18 hours ago, Kinnock said:

Bit it's a shame (and interesting) that there's no external bidder.

Well it is hardly a surprise now is it? Let's postulate ( I will clean up afterwards) that JAG holdings Ltd wishes to bid ( unlikely given that my liquid assets, pending payday next week. are about B6000 and a small bottle of Songsam, together with half a bottle of gin stashed behind the bar by the maidens at my "local" to see me through Saturday evening}. Every possible obstacle would be put in my way, as a foreign concern, down to the constabulary being rooted out of their air conditioned boxes to create a monster traffic jam in the hour prior to the due delivery time for any bid. It is Thai business, and whilst the two outfits concerned may be deadly rivals, an outsider cannot be even considered. That why this country is, economically speaking, "Donald Ducked"!

18 minutes ago, CGW said:

Actually yes, outside the bigger cities there is little difference between the two.

Good to know. I rarely go to either one, and even less so upcountry. I always thought Tops is more upscale and higher price points than Tesco. 

32 minutes ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

Do you see your typical Tesco customer buying groceries in a Tops market? 

I do - but use delivery service - mostly same products and same price (depending on who has sale each week).  There would be no sales with both in same hands (which was the case here when the only supermarkets were located in Department Stores).