Diet/Coke/Light

[mr.buffalo]

On my hols and staying in Bangkok for a while. I have been looking for Diet Coke but there seems to be none about. Any member know why there is no diet coke or pepsi max for that matter?

[bergen]

Gone since the flooding.?

Production and distribution not up and running???

[msg362]

I started a thread some days ago, look up 'why no Coke Zero in CM'

[mr.buffalo]

I am not in C M

[gregb]

I am not in C M

Nevertheless, your question will be answered if you take the time to read the thread.

[CharlieH]

Tesco Lotus appears to have plenty of Coke zero

[msg362]

Tesco Lotus appears to have plenty of Coke zero

Which Tesco ,where?

[Rumblecat]

I started a thread some days ago, look up 'why no Coke Zero in CM'

I had a look in the Chiang Mai forum and couldn't see it, and googling "why no Coke Zero in CM" only brought up this thread. Can you not just link to your thread then to be helpful..?

edit: oh wait, I found it, it's in General Topics.

http://www.thaivisa....oke-zero-in-cm/

So far appears to be a classic Thai visa thread with people arguing and sniping at each other for no real reason. That's only the first page though... lol.

Second page... more fighting, arguing... starting to nasty...

Oh, here we go... a decent answer tucked away on the third page, amongst all the bitching and cat fights...

From what I have been able to find out regarding the unavailability of Coke Zero, it has mainly to do with the flooding at Thai Pure Drinks Rangsit Klong 13 plant. Essentially this is the only plant that bottles Coke Zero for Thai Pure Drinks. They have another plant capable of bottling the sugar based product which is running flat out and has no spare capacity available to be retasked.

It will likely be at least 1 month after the factory becomes dry before production can begin again. As of today, this factory is still closed and flooded. I can only guess when it will reopen. My house is in a different area of Pathumthani and still under 1.2 meters of water. I would not be surprised if Coke Zero remains essentially unavailable until the end of February.

Thai Pure Drinks has the license to bottle and sell Coca Cola throughout the entire northern and central areas of the country. A different bottler Haad Thip, has responsibility for the southern provinces of the country, and they should still have the capacity to produce Coke Zero. There is no connection between these 2 companies however, so it is not possible to divert product from the south to the northern and central areas. But if someone wanted to make a trip to Had Yai logic suggests it should be possible to purchase Coke Zero in large quantities.

Edit: Haad Thip has the world's most annoying website, but according to their map the northern most province where they are allowed to sell is Chumphon. If anyone is coming back from that area to the Pattaya/Chonburi region and can pick me up several cases I will pay a premium for it.

I wouldn't recommend taking the time to read the thread. That was kind of depressing.

Edited December 13, 2011 by Rumblecat

[msg362]

I wouldn't recommend taking the time to read the thread. That was kind of depressing.

I agree I was getting depressed!

[krading]

Pepsi Max has always been hard to find outside of the larger supermarkets.

7/11's in non touristy areas don't bother with it because the Thais don't like it, it's just not "Coke"

I used to have the Pepsi truck crew drop me off a crate of Max when they came through the village but then the kids would raid the fridge and never return the empties.

Don't ya just love the little tackers?

So I gave that idea away and started buying it in cans from Lotus when it was available.

Now I can sit out the front drinking can after can of Pepsi Max without anyone thinking I'm a dot.

The naive fools.

Pepsi and Sangsom, nectar of the Gods.

[kuma]

That is my theory - must have lost a facility that produces the generic sweetening agent they use...if they do use the same.

I also have noticed for weeks, there is none available anywhere where I normally shop, and it has been that way for weeks.

Gone since the flooding.?

Production and distribution not up and running???

[AdamBangkok]

My girlfriend works with an NGO here that Coca Cola Thailand recently donated cash to. She was on a building project with some of their senior execs in Ayuddhya over the weekend.

They said that stock levels of their products in Bangkok should be back to normal by the second week of March.

Good news for those of us who have been experiencing withdrawal symptoms the last couple of months!