Panic Buying And Food Shortages Impact Pattaya

[Rimmer]

Panic buying and food shortages impact Pattaya

PATTAYA: -- While Pattaya has been largely spared the worst of the flooding which has inundated much of Thailand, the knock-on effect of foodstuffs and other goods not being able to deliver to shops is showing up in panic buying across the city.

As literally millions of Thai citizens are sorely tested by the worst flooding in living memory, the main concern for most Pattaya residents is finding basic staples such as eggs as well as chicken, pork and, for many expats, decent bread. But for the news reports coming out of Bangkok and elsewhere, much of Pattaya would never have known there was any flooding.

The increasing scarcity of many staples and the potential for hoarding and serious price increases is probably no real surprise.

According to unconfirmed reports, a number of the major supermarkets in Pattaya are starting to restrict the amount of product a single shopper may purchase at one time. It’s also being suggested some of the so-called fast food franchises are finding it difficult to source meat products.

Monday is a public holiday in Thailand and over the weekend Pattaya experienced traffic gridlock at times in some areas as Thais fled Bangkok and surrounding regions in search of water relief in and around Pattaya.

Full story HERE

--IN PATTAYA NOW 2011-10-24

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[englishinsiam]

So we are all going to starve in Pattaya lol. We noticed how busy the weekend was but shopping although busy was as normal for us. We did notice certain things like oranges are difficult to come by though.

[patjem]

Didn't help that many Bangkokians have travelled down over the holiday weekend, filling their cars up with food & drink.

Not their fault, they are already desperate and are stocking up, but it doesn't help the overall situation all the same.

[vediovis]

It's totally crazy. There's no water ANYWHERE.

In Carrefour, Makro, Tesco Sukhumvit and Big C sukhumvit, there's no water at all anymore. there's poor noodle soups but I think the shelves are going to be empty before the end of the afternoon. We asked staff and they said they usually have delivery twice a day but they didn't see a truck for a few days now.

Worst, I tried a couple of 7/11 as well and they are short of water too. And I noticed yesterday some people with big pick ups really full of water pack for their personal usage.....

The local news asked people this morning to make stocks : this added pressure to the panic buying. Or maybe they know something about actual and future delivery problems so they tried to warn the people?

By the way I checked with my wife's family, and it is more or less like I supposed: only a few people made stocks. Most of them didn't receive salary yet or were busy working so they didn't noticed the water run out. It means they made no stock yet, some of them are waiting for their salary. If the shops are empty this coming week end, it's going to be a very big problem for a lot of people.

On Makro car park, some people were talking about possible oil stations problems, saying a lot of them are already closed in Bangkok because delivery problem too.

I think we need information and be reassured about coming deliveries for first need goods like water and oil. If the supply chain really broke, it can go nasty and badly very fast.

[bartender100]

Also Pattaya is very busy right now, I just came back from town, the traffic on 2nd road is jammed. Central Beach mall was heaving. Some restaurants were closed upstairs including Swensen ice cream place due to shortages

Popped into a few 7/11 virtually empty of stock, water, beer, and whiskey

[FarangBuddha]

It's really too bad the Thais have spent the past half-decade fighting among themselves and bot attending to the real problems in the country. These floods are an natural annual occurance (although extreme this year) and much more could have been to properly manage them.

[NormanW]

Also Pattaya is very busy right now, I just came back from town, the traffic on 2nd road is jammed. Central Beach mall was heaving. Some restaurants were closed upstairs including Swensen ice cream place due to shortages

Popped into a few 7/11 virtually empty of stock, water, beer, and whiskey

You can you only 6 bottles of water at a time in 7-iis here now.

I bought the pink topped Neptune brand as I didn't want to pay 29 or 35 baht per bottle for the others.

[Darrel]

Plenty of water in the machines for 1B/ltr. Bring your own container.

Much of the bottled water is just filtered tap water anyway, but 8 times the price it is from the machines.

Shame they dont do beer.

[LennyW]

Plenty of water in the machines for 1B/ltr. Bring your own container.

Much of the bottled water is just filtered tap water anyway, but 8 times the price it is from the machines.

Shame they dont do beer.

[lovetotravel]

Plenty of water in the machines for 1B/ltr. Bring your own container.

Much of the bottled water is just filtered tap water anyway, but 8 times the price it is from the machines.

Shame they dont do beer.

Unfortunately, there's a huge difference in water from a street vending machine and what you get from reputable vendors of bottled water. Street vending machines primarily use only a filter. No RO, no ionization, etc. I did a quick google search and found these articles:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Vending-water-not-up-to-standards-Health-Dept-30151656.html

http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water-pollution-vending-machines-unsafe.htm

http://www.communitywatercenter.org/files/trainingmaterials/CWC_GFS_VendedWater.pdf

How safe is the water from the vending machines?

If you have health concerns about your tap water, vended water is NOT a solution. Water vending machines

are designed to remove contaminants affecting the flavor and smell of water only, not contaminants that

impact your health. In fact, the machines are only tested for one health-based contaminant – coliform

bacteria – once every six months. So relying on vended water to reduce your exposure to contaminants that

have serious health impacts, such as arsenic and nitrates, is not a good idea.

I think I'll pass on the street vending machines.

[bartender100]

What about government tap water in Pattaya? I use it all the time for boiling vegetables and cleaning teeth, and never get sick, if it came to a push I would boil it, chill it, and drink it.

The way things are going, it might come down to that in a week or two, other than using the dispensers, which I trust even less

Anyone else got any thoughts on it?

[Pattaya46]

What about government tap water in Pattaya?

...

Anyone else got any thoughts on it?

Yes. Safe to drink

[DMC1]

No regular chocolate ice cream available in Svennsons Big C Extra yesterday. I was distraught - had to opt for the chocolate ice cream with chocolate brownie bits in...

[Orac]

No regular chocolate ice cream available in Svennsons Big C Extra yesterday. I was distraught - had to opt for the chocolate ice cream with chocolate brownie bits in...

Shocking stuff

I did notice the petrol station on Suk opposite Pattaya Klang had huge stacks bottled water yesterday - not sure how much fuel you have to buy to get your hands on it though.

[Darrel]

Unfortunately, there's a huge difference in water from a street vending machine and what you get from reputable vendors of bottled water. Street vending machines primarily use only a filter. No RO, no ionization, etc.

The machine I use says both RO and UV on it. Whether that is true is, of course, another matter. I dont know who or what guarantees that bottled water is any better, or indeed how I could test that if I wanted to.

That said, according to the water people, Pattaya water conforms to the WHO requirements for drinking water and is safe to drink from the tap. As such the machines presumably only do a bit of extra cleaning.

Given all the other evil crap that is on and in virtually all the food that one eats, I really dont think it is much of an issue.

[bartender100]

Just brought a case of small drinking waters from Foodmart in Jomtien, and everyone of them leaks from the screw top when you squeeze it, before its opened. The brand is Pantong made by the looks of it in Pattaya.

Just be warned if you se this brand, avoid. I have tried to find a number or email for the store, but no luck.

[lovetotravel]

Unfortunately, there's a huge difference in water from a street vending machine and what you get from reputable vendors of bottled water. Street vending machines primarily use only a filter. No RO, no ionization, etc.

The machine I use says both RO and UV on it. Whether that is true is, of course, another matter. I dont know who or what guarantees that bottled water is any better, or indeed how I could test that if I wanted to.

That said, according to the water people, Pattaya water conforms to the WHO requirements for drinking water and is safe to drink from the tap. As such the machines presumably only do a bit of extra cleaning.

Given all the other evil crap that is on and in virtually all the food that one eats, I really dont think it is much of an issue.

Understood. Many street side vending machines use filters only. If yours have RO and UV, it "should" be a pretty good deal.

Unfortunately, I would hesitate to trust what the government here says. As we all know, getting reliable info from them is an issue. Not much different from other governments around the world?

[LennyW]

As i posted in another thread....

Whilst the supply chains to the bigger concerns such as Tesco, Makro, 7/11 have been severely disrupted, the local "mom n pop" type shops still have a regular supply of water daily from local suppliers - no shortage, if you see trucks with a stainless steel box on the back delivering ice and water to your local noodle shop just go and buy your "branded" bottled water from them - cheaper than the big stores anyway for the same stuff!

[marstons]

i have a small divice thatgs measures the cleanliness of water as in PPM (google for info) cleanest is out of my water treatment device at home, second is the street dispensing machines 3rd is bottled water. so for me the one at home is cleanest but i would have no problem with the street vending machines.