Big 'c' --- Tesco----burriram

[macb]

There are rumours going around the community to the fact that land has been purchased for a Big 'C' in Burriram have you heard anything.

macb

[Cent]

There are rumours going around the community to the fact that land has been purchased for a Big 'C' in Burriram have you heard anything.

macb

I haven't heard any rumors of this. Yours is the first inkling. But, they built a Makro here in Surin a few years back, then last year or so they built a Tesco Lotus and a BigC. The BigC is going gangbusters with loads of business. Tesco is slow compared to BigC. I'd think there would be a good customer base for a BigC in Buriram. It has made a difference in Surin with the amount of farang foods one can now buy between the three places. Just a few years back we had nothing really of these 'superstore' places, now we have three. And that is how I heard about BigC being put up here ... rumors of land acquisition. I'd say, expect a BigC in your neighborhood soon. :-)

Cent

[Thaicoon]

Two years ago i heard rumours about this, A big C, i think it was going to be built somewhere by the new bypass or somewhere by the Tepnikorn, not sure, my mate Geoff knows about this, i will ask him, as he was on about this last time i saw him, i will ask him where.

[macb]

Thaicoon:

Thanks for that you never know where the rumours have started although its not far for me Surin, there is a large influx of Farangs visiting Burriram, although Twikits have exapanded there variety of Farang food, a Big Supermkt would do the town good.

macb

[TBWG]

[

quote name='macb' date='2006-09-05 09:12:11' post='879783]

There are rumours going around the community to the fact that land has been purchased for a Big 'C' in Burriram have you heard anything.

Hi macb

Back in Jan 05 I took the bull by the horns and went straight to the top by writing to Sir Terry Leahy of Tesco's regarding what I considered as a missed opportunity by Tesco Lotus for not having a superstore in Buriram.

I must admit that I did not expect any response, however within days I had a reply from him thanking me for my letter and saying he had passed it to his colleague Philip Clark who was the International director.

Philip Clark then contacted me by long since deleted e-mail saying words to the effect that yes Buriram was already on their 'radar' and they were looking for possible site's.

If this is true about big C perhaps it will spur on Tesco's. So who know's perhaps we will have superstores to rival Surin in the not to distant future.

TBWG

[macb]

[

quote name='macb' date='2006-09-05 09:12:11' post='879783]

There are rumours going around the community to the fact that land has been purchased for a Big 'C' in Burriram have you heard anything.

Hi macb

Back in Jan 05 I took the bull by the horns and went straight to the top by writing to Sir Terry Leahy of Tesco's regarding what I considered as a missed opportunity by Tesco Lotus for not having a superstore in Buriram.

I must admit that I did not expect any response, however within days I had a reply from him thanking me for my letter and saying he had passed it to his colleague Philip Clark who was the International director.

Philip Clark then contacted me by long since deleted e-mail saying words to the effect that yes Buriram was already on their 'radar' and they were looking for possible site's.

If this is true about big C perhaps it will spur on Tesco's. So who know's perhaps we will have superstores to rival Surin in the not to distant future.

TBWG

[thats interesting thanks for that information, i will pursue it through other channels as you did]

macb

[Cent]

There are rumours going around the community to the fact that land has been purchased for a Big 'C' in Burriram have you heard anything.

macb

Macb,

Interesting article from the Nation on the expansion of the superstores, also states 100 Tesco Lotus Hyper-markets will open in Thailand this year. Maybe one in Buriram?

Cent

--------------------------------

The fight against multinationals comes to Bangkok; threat of big rally

Shop owners from several provinces launched a last-ditch effort yesterday to save their businesses from being des-troyed by huge supermarkets.

More than 30 shop owners representing small retailers nationwide arrived in Bangkok to lodge a petition outlining their grievances at the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary.

They deposited copies at Parliament and the Commerce Ministry.

Pak Chong/Nakhon Ratchasima retailers' association president Chanasak Unmeata-aree said government measures to control the expansion of giant retail complexes had stalled. Thousands of provincial shopkeepers would suffer.

"If the ministry takes no action to address this within 15 days, hundreds of retailers from across the country will demonstrate here and seal off the ministry," he threatened.

Panthep Suleesatira, coordinator of the Opposition to Multina-tional Business Union, said: "His Majesty the King has great care for his citizens. He always wants villagers to have a place to make a living under the sufficiency economy." The business owners had travelled to the capital to ask His Majesty the King for a favour.

Panthep argued that the government had to act urgently and implement retail-business laws to protect smaller concerns from being driven under by multinational companies.

He said the current law, that allows foreign multinationals to expand, should be suspended.

The delivery of the petition yesterday follows a series of demonstrations in the provinces against the opening of new supermarkets.

The groups said the supermarket firms received substantial funding from cash-rich foreign partners and would force hundreds of traditional shops out of business.

Chief among them was Tesco Lotus, which operates 55 hypermarkets and 140 Tesco Lotus Express markets nationwide.

On Sunday, more than 300 retailers in Pak Thong and Nakhon Ratchasima gathered to protest at the opening of Tesco's new hypermarket there.

A plan to build a Tesco hypermarket at Sakon Nakhon also faced opposition. Other major foreign players were Carrefour, Big C and 7-Eleven.

The shop owners' representatives in Bangkok yesterday came from Surat Thani, Khon Kaen, Sakon Nakhon, Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, Lamphun, and Nakhon Sawan.

Their petition pressed for caretaker Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak to implement more retail controls.

They claimed a failure to act would see multinational players dominate the Kingdom's retail and wholesale businesses.

Suchart Thang-hua, president of Thang-Hua department store in Suphan Buri, said his store's turnover had plunged 70 per cent to Bt300,000 a day since the opening of a Makro store.

"If Tesco opens there, we may be forced to shut down," he claimed, adding in his area there were 42 7-Eleven convenience stores.

The shop owners wanted the government's help because they were unable to compete with the massive bargaining power of multinationals.

They failed to secure a meeting with Somkid but were received by the deputy director-general of the Internal Trade Department, Vatchari Vimooktayon.

Earlier, the Commerce Ministry announced it would revive the shelved retail business bill, which may require retail giants to reveal expansion plans on a quarterly basis.

The new law could place strict regulations on expansion now partly controlled by planning laws that prohibit hypermarkets in some urban areas.

But the shop owners said big firms had scaled down markets to comply with the law. Tesco Lotus Express markets were an example and nearly 100 of them would open this year in a Bt7-billion expansion.

In a recent interview, Tesco Lotus CEO Jeff Adams downplayed the grievances. He claimed they represented just small number of complaints - while consumers showed no opposition.

The Thai Retailers Association was considering the issue, and as a member, Tesco was waiting for a consensus on the dissent.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation 06/09/06

[macb]

Cent.......... Very interesting article, wonder if they thought how many unemployed get jobs when big supermarkets open, there is no reason I feel for the traditional shops to suffer because they cater and sell for what the poorer Thai people can afford, and of course look how many Thai families are in the big Supermarkets shopping every day.

macb

[Cent]

Cent.......... Very interesting article, wonder if they thought how many unemployed get jobs when big supermarkets open, there is no reason I feel for the traditional shops to suffer because they cater and sell for what the poorer Thai people can afford, and of course look how many Thai families are in the big Supermarkets shopping every day.

macb

Macb,

Here's an even more interesting story from the Nation. Looks like the small retailers complaints have been taken into account and things are happening. I imagine the part where they mention 'foreign' businesses had something to do with it you think? :-) Looks like that new possible superstore opening in Buriram might be delayed a bit. Read below:

-----------------------------

Big retailers ordered to suspend all expansions

The Commerce Ministry has ordered all superstores to immediately suspend their business-expansion plans in Thailand to ease concerns among small retailers who have protested against the spread of multinational retailers.

Siripol Yodmuangcharoen, director-general of the Internal Trade Department, said the ministry has sent a letter to all giant retail enterprises asking them to stop new expansion projects. However, only four of the 15 companies in this

category - 7-Eleven, Robinson's, Carrefour and Big-C - have replied to the ministry's request, he said.

The halt order will apply until the retail business bill is approved and implemented.

The order came in response to growing protests from local retailers who say they have been adversely affected by the spread of the foreign-owned superstores. On Tuesday, a group of provincial shop owners submitted a petition to the ministry asking it to take action or hundreds of them would surround the ministry.

Siripol said if any giant enterprises disobeyed the order, their representatives would be subject to imprisonment of up to 10 years or a Bt50,000 fine, pursuant to the Commodity Act.

The ministry decided to exercise the power included in the Com-modity Act of 1952 to curb the expansion of giant superstores. The law governs retail and wholesale business expansion, sets restrictions on opening times and sets limits on retail areas.

Deputy Commerce Minister Preecha Laohapongchana said the ministry had sent letters to all major retail enterprises asking them to suspend expansion plans until the ministry found an appropriate way to control the retail sector and help local retailers.

The ministry will today hold a meeting with representatives from giant superstores to sort out the issue.

Meanwhile, at a press conference yesterday, Likit Fahpyochon, former president of the Thai Retailers Association (TRA), said all superstores had fully abided by Thai law in expanding their businesses.

"They open hypermarkets only in permitted areas, and they also honour the laws when opening small outlets," he said.

According to current regulations, hypermarkets cannot open major stores in urban areas, though they are not barred from opening outlets smaller than 300 square metres. That rule has encouraged several multinational companies to change their formats to fit the requirement, Likit said.

Tesco Lotus, for example, has launched the smaller Tesco Lotus Express to abide by the rules.

Likit said the government already had proper regulations in place, including city zoning laws, to prevent multinational retailers from expanding so quickly that they destroy small traditional retailers.

"From the association's point of view, all multinational retailers have strictly followed the local retail regulations. We cannot do anything against them on the issue," Likit said.

He said the growth of the retail sector in Thailand was forecast to slow to between 5 per cent and 6 per cent this year, down from 10-12 per cent last year. The cooling market has caused intense competition among retailers, who have launched aggressive marketing and promotion campaigns to maintain their shares.

The association's members are mostly medium to large-sized retailers.

On Tuesday they submitted a letter to Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and the Internal Trade Department to express their discomfort over the new bill.

Likit said the bill is biased in favour of suppliers and that the retail association should be given a chance to take part in the drafting. This would ensure that all stakeholders - suppliers, retailers and consumers - would be treated fairly.

"We have no representative on the law's drafting committee, and our opinions have never been heard," said Likit, who is also executive vice president of Central Retail Corporation (CRC).

He said the current drafting committee included state officials and specialists from the Commerce Ministry and the Office of the Consumer Protection Board. Representatives from the private sector are limited to the Board of Trade and the Federation of Thai Industries, which represent manufacturers not retailers.

"The new retail draft and any new regulations should be fair to all stakeholders. They should be in place to ensure maximum benefits to Thai consumers and the general public," Likit said.

He said the bill gives more power to suppliers than retailers. He said this would not encourage suppliers to cut their operating costs, and consumers would eventually suffer.

"If we [retailers] cannot cut a good deal from local suppliers, we can import cheaper products under the FTAs [free trade agreements]," he said.

Thanapon Tangkananan, who succeeded Likit as the TRA president, said the law should be practical and take into consideration the needs of consumers.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai,

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation 07/09/06

Edited September 7, 2006 by Cent

[Thaddeus]

This is a mirror image, practically, of what has been happening in the UK for the last 20 years or so.

Arkwright, Granville and Gladys Emanuel complaining about ASDA setting up next door..... so now half a world away Somchai, Bpun and Rung Ring Pah Yah Ban are making the same complaints here.

It won't stop them building more superstores, T.I.T, it just takes a little longer.... and a bit more tea money

[macb]

Thanks for all the info that is coming in on the subject very informative

macb

[macb]

Up-Date re this topic:

My wife was watching ITV news last night and call me over, there was a news item concerning what we have been discussing in this topic.

Yes there was gfoing to be an outside Agency going to build a large supermkt in Burriram but the Government has blocked this stating that there is a Supermkt in Burriram 'Twikits' and that this will continue to be used. Larger outside agencies building would effect local bussiness.

So there we are its Tkitits and if they aint got it go to Surin.

macb

[Thai Chi]

Up-Date re this topic:

My wife was watching ITV news last night and call me over, there was a news item concerning what we have been discussing in this topic.

Yes there was gfoing to be an outside Agency going to build a large supermkt in Burriram but the Government has blocked this stating that there is a Supermkt in Burriram 'Twikits' and that this will continue to be used. Larger outside agencies building would effect local bussiness.

So there we are its Tkitits and if they aint got it go to Surin.

macb

macb, have you tried the V Mart shopping centre in Buriram? Its about 3 Klms pass Twikits on the same road. (right hand side, just after the disused railway line) Its about 5 times bigger than Twikits and has a much larger selection of farang food. (but still not much)

[macb]

macb, have you tried the V Mart shopping centre in Buriram? Its about 3 Klms pass Twikits on the same road. (right hand side, just after the disused railway line) Its about 5 times bigger than Twikits and has a much larger selection of farang food. (but still not much)

[Thats funny when I first moved here I called it Foodland then the wife said no its 'Twickits apparently there are two Twickits the other being across at the monument on the right, then there is anoth supermkt near the day mkt that has a few bits called

Yurn yong' or something like that]

macb

Edited September 16, 2006 by the scouser

[TBWG]

There are rumours going around the community to the fact that land has been purchased for a Big 'C' in Burriram have you heard anything.

macb

I quote here a small article from The Times Business section Sat 16th..................................

'Tesco is to meet government officials in Thailand next week to discuss plans to limit the growth of large retailers in the country. Thailand's vice-minister of commerce wants large chains to halt expansion until laws protecting smaller retailers can be brought into force'

So nothing new really but at least they are talking .... I see a good old Thai about turn on the horizon!

TBWG