i'm going to stop complaining about villa market

[stevehaigh]

i'm in Melbourne, Australia and quite shocked to find all the local supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths, Aldi) have less choice and higher prices than villa. There's no turkey bacon, no wheetabix (not the real English one i mean). even stuff imported from Australia like cheese, pies and stuff are cheaper in villa!

and beer! no wonder the Aussies get blind drunk when they come to Thailand, it must be like they have died and gone to beer heaven.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Are you really trying to suggest that the same/comparable Australia-produced products are less expensive in Thailand (at Villa) than if purchased locally in the country (Australia) where they're produced???

That would seem rather unlikely, considering the transport and various other costs involved in importing food products into Thailand.

[KarenBravo]

Turkey bacon is an abomination and a crime against nature.

[nedkellylives]

Turkey bacon is an abomination and a crime against nature.

And not eaten by Aussies so not in shops

And what is wheetabix, try wheetbix sold in every supermarket there and also at villa mart here at 4 times the price

[nedkellylives]

Woolworths in last weeks catalogue, 4 sargeant meat pies 145 baht

villa mart 1 lady pie 120 baht

Things should be a lot dearer there but they are not on average except for fruit and vegies

I think steve needs to buy himself a calculator

[nedkellylives]

Beer and spirits are about twice the price there or more

Try pricing some Aussie wine there Steve, same labels there are about one quarter of the price sold here

Same with South African wines in South Africa and here

[KarenBravo]

Turkey bacon is an abomination and a crime against nature.

And not eaten by Aussies so not in shops

And what is wheetabix, try wheetbix sold in every supermarket there and also at villa mart here at 4 times the price

What do you mean " not eaten by Aussies"? Of course they do. The health conscious ones. You mean YOU don't eat it (all power to you).

Weetabix has the same origins as Weetbix (same company), but, the UK name is different from the Australian name.

Edited April 9, 2014 by KarenBravo

[NamKangMan]

The price of wine and cheese is ridiculous here. Of course, it's to protect the famous Thailand wine industry.

Even a bottle of cheap and nasty Jacob's Creek red wine which sells for only $6.80AUD in Australia (about 200 baht) I see in Big C here for around 895 baht and around 1500 baht in a restaurant.

The below link is from one of Australia's largest alcohol retailers.

https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_910632/jacob-s-creek-cabernet-sauvignon

The below link has Big C selling it for 665 baht from their online store. I've never used their online store, it's dearer in the shop. Even online, it's still over three times the cost. Who drinks Thai wine anyway?

http://shoppingonline.bigc.co.th/food-beverages/wine-beer-and-spirits/jacob-s-creek-cab-75-cl.html?___store=default&___from_store=mainstore_thai

[nedkellylives]

Turkey bacon is an abomination and a crime against nature.

And not eaten by Aussies so not in shops

And what is wheetabix, try wheetbix sold in every supermarket there and also at villa mart here at 4 times the price

What do you mean " not eaten by Aussies"? Of course they do. The health conscious ones. You mean YOU don't eat it (all power to you).

Weetabix has the same origins as Weetbix (same company), but, the UK name is different from the Australian name.

I know that mate, i buy wheetbix here, make by a west australian company owned by the Seventh day adventis church

Its steve who thinks they are a different product which they are ones imported and ones local, taste the same

Ausies do not eat imported weetabix, now do you understand

Probably a Aussie product copied by the UK

Edited April 9, 2014 by nedkellylives

[Old Croc]

From Wikipedia:

Weetabix was invented in Australia in the 1920s by Bennison Osborne. He and New Zealand partner Malcolm Macfarlane sold the Australian and New Zealand rights for "Weet-Bix" to Sanitarium Health Food Company in 1930. Osborne and Macfarlane then formed the "British & African Cereal Company Pty. Ltd.", and began exporting the product to South Africa. Production began in 1932 in an unused gristmill at Burton Latimer, near Kettering.[5] When they introduced the product to the British market they renamed the product "Weetabix". In 1936, the name of the company was changed to Weetabix Limited.

Weet-Bix are currently marketed in Australasia and South Africa by Sanitarium. The product was introduced to North America in 1967, when Weetabix Limited began exporting the product to Canada. The United States followed in 1968

[Old Croc]

I'd never heard of turkey bacon in Australia.

I assume it to be an American delicacy like grits.

For me bacon can only be made from pig.

[Somtamnication]

From Wikipedia:

Weetabix was invented in Australia in the 1920s by Bennison Osborne. He and New Zealand partner Malcolm Macfarlane sold the Australian and New Zealand rights for "Weet-Bix" to Sanitarium Health Food Company in 1930.

No wonder people are crazy for it!

[Guest]

Being proud of the origins of Weetabix - that's the weirdest thing I have read the whole morning. People are funny. Thanks.

[Bcgardener]

Try pricing Australian lamb in Australia!

Frenched (trimmed) lamb cutlets about 1,220 baht a kilo in Australian Woolworths supermarkets and about 780 Baht a kilo in Makro Pattaya (chilled not frozen).

How does that work???

[nedkellylives]

Try pricing Australian lamb in Australia!

Frenched (trimmed) lamb cutlets about 1,220 baht a kilo in Australian Woolworths supermarkets and about 780 Baht a kilo in Makro Pattaya (chilled not frozen).

How does that work???

There is a semi govt body in Australia called the lamb board who control the supply and price of lamb

Which can make it expensive, same as spuds with the potato board who control the sales and supply of potatoes

Buy new zealand lamb here cheaper and better which is what you are probably buying

Grilling or barbacuing steak is under 600 baht a KG there as there are specials every weekin the shops

but about 2000 baht here for decent meat, win some lose some

[Old Croc]

Being proud of the origins of Weetabix - that's the weirdest thing I have read the whole morning. People are funny. Thanks.

The OP stated that he couldn't buy his Weetabix in Australia. The point of describing the genesis of this boring little cereal is so he can confidently buy the same product there albeit with a different name.

You really need to read, and try to comprehend, a little more if that is the weirdest thing you've found on the forum..

That's the second time you've had a go at me today.

[nedkellylives]

Being proud of the origins of Weetabix - that's the weirdest thing I have read the whole morning. People are funny. Thanks.

The OP stated that he couldn't buy his Weetabix in Australia. The point of describing the genesis of this boring little cereal is so he can confidently buy the same product there albeit with a different name.

You really need to read, and try to comprehend, a little more if that is the weirdest thing you've found on the forum..

That's the second time you've had a go at me today.

Do not worry about him, he is really harmless and quite a nice person if you ever get to meet him

Or he was anyway

Edited April 9, 2014 by nedkellylives

[Guest]

Being proud of the origins of Weetabix - that's the weirdest thing I have read the whole morning. People are funny. Thanks.

The OP stated that he couldn't buy his Weetabix in Australia. The point of describing the genesis of this boring little cereal is so he can confidently buy the same product there albeit with a different name.

You really need to read, and try to comprehend, a little more if that is the weirdest thing you've found on the forum..

That's the second time you've had a go at me today.

Do not worry about him, he is really harmless and quite a nice person if you ever get to meet him

Or he was anyway

There goes my street credibility and possibility to join the phuket bike week with my Honda wave..

@OldCroc More seriously, I did not intended to have a go at you at all. I just thought that the discussion of the cereal's origin was in the way it was presented, was quite hilarious. I'm sorry if you felt the other way.

I have been to Australia just once for a two weeks stint of which I spent most of the daytimes inside Optus's freezing computer rooms fixing systems, close by Sydney.

I still had my evenings and weekends free to explore a bit.. and of course visit the local pubs as well. Got invited to watch rugby on TV, which I understood about nothing.

Even if Sydney is possibly not the most laid back city in Australia, my general feeling of the country and the people who live there is.

In my opinion most of the Australians are very relaxed people, who don't give a rat's ass of what is politically correct. That's great. But at the same time, Australians are slightly insecure (for some odd reason) of the country's status, which works the opposite. Overall I could seriously consider moving to down under, even if it's a more expensive country compared to Thailand or some other locations in SEA.

[Flying Clog]

Get a hobby chaps.

[hansgruber]

Woolworths and Coles holds quite a huge monopoly in Australia.

This is why you have little choice and high prices.

[nedkellylives]

Woolworths and Coles holds quite a huge monopoly in Australia.

This is why you have little choice and high prices.

Woolworths prices are not bad actualy they do compete with coles

Anyone who would like to compare prices between there and here google woolworths australia

For the weekly catalogue enter post code 6155 and store southlands, there is a coles supermarket

next door so there prices are compedative, they Email you a catalogue every week, keeps you up to date

on what imported goods are expensive here and what local goods are cheap

Personally i feel buying a mix of local and impoted goods here that shopping is cheap which it should be

as the basic wage is much lower here

[ezzra]

"

i'm in Melbourne, Australia and quite shocked to find all the local supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths, Aldi) have less choice and higher prices than villa. There's no turkey bacon, no wheetabix (not the real English one i mean). even stuff imported from Australia like cheese, pies and stuff are cheaper in villa!

and beer! no wonder the Aussies get blind drunk when they come to Thailand, it must be like they have died and gone to beer heaven."

I hope that Kuhn Suraphong, the owner of Villa doesn't read this as he will jack the prices up before

you can say cheap beer... speaking of cheap beers and cigarette,s just came back from Cambodia

and beer is $ 1 us and Marlboro cigarette are $ 0.50 a packet, and the place crawling with Aussies

drinking and smoking like there is no 2moro...

[eezergood]

Turkey bacon is an abomination and a crime against nature.

And not eaten by Aussies so not in shops

And what is wheetabix, try wheetbix sold in every supermarket there and also at villa mart here at 4 times the price

Wheetabix is the original, wheetbix is the strine aprroximation. Continuing the Aussie proclivity for condensing or shortening words - but im sure you knew that.

[lahgon29]

I suppose one of the most surprising things that I noticed here in LOS supermarkets, after leaving Brisvegas, was the choice of products from other countries, not available in Oz. Pleasant surprise, really. Apples, Oranges, grapes, other fruits, from New Zealand, Korea, Japan, USA. European and American dairy products, Lamb from New Zealand, etc etc.Many of the Oz brands are here as well.

I realize most aren't cheaper than Oz, but It's nice to be able to get a variety. I now know that English Bisto is as bland as Oz Gravox!

Anybody tried the California Sunshine fresh milk..Not UHT? As tasty as milk from home..and not a crazy price.

I hope Tops and Villa and Makro etc keep the imports coming in.

[nedkellylives]

"

i'm in Melbourne, Australia and quite shocked to find all the local supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths, Aldi) have less choice and higher prices than villa. There's no turkey bacon, no wheetabix (not the real English one i mean). even stuff imported from Australia like cheese, pies and stuff are cheaper in villa!

and beer! no wonder the Aussies get blind drunk when they come to Thailand, it must be like they have died and gone to beer heaven."

I hope that Kuhn Suraphong, the owner of Villa doesn't read this as he will jack the prices up before

you can say cheap beer... speaking of cheap beers and cigarette,s just came back from Cambodia

and beer is $ 1 us and Marlboro cigarette are $ 0.50 a packet, and the place crawling with Aussies

drinking and smoking like there is no 2moro...

You must be Joking or own a share of the villa mart stores

Decent australian porterhouse/ serlion steak in Villa mart was 1900 baht a KG the last time we were there

Same quality porthouse in woolworths about 500 to 600 baht a KG

What real english wheatabix its wheatbix with a different name

There is no cheese or pies in villa mart imported from Australia

Put your prices up then you can buy your own Lear Jet

[Suradit69]

The price of wine and cheese is ridiculous here. Of course, it's to protect the famous Thailand wine industry.

Even a bottle of cheap and nasty Jacob's Creek red wine which sells for only $6.80AUD in Australia (about 200 baht) I see in Big C here for around 895 baht and around 1500 baht in a restaurant.

The below link is from one of Australia's largest alcohol retailers.

https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_910632/jacob-s-creek-cabernet-sauvignon

The below link has Big C selling it for 665 baht from their online store. I've never used their online store, it's dearer in the shop. Even online, it's still over three times the cost. Who drinks Thai wine anyway?

http://shoppingonline.bigc.co.th/food-beverages/wine-beer-and-spirits/jacob-s-creek-cab-75-cl.html?___store=default&___from_store=mainstore_thai

"Even a bottle of cheap and nasty Jacob's Creek red wine which sells for only $6.80AUD in Australia (about 200 baht) I see in Big C here for around 895 baht and around 1500 baht in a restaurant. "

That Baht 895 sounds a bit stiff. Haven't bought the ubiquitous Jacob's Creek Cabernet-Shiraz blend in awhile, but seem to recall it running somewhere in the Baht 500 to Baht 600 range at Friendship in the consumer paradise of Pattaya. Possibly there's an additional tax added on in Phuket just because it's Phuket ... which seems reasonable.

Wine served in restaurants is always ridiculously priced and anything red is usually served just a bit warmer than your standard Slurpee and often as chemically-sweet, but at least if the house red is something from Jacob's Creek it's drinkable. If you dine at restaurants that don't depend on Styrofoam dinnerware, you have a better shot at something palatable.

Edited April 10, 2014 by Suradit69

[spidermike007]

The price of wine and cheese is ridiculous here. Of course, it's to protect the famous Thailand wine industry.

Even a bottle of cheap and nasty Jacob's Creek red wine which sells for only $6.80AUD in Australia (about 200 baht) I see in Big C here for around 895 baht and around 1500 baht in a restaurant.

The below link is from one of Australia's largest alcohol retailers.

https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_910632/jacob-s-creek-cabernet-sauvignon

The below link has Big C selling it for 665 baht from their online store. I've never used their online store, it's dearer in the shop. Even online, it's still over three times the cost. Who drinks Thai wine anyway?

http://shoppingonline.bigc.co.th/food-beverages/wine-beer-and-spirits/jacob-s-creek-cab-75-cl.html?___store=default&___from_store=mainstore_thai

I have been told by reliable sources that the import duty on wine is 460 percent, which makes it the highest in the world. All this is being done to protect a nearly non existent Thai wine industry. The reality is, that if Thailand imposed a responsible import duty of 100% instead, there would be a vibrant, multi billion dollar a year wine industry here, with wine tastings, classes, forums, shops, and huge wine lists at many fine restaurants. Instead, a ridiculously corrupt and blind senator wrote that bill, got it passed, and robbed his country of billions of dollars of income from potential duty. Talk about not being able to see the forest beyond the trees. The lack of vision with regards to wine import policy here is staggering. Blind. Dumb. Silly. Non visionary. Bad for tourism. Shall I go on?

[boggle]

Try pricing Australian lamb in Australia!

Frenched (trimmed) lamb cutlets about 1,220 baht a kilo in Australian Woolworths supermarkets and about 780 Baht a kilo in Makro Pattaya (chilled not frozen).

How does that work???

Lamb from Villa. It may be Aussie or NZ but age and quality I think are vastly different to the country of origin.

eg. Bought my lamb cutlets from Villa. All packed nicely. Use by date in about 8 months. Remove from its wrapped packaging and tray.

Wo behold there is the original use by date sticker on a label on the lamb. 12 months previous.

Yep I ate them.

I worked with a guy who was the factory manager for a seafood company in Vietnam. According to him when the product reached its use by date they were shipped back, repackaged with a new use by date and sold on. Makes you think how many years a product has actually been out in the world since it was originally produced.

[NoshowJones]

I'm certainly not going to stop complaining about Villa Supermarket. For those who did not see my post last week, I love tinned corned beef, when I first came to Thailand it was everywhere, I know you can get some in Pattaya, but I'm only there about twice a year. Anyway, Villa sold Princes Corned beef round about a year ago in their Bangkok stores.it was 170 Baht per tin, then 200, then 230, now 260. If that is not pure greed, then I don't know what is.

[Estrada]

Turkey bacon is an abomination and a crime against nature.

The Turkey isn't happy either!