Can we still afford to shop at Thai supermarkets?

[KannikaP]

9 minutes ago, jomtienisgood said:

very large medium size.....

They are either Small, Medium, Large or Extra Large. Cannot be Verry Large Medium.   LOL

On a similar subject, how much is a 'Portion' as in 5 portions a day, or a 'tank of fuel' ?

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

I did put lettuce (stolen from my rabbits) in my tuna sandwich yesterday.

Steady on

[KannikaP]

18 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

All mine are cooked in the air fryer .......... only healthy chips for us 555!

But plenty of them eh?

[ThailandRyan]

20 minutes ago, jonclark said:

There have been some daft topics discussed on TVF /AN but this one is right up there with some of the daftest. To be clear we are discussing if we have enough money to be able to buy food from a supermarket right? 

 

A little far off the mark you are, it's about what prices are and have been and how it now affects one pocket book. If the topics not your cup of tea then move on and don't bother posting.

[SunsetT]

3 minutes ago, superal said:

Well , many of the vegetables in Thai supermarkets come from China . Hate to think what chemicals or other stuff that they use . Certainly not disclosed or controlled .  Most locally grown veg is labour intensive in Thailand and will almost certainly use some form of fertiliser , however what is a concern are the farmers who take tanker loads of untreated excrement taken from domestic cesspits and spread it over their land and then plant on it . That can cause serious health problems to the end user , especially salad items that are not cooked . Small time growers are much safer and cheaper and their profit margins are lower so normally cheaper to buy .

I love to wander around the local night markets buying really good and cheap locally grown produce and the amazing variety of fresh cooked food.. I enjoy a bit of 'sanook'/banter with them with my very limited Thai. I know that between themselves they are sometimes having a joke at my expense but it is all in good humour. For me this is the real Thailand that I enjoy and value so much.

[KannikaP]

18 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

But most supermarket items are half the price online or in local markets.

Examples please. On Lazada some things are 2 or 3 times the price at the same online stores. You can spend hours looking for the cheapest.

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, KannikaP said:

Examples please. On Lazada some things are 2 or 3 times the price at the same online stores. You can spend hours looking for the cheapest.

100 Typhoo tea bags 96bht.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/typhoo-one-cup-100-tea-bags-200g-100-200-i2328240354-s7872573300.html

[Will B Good]

2 minutes ago, SunsetT said:

however what is a concern are the farmers who take tanker loads of untreated excrement taken from domestic cesspits and spread it over their land and then plant on it

Always wondered about that......it is used in the west, but is it treated beforehand in someway?

 

I know where we lived it was used, but the air temperature had to be below a certain level before the farmers could spread it.

[Eloquent pilgrim]

11 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

There's a shop near the clock tower in Chiang Rai that sells sai ua, the Northern Thai herbal sausage. People drive up from Bangkok to load up with kilos of the stuff, there's usually at least one Merc, Beemer or minivan with Bangkok plates parked outside when I buy mine. The example has been set for you.

Haas avocados and McVities digestive biscuits? You remind me of a mate here who won't eat spaghetti or yoghurt, fussy eaters.

I make my own spaghetti from durum wheat flour, and I only eat goat’s milk yogurt.

 

Fortunately we keep a Tibetan milking goat in our garden and she has bountiful teats

 

…. fussy eater, moi ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[sandyf]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

However, I think it is mostly due to greed by sellers to increase prices because they think all foreigners are wealthy. How wrong can they be?

That statement is inconsistent with the title of the thread.

In the 13 years or so I have lived here, the number of foreigners I have seen in the large Tesco, sorry Lotus, I go to you could count on one hand.

Who do you think are paying the inflated prices you are referring to in that supermarket?

It is horses for courses and if you want falang food then you have to be prepared for the falang price,although that can be mitigated a bit at places like Siamburi.

Every time there is a rise in the minimum wage prices in places like supermarkets and hotels take a hike. There is another on the cards so expect rises to appear once approved.

 

The Labour Ministry is expected to approve a rise in Thailand’s daily minimum wage from 336 baht to a flat rate of 492, according to a Nation Thailand report.

https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/economy/minimum-daily-wage-in-thailand-looks-set-to-increase-to-492-baht#:~:text=The Labour Ministry is expected,to a Nation Thailand report.

[SunsetT]

5 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

They are either Small, Medium, Large or Extra Large. Cannot be Verry Large Medium.   LOL

On a similar subject, how much is a 'Portion' as in 5 portions a day, or a 'tank of fuel' ?

Reminds me of the legendary  Scottish comedian 'Billy Connolly'. He once said that when he went clothes shopping he liked to tease the sales assistants by asking "Do u have this in Extra Medium?",  "No", and then argue saying "But why not? U have Extra Large?" etc. etc.....555.

[SunsetT]

7 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Always wondered about that......it is used in the west, but is it treated beforehand in someway?

I think u meant to respond to Superal not me.

[sandyf]

29 minutes ago, SunsetT said:

Add in the Thai supermarket monopoly factor which, unlike in the West, removes competition  and we stand no chance!

 

The high pricing is clear when I shop in the few small independent Thai owned supermarkets where I stay, where most items are not just 1 or 2thb cheaper but 5/10/20 thb cheaper than in the large national chain supermarkets. With the power of bulk buying the opposite should be true as it is in the West.

Like many, a narrow minded view, ignoring the fact that large concerns are subject to the minimum wage and small ones are not.

Thailand should also follow the west and make the minimum wage available to all, just imagine the uproar in the bars.

[Will B Good]

3 minutes ago, SunsetT said:

I think u meant to respond to Superal not me.

Soz.

[KannikaP]

1 minute ago, sandyf said:

Like many, a narrow minded view, ignoring the fact that large concerns are subject to the minimum wage and small ones are not.

And that minimum wage is, hopefully for the workers, going up to almost Bht 500 A DAY. What about prices then?

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, tonray said:

"Can we still afford to shop at Thai supermarkets?"

 

Yes, we can.

but just watch Villa Market, they can really go over the top with some prices.

[Lacessit]

34 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Have a friend, late 40's, seemingly healthy, won't even have green stuff on his plate let alone eat it????

Way back when, I remember a guy in Port Hedland whose standard dinner was steak, potatoes and lashings of butter on the potatoes. Nothing else. Every day.

Judging from his complexion, I'd say he was not long for this world.

[SunsetT]

10 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Soz.

He is the muck spreading expert....555

 

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

Way back when, I remember a guy in Port Hedland whose standard dinner was steak, potatoes and lashings of butter on the potatoes. Nothing else. Every day.

Judging from his complexion, I'd say he was not long for this world.

Funnily enough I recently watched a case in South Africa where a doctor was prosecuted for propagating a diet based purely on meat and fat....literally.

 

He won the case based on the evidence he presented.......have to say he did look ultra fit for his age.

[asiacurious]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

plus two large avocados for only THB70

I wonder how those avocados tasted.  If they're from the north of Thailand, I'd say they were probably pretty horrible.  Never had a good one grown in Thailand.  Seems like they plant trees from seed, rather than grafting a good avocado cultivar onto a rootstock.

[arithai12]

18 minutes ago, SunsetT said:

Reminds me of the legendary  Scottish comedian 'Billy Connolly'. He once said that when he went clothes shopping he liked to tease the sales assistants by asking "Do u have this in Extra Medium?",  "No", and then argue saying "But why not? U have Extra Large?" etc. etc.....555.

Then the assistant answers "I don't know", end of talk, what is the tease? I am lost... is this supposed to be funny in Scotland? 

[pomchop]

1 hour ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

Rather smug, condescending and unfair comment; I have lived here with my Thai wife for 7 years, and we shop mostly in local markets; however, I sometimes go to supermarkets, because I still like to eat some strawberries, raspberries, parmesan cheese, blueberries, avocados, beetroot and occasional packet of McVitie’s digestives.

 

This does not mean that I have not embraced the culture of Thailand, and your suggestion that anyone that has not become as “Thai” as you pretentiously seem to think that you have, should leave the country.

 

Incidentally, I have many Thai friends in London, who eat Thai food almost exclusively there, but it has never occurred to me to suggest they go home if that’s what they want to eat.

you sure read and assume a lot more into what i said than what i said.....take a deep breath, eat what you want and pay what you want.  I don't really care.

[sanuk711]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Personally, when I first moved to Thailand the rate of exchange was great and you did not need to worry about your monthly overheads.

Did anyone who decided to completely change their life and move here ---did they ever, Just have a quick glance at Thailand recent history?

 

Did they ever say to themselves---wow look at that a few years back,  Thailand had a financial melt down-just like the American crash in 30s

One day they were giving 26 Baht to a $us and a week latter you would be lucky to just pay 51 Baht for a $us

Fixed rate for the £  in 1996 was 24 Baht ---then the crash.

 

Or did they just say----Wow mate look at this . Today I can get X amount for every £...And on my pension -Price of beer & Pussy, I can live very well

 

What ever could go wrong..........

 

 

 

 

[Will B Good]

1 hour ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

and occasional packet of McVitie’s digestives.

My Achilles heel.......just brought some back from Bangkok.....about ten packets

[userabcd]

3 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

Then the assistant answers "I don't know", end of talk, what is the tease? I am lost... is this supposed to be funny in Scotland? 

The funny part is asking for "extra medium"

[koratkarlos]

If you live here you know that food here is cheap, fresh and delicious.  It does not take too much time or effort to find the good deals.  Of course if you need fancy alchohol or western beef you will pay a high price.  But if you eat more like the Thai people you will absolutely save money and eat good food.  No doubt.

[SunsetT]

5 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

Then the assistant answers "I don't know", end of talk, what is the tease? I am lost... is this supposed to be funny in Scotland? 

You need to accept that everyone has a different sense of humour, and some appear to have no sense of humour at all!

[SunsetT]

24 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Like many, a narrow minded view, ignoring the fact that large concerns are subject to the minimum wage and small ones are not.

Thailand should also follow the west and make the minimum wage available to all, just imagine the uproar in the bars.

That is a factor that I had not considered. Thank you for expanding my narrow mind!!!

[Bangkok Barry]

8 hours ago, pomchop said:

Never ceases to amaze me how many falangs move to Thailand and then try to eat/drink like they are back in their home country.

Perhaps they come to Thailand for things other than the local food.

[KannikaP]

28 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

but just watch Villa Market, they can really go over the top with some prices.

Luckily there is no Villa in my neck of the woods.