Bkk Floods Affecting Our Grocery Stocks?

[pagallim]

Does anyone have any idea about supplies at Central Food Hall in Chidlom, or equivalent - say Tops Silom Complex? I'm in UK, and was scheduled to return to Bangkok on 26th, but have delayed for three weeks. It's not just the worry of flooding, (and a very unclear picture about where, when and how bad), but the worry about not being able to get essential supplies for basic existence. I don't know whether I'm over-reacting, but as I have no especial reason to be in Bangkok, it seems more prudent to wait it out, and certainly until there is a clearer picture about how bad the overall situation is. I'm very grateful to all those who continually provide information.

Methinks you need to pose your question in the Bangkok Forum, rather than this, the Phuket Forum.

[Bpuumike]

The Big C on Ruamkamphaeng was fully stocked on Thursday. The Thais started buying Friday afternoon and by Saturday afternoon there was no rice, water, canned fish or meats (the protein foods). Their previous shelf spaces were full of pot noodles. Same at two of the 7/11's in the area.

Several of the water dispensers by the Thai apartment blocks also ran dry Friday evening.

Haven't noticed any queues or 'hoard'-buying at the petrol stations but might be wise to keep your tank topped up.

[Honolulu]

I've noticed a shortage of eggs around the West side of the island. 7-11, Lotus, and the street markets in short supply.

However, Villa Market in Chalong has Grey Goose vodka cocktails for only 35 bht! promotion. Get them while they last! Exceptional value.

[stuandchris]

Don't know if this has to do with the floods but Lemon Tree Gas Station on Wiset Rd has no diesel.

Edited October 24, 2011 by stuandchris

[Bpuumike]

The Big C on Ruamkamphaeng was fully stocked on Thursday. The Thais started buying Friday afternoon and by Saturday afternoon there was no rice, water, canned fish or meats (the protein foods). Their previous shelf spaces were full of pot noodles. Same at two of the 7/11's in the area.

Several of the water dispensers by the Thai apartment blocks also ran dry Friday evening.

Haven't noticed any queues or 'hoard'-buying at the petrol stations but might be wise to keep your tank topped up.

Oops, don't know how this got on the Phuket forum, thought iy was general news. Comment about your fuel tank applies everywhere though.

[stevenl]

Don't know if this has to do with the floods but Lemon Tree Gas Station on Wiset Rd has no diesel.

Could be the floods, but it does happen every month or so they run out of something for a day or 2.

[Shot]

Super Cheap was out of water today, but everything else seemed full. No panic buying that I could see.

[Guest]

I noticed on couple of occasions that milk was missing in some stores (BigC and some local 7/11). Was that just bad luck or is there an interruption on the production / distribution?

[snamos]

Maybe we could get the 'Royal Thai Police Volunteer Corp' to assist with food drops to Phuket

[petercallen]

Maybe we could get the 'Royal Thai Police Volunteer Corp' to assist with food drops to Phuket

Or maybe your sea men's union

There Is not a shortage here at present of most things

Since you are in Australia you would not know

[Pollywaffle]

No toilet paper in Central Food Hall. MIght start hoarding the newspaper instead of recycling it!!!

[Kernow86]

Most convenience stores around the South of the island appear to be out of the cheaper bottles of water, Minere, Nestle etc for the last few days...

[Kernow86]

Oh and our supplier of the big bottles of 10 baht water has been dry for the last 5 days.

[LivinginKata]

Oh and our supplier of the big bottles of 10 baht water has been dry for the last 5 days.

I still see our local supplier Green Water out selling big bottles water on their pick-ups. They just treat regular ground water locally. We prefer not to use that water but if push come to a shove then that's our back-up option.

[Valentine]

Went to Sizzler yesterday & many of their beef, pork & chicken items were not available. GF usually gets the cheaper steak which IMO is just as good as the expensive one but they did not have the cheaper one. I opted for salad & baked potato as the usual salads were still there. If this is affecting a large chain like Sizzler then surely the smaller restaurants are going to suffer as well. So, don't plan on getting your favorite menu item when you go out to eat. The flood situation in Bangkok is only going to get worse & seems like it will take quite a while for flood waters to drain away. I think Phuket will see much more shortages than what we are seeing now.

[petercallen]

Went to Sizzler yesterday & many of their beef, pork & chicken items were not available. GF usually gets the cheaper steak which IMO is just as good as the expensive one but they did not have the cheaper one. I opted for salad & baked potato as the usual salads were still there. If this is affecting a large chain like Sizzler then surely the smaller restaurants are going to suffer as well. So, don't plan on getting your favorite menu item when you go out to eat. The flood situation in Bangkok is only going to get worse & seems like it will take quite a while for flood waters to drain away. I think Phuket will see much more shortages than what we are seeing now.

Sizzler and KFC and like businesses are franchise businesses and more likely than not have a central distribution centre in Bangkok

I doubt Macro has run out of beef, pork or chicken

Or of lamb, deer, fog meat or anything else they sell

There will be shortages of items purchased from Bangkok

[Valentine]

Went to Sizzler yesterday & many of their beef, pork & chicken items were not available. GF usually gets the cheaper steak which IMO is just as good as the expensive one but they did not have the cheaper one. I opted for salad & baked potato as the usual salads were still there. If this is affecting a large chain like Sizzler then surely the smaller restaurants are going to suffer as well. So, don't plan on getting your favorite menu item when you go out to eat. The flood situation in Bangkok is only going to get worse & seems like it will take quite a while for flood waters to drain away. I think Phuket will see much more shortages than what we are seeing now.

Sizzler and KFC and like businesses are franchise businesses and more likely than not have a central distribution centre in Bangkok

I doubt Macro has run out of beef, pork or chicken

Or of lamb, deer, fog meat or anything else they sell

There will be shortages of items purchased from Bangkok

And Makro, Big C, Lotus, 7/11 etc do not have central distribution centres in Bangkok? I wonder why I often see a large DHL articulated truck at Big C & I don't think the local slaughterhouses are large enough or can receive enough animals to supply the likes of Makro with beef or pork. I have seen small trucks with live pigs going to some slaughterhouse but these will only be enough for the fresh food markets. Phuket population is likely close to one million yet I don't know of any large abattoir that could supply the demand. Many of the products on supermarket shelves are supplied by local distributors who in turn are supplied from Bangkok.

Anyway, glad to see you agree with what I said. Phuket is already having food shortages & will likely get worse. We will have to get used to the term mai mee.

[LivinginKata]

Just back from Makro. Many of the aisles are looking empty over at the far side. All the storage space above very empty empty. No drinking water. Booze stocks very low. Still plenty of vegetables & meats. Bakery well stocked. Plenty of frozen food. The shop was packed with shoppers. Car park full and hard to move about with circulating cars looking for a spot to park.

[grumpyoldman]

Tesco Rawai, still vegetable depleted but overall meat stocks look o.k.

Bottled waters and soda waters at neighborhood 7-11 all re-stocked, so some trucks must be making it out. Sangsom found at local Mom&Pop, seems he's hoarding. You can PM me for location but it will take an appropriately filled white envelope for GOM to reveal the secret Sangsom spot.

[LivinginKata]

Bottled waters and soda waters at neighborhood 7-11 all re-stocked, so some trucks must be making it out. Sangsom found at local Mom&Pop, seems he's hoarding. You can PM me for location but it will take an appropriately filled white envelope for GOM to reveal the secret Sangsom spot.

After my visit to Makro I stopped at Patong Whiskey. The back store is well low, but trucks arriving with new stocks when I bought my usual purchases. Most items remain available, I am happy to report ...

[snamos]

Maybe we could get the 'Royal Thai Police Volunteer Corp' to assist with food drops to Phuket

Or maybe your sea men's union

There Is not a shortage here at present of most things

Since you are in Australia you would not know

Im here in Phuket mate. Dont worry our union donates a lot internationally I just thought they TVP might be able to help out.

Edited October 27, 2011 by snamos

[stuandchris]

Beer from many of the wholesalers have just gone up 30% a case on average.

[Jimi007]

I just went to Tesco in Nai Harn and it was out of most things, so I went to the Tesco in Chalong. It was looking pretty bare too! At least they had a bit of chicken and pork... I'm starting to wonder what it's going to look like in another week.

[LivinginKata]

I just went to Tesco in Nai Harn and it was out of most things, so I went to the Tesco in Chalong. It was looking pretty bare too! At least they had a bit of chicken and pork... I'm starting to wonder what it's going to look like in another week.

Yes, I am starting to get worried about sourcing basic foods. Seems to me that this is not going to get better for quite a few weeks (at least).

[evanson]

All these 'shortages' are sheer <deleted>. I went to buy some San Miguel yesterday and there was loads of the stuff, in a Thai style supermarket. No farang, too scared to go in unless they recognise the brand names TOPS/Tesco/7/11. And the prices of everything were exactly the same as before the call for a new Noah's Ark. Same as the local talad nats.

But many places price gouging. Just stick to the places that the locals go to. If you can lower yourselves ...

Edited October 29, 2011 by evanson

[falkan]

no beer and egg price goes up 30% ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh soon we'll all be starving hahah...

[Valentine]

All these 'shortages' are sheer <deleted>. I went to buy some San Miguel yesterday and there was loads of the stuff, in a Thai style supermarket. No farang, too scared to go in unless they recognise the brand names TOPS/Tesco/7/11. And the prices of everything were exactly the same as before the call for a new Noah's Ark. Same as the local talad nats.

But many places price gouging. Just stick to the places that the locals go to. If you can lower yourselves ...

You must be very brave.

[evanson]

All these 'shortages' are sheer <deleted>. I went to buy some San Miguel yesterday and there was loads of the stuff, in a Thai style supermarket. No farang, too scared to go in unless they recognise the brand names TOPS/Tesco/7/11. And the prices of everything were exactly the same as before the call for a new Noah's Ark. Same as the local talad nats.

But many places price gouging. Just stick to the places that the locals go to. If you can lower yourselves ...

You must be very brave.

I am. I had you put in my pool.

[Shot]

All these 'shortages' are sheer <deleted>. I went to buy some San Miguel yesterday and there was loads of the stuff, in a Thai style supermarket. No farang, too scared to go in unless they recognise the brand names TOPS/Tesco/7/11. And the prices of everything were exactly the same as before the call for a new Noah's Ark. Same as the local talad nats.

But many places price gouging. Just stick to the places that the locals go to. If you can lower yourselves ...

My Thai neighbor owns a “Thai style supermarket”. She came home last night laughing about some “dish bog farang” in her store looking for San Muguel.

True story.

[Valentine]

Classic but here is an example of a possible but serious shortage. Everyone is lamenting the lack of rice, water, beer, whiskey but the other day my twin girls needed to buy sanitary pads in Big C & did manage to buy some. However, they said there was almost no stock of this item which is so essential to many of the female gender. There may be other things like baby formula, pampers, soaps, detergents etc which we take for granted but could very well become in short supply. I wonder if all those dingy, dark, dangerous Mom & Pop stores have ample supplies.