Best Grocery Store- Independent Market Pattaya, Recommendations

[dannywla]

Please help a newbie find the best place to purchase dry goods, as I am spoiled having moved down from Chaiyaphum, where I went to a independent market, with no frozen or chilled items. I found them to be considerable cheaper than Makro, Big C, Lotus. Example, I would buy my case of 24 bottles of soda water for 99 baht.

The market was in Chumphae, Khon Kaen, called 2000 (something). The place was a go to market, behind it was the largest warehouse of items I have ever seen (looked like a Macro store) but was for resale, so they were the largest distributor of goods to small merchants in that part of the country.

Yesterday I went to Friendship Market, thought I found a good market, one small beerLao was 51 baht. Great selections and lovely full service two floor market. Any insights where to pick up fresh fruit where the vendors purchase in Pattaya, as my wife goes to the corner fruit market and pays double!

[craigt3365]

Based on the number of trucks loading up with trolleys full of goods, I'd say Makro is the place to go. But unfortunately, if you want the best price, or something unique, you're going to have to shop around. It's not unusual for us to visit Makro then hit 1 or 2 other stores for our goods. Foodland has some good items, but for overall value, Makro is tough to beat...if it's in stock.

For booze or soda, find a small storefront near you. They'll have a bit lower prices. For veggies, sometimes the fresh markets can be cheaper, but only sometimes.

[KittenKong]

Yes, many restaurant and hotel proprietors seem to use Makro, both farang and Thai. Makro prices for large bags of fresh food are low, but Tesco is often cheaper for small quantities of fresh stuff. You do have to shop around.

[Guderian]

For months in the low season Makro also had cases of Chang soda on sale at 99 Baht. Then a while back it went up to 129 Baht a case and stayed there. I seem to recall that much the same thing happened last year. Anybody know why, is it the influx of whiskey and soda drinking farangs in the high season that causes the price to go up?

[craigt3365]

For months in the low season Makro also had cases of Chang soda on sale at 99 Baht. Then a while back it went up to 129 Baht a case and stayed there. I seem to recall that much the same thing happened last year. Anybody know why, is it the influx of whiskey and soda drinking farangs in the high season that causes the price to go up?

Have you ever priced this at the small storefronts that sell booze and soda? They are all over town, but I just stock up when I'm at Makro.

I did buy beer one time from a place on Thepprasit. It was a bit cheaper than Makro, but not by a lot.

Just curious...

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

A really good fruit, veg and hardware market is (what I call) the railway market on Nern Plub Wan. It's open all day but not at night. My GF who had a soup stand far away from there really liked the prices and quality so, yes, since I live near it I did half the shopping. It's right at the railway intersection. Soi Nern Plub Wan (local name) is also called Soi Muslin, Soi 53 (proper name) and Soi Neung. Driving from Sukhumvit where NPW starts, more or less across from Pattaya Klang, head east about 500 m. You will come to a bridge, underneath of which is the railway. The market is that busy corner on the left, on the other side of the bridge. Good luck finding a car parking space.

[Guderian]

For months in the low season Makro also had cases of Chang soda on sale at 99 Baht. Then a while back it went up to 129 Baht a case and stayed there. I seem to recall that much the same thing happened last year. Anybody know why, is it the influx of whiskey and soda drinking farangs in the high season that causes the price to go up?

Have you ever priced this at the small storefronts that sell booze and soda? They are all over town, but I just stock up when I'm at Makro.

I did buy beer one time from a place on Thepprasit. It was a bit cheaper than Makro, but not by a lot.

Just curious...

Yes, I've tried at several places in the past (not lately) and they've generally not been any cheaper than Makro for most things, but not everything. Given that the savings are a few tens of Baht I can't generally be bothered with shopping around so I just get all my liquid supplies at Makro. Maybe the next time Makro makes a 30% hike in the price of something like soda water, though, it would be an idea to check out the small stores as they might have old stock left at the old price.