It was always my understanding that one of the cost advantages to

foreign business in Thailand was a relatively

low-cost labour force ? But I don't understand the dynamics

of what's going on in the retail sector because there seems to be

more and more places where they are employing less and less

staff ? On a visit to Tops Supermarket, you regularly seem to find

just one or two cashiers on duty no matter what time the day you

go there and they seem totally oblivious even if there are

long lines forming. The other day I visited a " Coffee World " outlet

and found just one poor young girl behind the counter trying frantically to

make cappuccinos, take orders and do everything else as an increasing

number of people lined up at the counter and no sign of any other member of staff anywhere . And I have also seen this situation at numerous other retail outlets in Bangkok. Do you think this is all because the proprietor is trying to cut down

on labour costs or is it hard to find employees in Bangkok?

Not sure if it's bad organisation of staffing or they're just caught off guard at times.

Quite often I'll walk around the local mall and it'll be very quiet while the same weekday the following week, it'll be thriving.

Banks always p!sses me off. Doesn't seem to matter what time or day, there'll be long snaking queues. Now, I just take my bill and money to the manager's office and politely tell him that I don't have the time to queue. A few minutes and I'm out.

Not so with the building trade! The guy across the road is having some work done and the builders turn up at varying times. When they're all there, there're 3 trucks, a m/c & sidecar and 2 m/c's. Along with the builders, there's their wives, kids and dogs. Then they take it in turns to work and sleep.

" Now, I just take my bill and money to the manager's office and politely tell him that I don't have the time to queue "

Thats a good idea !!

It was always my understanding that one of the cost advantages to

foreign business in Thailand was a relatively

low-cost labour force ? But I don't understand the dynamics

of what's going on in the retail sector because there seems to be

more and more places where they are employing less and less

staff ?  On a visit to Tops Supermarket, you regularly seem to find

just one or two cashiers on duty no matter what time the day you

go there and they seem totally oblivious even if there are

long lines forming.  The other day I visited a " Coffee World " outlet

and found just one poor young girl behind the counter trying frantically to

make cappuccinos, take orders and do everything else as an increasing

number of people lined up at the counter and no sign of any other member of staff anywhere .  And I have also seen this situation at numerous other retail outlets in Bangkok. Do you think this is all because the proprietor is trying to cut down

on labour costs or is it hard to find employees in Bangkok?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Probably a combination of both cost cutting and service.

Pay the poor girl 3000bt/month for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Service in Thailand..........what's that?, the boss might say.

Maybe all but one on a break? Saw that at 7-11 the other day. Shop was jammed with waiting customers with one clerk overwhelmed by it all and 3 other clerks were outside smoking, eating etc. After all a break isn't just a break it's a social event and that requires 3 or more participants

-redwood