a few times and there the staff really help customers to rush through at the last minute. I don't mean us, but other customers. We have been waiting in the checkout and they have asked if they could "push in" so the customer can get their wine before 14.00.

 

I am sure I will get some stupid remarks about why we left it so late, or why we didn't buy at the local mom and pop and so on, but I can say that normally we shop around 9 a.m. , but today we couldn't make it. The mom and pop doesn't sell that particular brand of alcohol I wanted.

 

My point is that why should some sales assistant decide that I cannot buy alcohol when there is 10 minutes left of legal sales time. Maybe they were in a hurry to get lunch.

 

Anyway, I just needed to get this off my chest.

 

 

Permitting the sale (or not) should be done at the point of sale that is "the checkout" not in the dept or aisle.(IMHO) unless its actually passed the alotted time and then as an advisory.

 

In our ares they dont "rope it off" they have permanent signs displayed only.

 

The " gone to lunch" or " in a meeting" is s standard reply in most places unfortunately, in my experience.

Permitting the sale (or not) should be done at the point of sale that is "the checkout" not in the dept or aisle.(IMHO) unless its actually passed the alotted time and then as an advisory.
 
In our ares they dont "rope it off" they have permanent signs displayed only.
 
The " gone to lunch" or " in a meeting" is s standard reply in most places unfortunately, in my experience.

Yes, I agree with you.
This particular supermarket has a small room for alcohol sales, but you pay at the min cashier.

As I said it wasn't really a problem as I know we can buy at another supermarket further along the road.

I just think the staff acted so arrogantly and then laughed at me when I tried to complain.

Normally, No problem as we buy in the mornings.
Sounds like I buy a lot. No, we serve wine with food when we have guests and yesterday I wanted to please my friend and serve the whiskey he likes.

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1 minute ago, petedk said:

Yes, I agree with you.
This particular supermarket has a small room for alcohol sales, but you pay at the min cashier.
As I said it wasn't really a problem as I know we can buy at another supermarket further along the road.
I just think the staff acted so arrogantly and then laughed at me when I tried to complain.

Normally, No problem as we buy in the mornings.Sounds like I buy a lot. No, we serve wine with food when we have guests and yesterday I wanted to please my friend and serve the whiskey he likes.
 

Its just a shop rule , to stop people picking up alcohol just before 2 PM and not getting to the check-out on time .

   They probably laughed at you, because you were making a spectacle of yourself and complaining .

I quite often see foreigners who complain about rules and who feel that they should be exempt from rules and deserve special treatment because they are buying something .

   Why not just go back at 5 PM ?

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

Permitting the sale (or not) should be done at the point of sale that is "the checkout" not in the dept or aisle.(IMHO) unless its actually passed the alotted time and then as an advisory.

 

That makes perfect sense to me CharlieH

 

Now if that awareness can be transferred to some of the local inhabitants,  we have a great starting point.

In the UK, they'd be Traffic Wardens; they were just exercising perceived 'power'.

 

I doubt any of them would know the difference between Shiraz & Syrah......

 

11 hours ago, petedk said:

I asked for the manager only to be told that she/he was at lunch.

Go back on monday (well before lunch time) and report the staff.

11 hours ago, petedk said:

and told them that they had just lost a couple of thousand baht in revenue and maybe more now that we know they are so strict with the times.

And do you think the staff cares about that? Probably they would love to have no customers and revenue at all because then they can just talk to each other without those annoying customers.

Or do you think they are able to think about the connection between happy customers and their jobs? 555

18 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Its just a shop rule , to stop people picking up alcohol just before 2 PM and not getting to the check-out on time .

   They probably laughed at you, because you were making a spectacle of yourself and complaining .

I quite often see foreigners who complain about rules and who feel that they should be exempt from rules and deserve special treatment because they are buying something .

   Why not just go back at 5 PM ?

Another Thaier than Thai apologist hes got 10 mins to walk to the check out, not climbing  bleeding Everest!

4 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Probably they would love to have no customers and revenue at all because then they can just talk to each other without those annoying customers.

 

Did you forget about all the increased extra time they'd have to use their phones or take selfies?

1 minute ago, poohy said:

Another Thaier than Thai apologist hes got 10 mins to walk to the check not climbing  bleeding Everest!

10 minutes is quite reasonable .

How long do you suggest the time limit should be ?

5 minutes? , 2 minutes ? No limits ?

The rule wasnt specifically made for him , just a general store rule to stop customers getting to the check-out at 2 01 PM trying to buy alcohol .

    This is really nothing to do with Thailand and so theres no need to suggest that I am a "Thai apologist",  this is about a shop and their rules, that just happens to be in Thailand .

   I would have the same opinion if this happened in any other Country

13 minutes ago, faraday said:

In the UK, they'd be Traffic Wardens; they were just exercising perceived 'power'.

 

I doubt any of them would know the difference between Shiraz & Syrah......

 

Is that a trick comment designed just to mock the staff? Perhaps you misjudge them and maybe they do know that Shiraz and Syrah are one and the same grape variety.

13 minutes ago, sanemax said:

10 minutes is quite reasonable .

How long do you suggest the time limit should be ?

5 minutes? , 2 minutes ? No limits ?

The rule wasnt specifically made for him , just a general store rule to stop customers getting to the check-out at 2 01 PM trying to buy alcohol .

    This is really nothing to do with Thailand and so theres no need to suggest that I am a "Thai apologist",  this is about a shop and their rules, that just happens to be in Thailand .

   I would have the same opinion if this happened in any other Country

The law is alcohol is for sale until 2pm

So he is perfectly entitled to obtain his goodies prior to then and then and  perambulate to the check out.... "ITS IS HERE THE POINT OF SALE CAN BE REFUSED" due to being out of time or planets not being in line or whatever. Not at some half brained whim of Somchai and his merry mates hiding in an aisle 

 

If he got there at 2.01 yep cannot! 

 

45 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Its just a shop rule , to stop people picking up alcohol just before 2 PM and not getting to the check-out on time .

   They probably laughed at you, because you were making a spectacle of yourself and complaining .

I quite often see foreigners who complain about rules and who feel that they should be exempt from rules and deserve special treatment because they are buying something .

   Why not just go back at 5 PM ?

You’re blaming the Op for being 10mins before the 2pm deadline and then suggest he goes back 3 hrs later??? For what? He was well within time. 

 

As another poster suggested - your reply above does come across as being some what of a Thai Apologist...

 

In this the Op was well within reasonable bounds to complain, Thai’s too would complain in the same situation & why not? The staff were jumping the gun and just being a dash moronic. 

4 minutes ago, poohy said:

The law is alcohol is for sale until 2pm

So he is perfectly entitled to obtain his goodies prior to then and then and  perambulate to the check out.... "ITS IS HERE THE POINT OF SALE CAN BE REFUSED" due to being out of time or planets not being in line or whatever. Not at so half brained whim of Somchai and his merry mates hiding in an aisle

If he got there at 2.01 yep cannot! 

 

The store probably had a problem with a rush to buy alcohol just before 2 and 12 PM .

People pushing into queue and "quick quick , hurry up" and alcohol getting left around the till area because people were too late and the arguments about what the actual time is .

   "My watch says 1 57 PM" etc and to stop these issues arising , they just close the alcohol section ten minutes beforehand .

   Quite understandable

2 minutes ago, sanemax said:

The store probably had a problem with a rush to buy alcohol just before 2 and 12 PM .

People pushing into queue and "quick quick , hurry up" and alcohol getting left around the till area because people were too late and the arguments about what the actual time is .

   "My watch says 1 57 PM" etc and to stop these issues arising , they just close the alcohol section ten minutes beforehand .

   Quite understandable

So maybe open up another alcohol  designated till just to cope and ease the problem over these problematic few mins

 

QUITE EASY AND UNDERSTANDABLE

Thaskins stupid idea, nor the Stores.


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4 minutes ago, poohy said:

So maybe open up another alcohol  designated till just to cope and ease the problem over these problematic few mins

 

QUITE EASY AND UNDERSTANDABLE

Maybe they could also fence off the area from the alcohol area to the tills , making a designated corridor , maybe even provide runner staff , to quickly run to the tills to get there before the deadline ?

   Maybe they should move the till to be right next to the alcohol for ten minutes, twice per day ? 

15 minutes ago, sanemax said:

The store probably had a problem with a rush to buy alcohol just before 2 and 12 PM .

People pushing into queue and "quick quick , hurry up" and alcohol getting left around the till area because people were too late and the arguments about what the actual time is .

   "My watch says 1 57 PM" etc and to stop these issues arising , they just close the alcohol section ten minutes beforehand .

   Quite understandable

Well, in this case, as the OP stated, the counters were empty.

Why do you insist in defending what is wrong ?

10 minutes ago, HAKAPALITA said:

Thaskins stupid idea, nor the Stores.


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Yes, I believe it was, along with no booze being sold in fuel service areas 7/11's etc. To the OP, remind them your not a student and you want your 10 minutes back. Lol.

2 minutes ago, mauGR1 said:

Well, in this case, as the OP stated, the counters were empty.

Why do you insist in defending what is wrong ?

It is just a general shop rule .

So Pete went to the supermarket, didn't get what he wanted, so now he's crying on Thai Visa.

 

They are allowed to sell you alcohol between 11am and 2pm. But they can refuse to sell you alcohol any time they like. Get over yourself!

The thread heading is also incorrect and misleading .

Alcohol sales do not stop at 13.50 PM

He could still have bought the alcohol right up to 2 PM

He just needed to get in into his trolley before 10 to 2 

2 minutes ago, sanemax said:

It is just a general shop rule .

Well, i know it's not a big deal, really, but the shop rule is wrong. Alcool sales stop at 2pm, not at 13.50

If i was the owner i would sack one of the staff for neglecting their duty.

19 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Maybe they could also fence off the area from the alcohol area to the tills , making a designated corridor , maybe even provide runner staff , to quickly run to the tills to get there before the deadline ?

   Maybe they should move the till to be right next to the alcohol for ten minutes, twice per day ? 

At last you have made a  few sensible suggestions ............. there i know you could do it!

Just now, mauGR1 said:

Well, i know it's not a big deal, really, but the shop rule is wrong. Alcool sales stop at 2pm, not at 13.50

If i was the owner i would sack one of the staff for neglecting their duty.

Alcohol selling didnt stop at 13 50 , he could have purchased it right up to 2 PM

It was probably a rule put in place by the management , unlikely that the staff made the rule themselves , so, no point in complaining to the manager 

It's a stupid time rule for alcohol sales and should be scrapped but I guess it helps the smaller shops.

4 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

It's a stupid time rule for alcohol sales and should be scrapped but I guess it helps the smaller shops.

Sure it does, the closest mom%pop has a good range of selection

I only buy booze when we have visitors, then it can be a Pest. Generally no one bothers anymore, Mom n Pop dont stop selling at anytime if open.?[emoji481]


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Stupid stupid law should be binned.

 

Does nothing...alcohol many places for sale 24/7...TIT ?