Rumor Has It.... A New Carrefour Is Coming To Pattaya...

[Weho]

at the corner of Soi Khao Talo, on Sukumvit, almost at Tepprasit Road, on the East side of Sukumvit (direction going to Sattahip).

Remember, this is a RUMOR ONLY, and is NOT CONFIRMED. No signs are up, but this is what a little angel told me.

Perhaps someone else can confirm this, or shoot it down.

The foundation in the ground has been set... there is a big green fence all around. The project doesn't have too much frontage along Sukumvit, but goes back quite far into Soi Khao Talo. This would be good news for you "eastsiders" who complain about traffic, and having to cross Sukumvit.

And I'll take this opportunity to rate the existing hypermarkets in town:

numbers indicate quality, THEN service, on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being best:

TESCO LOTUS: 4, 1

BIG C: 3, 2

CARREFOUR: 6, 4

bonus rankings:

Foodland: 6, 9

Friendship: 4, 4

Foodmart: 3, 2

TOPS: 4, 0.5

[Jingthing]

You know the area that needs a better market badly? Inner Jomtien. The Foodmart appears to be used mostly by tourists. Their prices are ridiculous. Its only benefit is that it is the only farang oriented market anywhere close. Even a mini Tesco Lotus would be a big improvement.

Edited August 23, 2007 by Jingthing

[Jomtien]

The land was cleared almost 2 years ago, and yes at that time a Carrefour would built.

Maybe they make more progress this time.

Peter

[Tammi]

You know the area that needs a better market badly? Inner Jomtien. The Foodmart appears to be used mostly by tourists. Their prices are ridiculous. Its only benefit is that it is the only farang oriented market anywhere close. Even a mini Tesco Lotus would be a big improvement.

You are so right! It was rumoured ages ago that Friendship was to build next to VT5 but haven't heard anything since. Maybe now that they have such a wonderful basement at the Pattaya Thai location they don't need to expand to Jomthien.

Foodmart is only good for emergency shopping such as smoked salmon when unexpected guests need canapes with their GTs.

As you say "even" a Tesco lotus would be an improvement. Don't you just hate those stores with umpteen checkouts and very few manned??!!

[tropo]

You know the area that needs a better market badly? Inner Jomtien. The Foodmart appears to be used mostly by tourists. Their prices are ridiculous. Its only benefit is that it is the only farang oriented market anywhere close. Even a mini Tesco Lotus would be a big improvement.

It's only a few blocks away from where I live, but I've only been there twice in over a year. It's a joke.

[bangkapiboy]

I don't see anything wrong with Foodland. I don't think their prices are bad at all.

[Tammi]

I don't see anything wrong with Foodland. I don't think their prices are bad at all.

We are referring to Foodmart not Foodland. Foodland is very well regarded by the expat community.

[bangkapiboy]

I must be more tired than I thought. Yes, I agree Food Mart is overpriced. But I'm very glad we have Food Mart for the convenience of it being 24 hrs -- and mostly for the very good bakery items!

[Jimmyd]

The funny thing is that prices are so variable.

For example, onions at Lotus might be 15 baht per kilo at the same time they are 40 baht per kilo at Foodland. Another example is the Australian beef at Foodmart is *much* cheaper that at Foodland. New Zealand Anchor cheese is quite a few baht cheaper at Friendship than Foodland. Foodland *used* to have the cheapest salad bar--it was 60 baht per kilo when others were 100 to 120 baht (sadly that has changed).

In addition, some items are available only at certain markets. Foodland is the only place I know that consistently has decent local avocados. Best in North Pattaya often has the best selection of spices, along with Friendship. Friendship has liquid smoke which I haven't seen anywhere else, though I haven't looked recently.

If you really want to pinch pennies on food, it will cost quite a bit in fuel costs doing the survey of all the local markets to find the deals.

Oh, and then there are the local markets. You can get shrimp and fish at the Naklua fish market that is twice as fresh and half or less the cost of Foodland. Pristine grouper filets are perhaps 300 baht per kilo at the market. A peeled pomelo at the Baan Amphur Wednesday/Thursday market is only 20 baht--a similar item at Carrefour would be 50 baht.

I could go on--but then I already have!

[bangkapiboy]

I've been to that Ban Amphur market. A bag of popcorn fried chicken is 20B there, compared with 45B at KFC.