Fresh Markets Plead For Help

[george]

Fresh markets plead for help

The Thai Fresh Markets Association has asked the government for urgent assistance to help its members survive the onslaught of modern retailers over the past decade as they lose customers to supermarkets.

The association has drafted a proposal, which is expected to be ready for submission by the middle of next month.

Parinya Thammawattana, president of the association and of Yingcharoen Fresh Market, said wet markets have seen their revenues drop in half, urging the government to set a clear policy on supporting openair markets. Operators need relief, such as tax exemptions, as they have to take care of independent street vendors to ensure the environment is sanitary.

“As the markets get cleaner and more hygienic, it will be easier to make Thailand the Kitchen of the World,” Parinya said.

The association, which was registered in April as the representative of fresh market operators nationwide, estimates that each location needs Bt25 million for improvement.

Bangkok has 154 traditional markets with 22,000 traders and every single district in the country has a fresh market, Parinya said.

Together with academics from Chulalongkorn and Thammasat universities, the association is studying the impact of superstores on local fresh market owners, including how many of them have been squeezed out so far.

Food stalls on Bangkok footpaths also pose a big problem with about 50,000 of them taking away business in front of fresh markets.

Although fresh markets produce huge quantities of garbage daily, they lack financial resources to deal with it. At present only 20 per cent of fresh markets’ space is rented out cheaply.

Another concern of fresh market operators is that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has issued many regulations, including the lat

est 13, to control the local fresh markets. Rather than help the operators out, the additional rules make it tougher for them to carry on.

--The Nation 2004-06-16

[terdsak_12]

God forbid the markets should clean up their act and actually offer some form of quality and service. No no no I hear you say.

[p_brownstone]

I have very little sympathy for the Fresh Market stallholders anywhere.

Pricing is in most cases dependent on how much the stallholder thinks you can afford to pay - i.e. how rich you appear to be; my wife regularly "dresses down" when visiting our local Market here in Pattanakarn Road.

Even if you are a regular Customer of one particular stall they will still often try to cheat on weight or change given.

Let them go out of business - I'd rather shop at Tesco, Carrefour etc. and not have to worry about being cheated or taken advantage of.

[NedKelly]

Imagine Thailand without the fresh markets. They are part of the cultural make up and so should be preserved. We have all seen how big business has destroyed the local mamma and poppa shops worldwide......so why dont we all support the preservation of them here.

The Thai government should see this as a challenge and offer a lot more support to the freshmarkets. Sure, a lot of them need to clean up their acts, but they can do this and not lose thier authenticity or attraction. So what if some try to overcharge you.......what are we talking about......a few baht here or there.......if you go to one seller who gives you a good deal, will you return...of course !! Cant bargain in Tesco I'm afraid !!

[CMguy]

Competition will often under cut the mom and pop operations. In many cases the small markets cannot compete with the sheer volume and hence the lower pricing often available in Tesco, Carrefour and the other big supermarkets (regardless of your bargaining skills).

The big markets however reqiuire a large customer base so they cannot operate everywhere. I would venture to say that in large communities the business of the mom and pop shops will only get worse, but there will always be a place for them in more rural places.

[ProThaiExpat]

While I have lived in Thailand for only three years, I am amazed at the "shop keeper mentality" of many Thais. It seems to me that a lot of Thais are content to open a shop and are happy clearing a couple hundred baht a day for sitting there tending the merchandise.

There are new "shop houses" being built and opening all the time, while there are rows upon rows of empty ones.

Thailand is not immune to "market forces" and as Thailand modernizes and joins the global economy, "super stores" will dominate. Japan, a long protectionist market, is even giving way to super-stores.

Protectionism and government intervention into market forces leads only to bad results.

Take farm subsidies to U.S. Tobacco farmers. French agricultural protectionism.

Ineficient means of production deserve no protection. Consumers have rights too.

What justifies the government raising taxes to subsidize inefficient shop keepers who necessarily must charge the consumer more than a super-store.

Example: One can buy Italian products cheaper in Los Angeles than in Italy, primarily due to government intervention, rampant socialism and unproductive work rules in Italy.

While local markets are quaint and probably an interesting tourist diversion, as a consumer living in Thailand, I want super-stores with super-products at super- prices. Occasionally, vegatables at local markets are of better quality than in the super-stores and cheaper, if bought by a Thai, but on the whole, even Thais complain that the best vegtables are bought up by luxury hotels, leaving the local markets with inferior grade products. Consumers only protection is with super-buying power stores demanding quality produce from suppliers.

[Doi Thong]

“As the markets get cleaner and more hygienic, it will be easier to make Thailand the Kitchen of the World,” Parinya said.

She learn something from Toxin and his party-think big: "Internet Hub","The detroit of Asia","The kitchen of the world"...why they want to be the center of everything? Ahh sorry they want to say they want to be the center of everything..

P.S. I saw fake Levis's jeans and perfumes yesterday at BOI&DEP organised "Made in Thailand" international fair....unbelievable....

[Johpa]

I much prefer to shop in our nearby town's "open air" market. I find the prices very reasonable. I find the produce and meat to be far fresher than in the stores. I mean I would never consider making laap dip from that old meat sold at the large stores in the city. And I find the place to be quite clean by open market standards. What can I say, I love the smells and the entire sensory experience.

I also enjoy the social aspects. I have now known many of the vendors for nearly 17 years and my wife has known some her entire life. There is always some friendly banter and gossip. Even though I no longer live in-country, my family is always greeted warmly by many of the mae khaa and there is plenty of small goodies given to our kids when we first return.

Just another reason for me to live up-country.

[astral]

I have very little sympathy for the Fresh Market stallholders anywhere.

Pricing is in most cases dependent on how much the stallholder thinks you can afford to pay - i.e. how rich you appear to be; my wife regularly "dresses down" when visiting our local Market here in Pattanakarn Road.

Even if you are a regular Customer of one particular stall they will still often try to cheat on weight or change given.

That may be true in Bangkok, but not in the provinces.

I listen carefully to what is going on around me and check that I am not being ripped of. There is always another store down the row!!

They seem to appreciate their regular customers and will ask where I have been if I have not been shopping recently.

The big stores do not care about their customers, just the bottom line profit!!