You've never been stuck among the Brits pensioners at 10:59 in a Pattaya 7-11. 

1 minute ago, Packer said:

You've never been stuck among the Brits pensioners at 10:59 in a Pattaya 7-11. 

Please. I am just having lunch.

13 hours ago, Mark1969 said:

 

 

That was 2019? More and more international supermarkets are actually leaving (Carrefour), or closing down outlets (WalMart) due to shrinking sales...

This kind of behavior will definitely lead to Global Warming.

As Costco opens stores in China, the locals will eat more meat.

Meat production is strongly implicated as a cause of Global Warming.

If everyone soon lives like Americans, then our world is certainly doomed.

Everybody knows this.

Please just google it.

 

Read James Lovelock, for example, and OVERSHOOT.....

Then you will know what is in STORE for us.

That's not just a PUN.

 

 

They generally deboard airplanes in a similar fashion. 

The first Costco store in China opened in Shanghai on August 27, 2019. This is where the video is from

It´s their problem.

On 8/16/2025 at 1:03 PM, Mark1969 said:

 

Like "Black Friday" at a Baltimore Walmart.

About 10 years ago I emailed Costco about opening up a store in Bangkok, they emailed me back saying they were looking into it. 

 

Would be great if they actually opened one here. 

7 minutes ago, Trippy said:

About 10 years ago I emailed Costco about opening up a store in Bangkok, they emailed me back saying they were looking into it. 

 

Would be great if they actually opened one here. 

 

Central Group opened Tops Club in BKK back in 2022... wholsale store based on the Costco model.

 

It closed 1 yr later.

 

 

"Thousands of Chinese queued for hours waiting for the store opening"

Fake news. When did mainland Chinese ever queue up for anything?

3 hours ago, Trippy said:

About 10 years ago I emailed Costco about opening up a store in Bangkok, they emailed me back saying they were looking into it. 

 

Would be great if they actually opened one here. 

Doubt it. It would compete with Makro. Same reason a Walmart never opened here. Remember, you can't open a major international retail outlet here without a major Thai partner, like CP for food related or CPN (Central Pattana) for high end retail (or for low end like Costco/Walmart). There's also the Mall Group (owners of MQuartier etc.) - that's about it - and they tend to own or have a major hand in almost everything. The rest are smaller players and wouldn't be able to effect the necessary supply chains of some big multinational player or meet its other requirements. My sense is more international businesses are leaving than arriving here (Tesco, Carrefour, Esso - maybe M&S?) - those that stay are facing difficulties with their local 'partners' (e.g. Nestle), unless they are partnered with the above mentioned mega-groups - and the 'ask' from those groups seems to be increasingly driving away the big international firms. Even many of the international airlines have given up on Thailand despite recent safety improvements at airports (they'd need local regulatory approval and probably code-sharing rights, and they can't be bothered - the ask too great, the ROI too little). 

1 hour ago, ronnie50 said:

Doubt it. It would compete with Makro. Same reason a Walmart never opened here. Remember, you can't open a major international retail outlet here without a major Thai partner, like CP for food related or CPN (Central Pattana) for high end retail (or for low end like Costco/Walmart). There's also the Mall Group (owners of MQuartier etc.) - that's about it - and they tend to own or have a major hand in almost everything. The rest are smaller players and wouldn't be able to effect the necessary supply chains of some big multinational player or meet its other requirements. My sense is more international businesses are leaving than arriving here (Tesco, Carrefour, Esso - maybe M&S?) - those that stay are facing difficulties with their local 'partners' (e.g. Nestle), unless they are partnered with the above mentioned mega-groups - and the 'ask' from those groups seems to be increasingly driving away the big international firms. Even many of the international airlines have given up on Thailand despite recent safety improvements at airports (they'd need local regulatory approval and probably code-sharing rights, and they can't be bothered - the ask too great, the ROI too little). 

There are 9 large Chinese-Thai (Thainese) families that own and control all large industries in Thailand - except farming. They will not allow any international company to setup here without 'paying' - and as you said, many are saying screw this and are walking away. Just in the car industry Volvo, Subaru and Suzuki have walked away recently because of the 'barriers'. But meanwhile Chinese EV cars are being given the 'inside easy lane'.  

16 hours ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Just in the car industry Volvo, Subaru and Suzuki have walked away recently because of the 'barriers'.

Didn't know they had gone. But not surprised. Suburu Forester never seemed to compete well in Thailand with sport versions of Honda CRV or Mazda CX 5. Not sure why. At one point, some years back, it was very expensive, now less so, or so it seems. Was that earlier price shock an initial excise punishment for leaving? 

12 hours ago, ronnie50 said:

Didn't know they had gone. But not surprised. Suburu Forester never seemed to compete well in Thailand with sport versions of Honda CRV or Mazda CX 5. Not sure why. At one point, some years back, it was very expensive, now less so, or so it seems. Was that earlier price shock an initial excise punishment for leaving? 

I dont think so, I think it was the impositions imposed on Subaru to manufacture here and other benefits and kickbacks they did not make or get - they tried to play straight and compete with Honda. Their pricing was very good - the Forester was much lower than the CRV.  The Honda CRV and Subaru Forester are the number one SUV going back decades - they basically started the SUV revolution. Now Subaru us focusing 100% on imports into Thailand - only going for the luxury end of the market.  I am only surmising about that - but it reminds me of John Deer where Executives were charged and found guilty of paying bribes and kickbacks in Thailand, but no charges have ever been laid in Thailand against the Thais who demanded and received those payments (and never will).  I have driven both, Forester in Australia and CRV here, and the Forester is a better car overall - its 4WD is genuine 4WD and works great (it is like Audi's Quattro system). 

I see many small Suzuki's on the road here....