Makro in Udon, good shopping, but Dangerous to Walk around

[harry604]

I went shopping at Makro yesterday. I noticed that there were several electric powered pallet carts being pushed around by lads restocking the shelves plus a few fork lifts.

I am quite limber but I found I had to really watch were I walked as they roared around at speed doing their jobs,

Of course given dangeous behaviour the enevitable happens. My wife was pinned between boxes stacked on an isle and a pallet cart that was turning around. (the boxes on the cart were stacked up higher than the lads head, so he stupidly couldn't see where he was going)

I think they stopped before any serious damage was done, she is pretty sore today though. It could have been much more serious. Those carts loaded up are heavy.

The lad operating the cart was shocked to see what he had done. They got a stool and let her sit down, helped her checkout and gave there their names without being asked. They said to contact back if their is any problem.

The wife didn't want to contact management right now as the worker would likely just lose his job, and nothing else would be done.

I blame the management. Or lack of management that is. They need to watch what is going on in their store and think what could happen.

Need to provide proper training for staff, and not allow so much fast paced restocking to go on while shoppers are trying to walk around. ie. do restocking at night time or early before shoppers arrive.

So be careful, disregard for pedestrians extends away from the street also.

[barrybankruad]

Quite agree shelf stacking and the like should be done after hours. Dodging the numerous pallets cluttering the aisles is bad enough when you are mobile, try doing it in a wheelchair like I have to.

[Salapoo]

The wife didn't want to contact management right now as the worker would likely just lose his job, and nothing else would be done.

Sounds like a good thing.

[CTO]

Every time I go they close the lane being stocked so no one can walk down it. It's annoying as I have to wait till the forklift is gone before the lane is cleared as safe for shoppers, pretty much the opposite of the OP experience.

[sirchai]

Seems that there're more dangerous guys out there.-

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Gablestablerfahrer+Klaus+in+English&oq=Gablestablerfahrer+Klaus+in+English&gs_l=youtube.12...0.0.0.1324662.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0...0.0...1ac..11.youtube.

[sirchai]

is it possible that they'd made their folk stapler license with "Klaus"??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZLGNgidDi4

Edited July 20, 2013 by sirchai

[happylarry]

We aren't talking about a supermarket here, it's a trade cash and carry. Shop traders come and buy pallet loads at a time so how the hell can they only stock the shelves at night.....ridiculous idea.

Apart from which they have lorries delivering the goods around the clock, so they need to put the stock somewhere when they unload it.

I do all my shopping at Macro but I am always very aware what is going on around me as admittedly it can be a bit hazardous but it's ok if you use your eyes and ears.

The answer is if you don't want to make allowances for the bulk buying side of it then go to a nice safe Tesco's or Big C.

HL

[ozzydom]

We aren't talking about a supermarket here, it's a trade cash and carry. Shop traders come and buy pallet loads at a time so how the hell can they only stock the shelves at night.....ridiculous idea.

Apart from which they have lorries delivering the goods around the clock, so they need to put the stock somewhere when they unload it.

I do all my shopping at Macro but I am always very aware what is going on around me as admittedly it can be a bit hazardous but it's ok if you use your eyes and ears.

The answer is if you don't want to make allowances for the bulk buying side of it then go to a nice safe Tesco's or Big C.

HL

Fully agree

[Langsuan Man]

In my Makro, (Pattaya) they close the aisles when they are working with the equipment in that aisle. Is probably a company policy that the manager in Udon is not enforcing

[happylarry]

I think you will find that they close the aisles when they are using the high rising forklifts to remove pallets from the upper shelves.....I think the OP is referring to the ordinary small pallet trucks that they use for moving the pallets when on the ground. They don't close the aisles when using these, and anyway the trucks still have to get to the aisle in the first place and they can't shut the main gangways can they?

I still say be aware all the time!!

HL

[dighambara]

T.I.T. whaer everyone kowtows to the next higher authority and everyone avoids conflict. Meaning, no Thai person has the willpower to manage anything, for fear it will annoy their boss.

Face - having big face - saving face is the downfall of Thai Society - proress is almost impossible.

FYI - I often joke that the man in the big car and silk suit, lives in a bamboo house - Big face is much more important than feeding his kids or putting a roof over their heads.

[harrry]

I use a wheelchair and I am really impressed by the skill and care taken by the fork lift operators in Makro. THey always close the aisles when stacking in Chiangrai and Chiangmai.

In fact I would like to give a word of congratulations on all the staff. On several occasions we have asked where an item is that is on our list and they allways know and take you straight to it. In one case where a different flavor to the ones on display was required we were taken right to the aisle and the girl removed many packs of the displayed items to get to the few items of that flavor she had. Obviously reserving them for regulars.

I would not see that degree of stock knowledge and customer service in an Australian Supermarket.

[ThaidDown]

Every time I go they close the lane being stocked so no one can walk down it. It's annoying as I have to wait till the forklift is gone before the lane is cleared as safe for shoppers, pretty much the opposite of the OP experience.

In Rayong Makro they also close the lane but if you need something in that lane just attract the fork lift drivers attention and they stop and indicate you can enter, well they do here, might be different at other locations.

[CTO]

Yes I find the same in Udon Thank Makro as well

[marstons]

In my Makro, (Pattaya) they close the aisles when they are working with the equipment in that aisle. Is probably a company policy that the manager in Udon is not enforcing

Opened and run by a farang General manager, he goes around starting up new stores, i was in Samui when he opened that one. Both went down hill dramatically after he left but Pattaya still streets ahead of Udon in every aspect.

Of course the shelves could be restocked at night, and i have not noticed to many people going away with pallet loads of items, ever in 12 years.

Management will not be aware of it unless people report accidents, so the manageress will be blissfully unaware and the non reporting is just another accident waiting to happen.

[NanLaew]

The Udon Makro doesn't use barrier chains or tape to close aisles where the fork lifts are working. They prefer to stack some pallets at the ends of the aisles as some form of deterrent but still quite easy for people to get past them and into the danger zone. Maybe someone SHOULD have mentioned the OP's wife's 'Near Miss' so that they start to use the proper safety procedures and equipment. It's only bloody laziness after all. Whenever I shopped there with my wee boy, I had him inside the cart which in itself will get you a reprimand in Tesco's in the UK but a darn sight safer than having him get run over by a forklift.

[ozzydom]

The Udon Makro doesn't use barrier chains or tape to close aisles where the fork lifts are working. They prefer to stack some pallets at the ends of the aisles as some form of deterrent but still quite easy for people to get past them and into the danger zone. Maybe someone SHOULD have mentioned the OP's wife's 'Near Miss' so that they start to use the proper safety procedures and equipment. It's only bloody laziness after all. Whenever I shopped there with my wee boy, I had him inside the cart which in itself will get you a reprimand in Tesco's in the UK but a darn sight safer than having him get run over by a forklift.

Try taking a bit of responsibility for your own safety , the staff have a job to do and they are never long in the one aisle, it would not be easy trying to dodge impatient western shoppers.

There are other aisles to shop in while one is being restocked.

That is unless your the type who enjoys plays chicken with trucks on the highway and expects right of way .

Thais dont seem to have a problem working along with the staff.

[harry604]

Heh ozzdom and others, of course everyone has to take responsibility for their safety that goes without saying.

The accident happened on a main walkway leading to the checkout. There were several pallet carts going in various directions at the same time. The cart in the accident had boxes piled up way too high so the operator couldn't see where he was going.

The staff have a job to do, but they also have to avoid at all cost injuring the reason they have a job to to there,, the shoppers, regardless whether they are buying in bulk or just one trolly load.

And for your information the lady injured was Thai and is now receiving some medical treatment.

[NanLaew]

The Udon Makro doesn't use barrier chains or tape to close aisles where the fork lifts are working. They prefer to stack some pallets at the ends of the aisles as some form of deterrent but still quite easy for people to get past them and into the danger zone. Maybe someone SHOULD have mentioned the OP's wife's 'Near Miss' so that they start to use the proper safety procedures and equipment. It's only bloody laziness after all. Whenever I shopped there with my wee boy, I had him inside the cart which in itself will get you a reprimand in Tesco's in the UK but a darn sight safer than having him get run over by a forklift.

Try taking a bit of responsibility for your own safety , the staff have a job to do and they are never long in the one aisle, it would not be easy trying to dodge impatient western shoppers.

There are other aisles to shop in while one is being restocked.

That is unless your the type who enjoys plays chicken with trucks on the highway and expects right of way .

Thais dont seem to have a problem working along with the staff.

There there now... calm down. Don't you be getting all wound up about my personal safety.

Like the OP, I avoid the aisles that have loading going on, regardless if there's a barrier or not.

The OP's wife, like so many other LOCALS that I have witnessed are the daft buggers that think they can nip in behind the forklift and quickly grab a packet of noodles.

Yes, the same LOCAL daft buggers that will run a red-light on the way home from shopping as well.

But maybe you consider that as 'working along with other drivers'?

[jcb2001]

We aren't talking about a supermarket here, it's a trade cash and carry. Shop traders come and buy pallet loads at a time so how the hell can they only stock the shelves at night.....ridiculous idea.

Apart from which they have lorries delivering the goods around the clock, so they need to put the stock somewhere when they unload it.

I do all my shopping at Macro but I am always very aware what is going on around me as admittedly it can be a bit hazardous but it's ok if you use your eyes and ears.

The answer is if you don't want to make allowances for the bulk buying side of it then go to a nice safe Tesco's or Big C.

HL

I hate shopping at Macro. From trying to park the truck, to trying to push their shopping carts in a straight line, to the employees looking to see if you are cheating them when you check out and leave. Also, don't even consider the power tools there. They are cheaply made and will not last.

I understand Macro is for the commercial buyer and people trying to save a baht or two. That's fine for them, but I prefer Big C. No hassles there.

[harry604]

The OP's wife, like so many other LOCALS that I have witnessed are the daft buggers that think they can nip in behind the forklift and quickly grab a packet of noodles.

Thanks for your words of wisdom Nan Laew, but I'm afraid that it could have happened to anyone that day.

It could have happened to you as you looked at a price or read a label , the way they were working that day.

[NanLaew]

The OP's wife, like so many other LOCALS that I have witnessed are the daft buggers that think they can nip in behind the forklift and quickly grab a packet of noodles.

Thanks for your words of wisdom Nan Laew, but I'm afraid that it could have happened to anyone that day.

It could have happened to you as you looked at a price or read a label , the way they were working that day.

True harry. And I didn't mean your wife is a silly bugger specifically but I don't think it is too much of a generalization to suggest that the Thai's spacial awareness is a bit different from that of the average farang. Just witness their skills when driving with regard to safe distances and the like.

Having said that, if ANYONE who hasn't been exposed to regular or a higher level HSE risks in their working and personal life, then they are going to be higher risk of being a statistic of some sort. For example, the 50 year-old librarian who walks home from work in a quiet town may not perceive the "Makro hazard" as defined above in the same way as the 50 year-old city bus driver.

[Oishii]

I used to work for Makro in the UK, where customer and colleague safety were most important. If using fork truck during open hours, the isle would be closed and there would be a colleague at each end of the isle to make sure no one came past the barrier. If done out of hours there would be no colleagues oil lowed in the isle you were working in.

Makro in the Western world worry about compensation claims. I don't think compensation claim exist in Thailand.

There was also a time when your Makro card was valid world wide. In the past I have used my UK card in the USA and in The Philippines. I tried to use it in Chaiyaphum the other day and was refused. They did say I could use it in Bangkok though. Bit of a drive to stock up though.

[JLCrab]

No problem -- Makro sells safety hard hats that are not packaged. Borrow a couple for youself and your family and put them back when ready for check-out and maybe they'll get the idea.

[Oishii]

They probably sell steel toe cap boots and hi vis vest too, but it still won't stop you getting hurt if the fork truck driver ain't looking.

Sex: The most fun you can have without laughing. Woody Allen.

Sent from my iPad with Retina display, using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited August 16, 2013 by Oishii

[JLCrab]

You're right -- better carry an air horn along with wearing the hard hat.

[Oishii]

You're right -- better carry an air horn along with wearing the hard hat.

Now there's a good idea!

Sex: The most fun you can have without laughing. Woody Allen.

Sent from my iPad with Retina display, using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited August 16, 2013 by Oishii

[billd766]

Every time I go they close the lane being stocked so no one can walk down it. It's annoying as I have to wait till the forklift is gone before the lane is cleared as safe for shoppers, pretty much the opposite of the OP experience.

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