Not sure if this is merely a coincidence, but having just returned from a six week UK visit, I went out today to stock up on certain food items ( comfort foods! ) that I always like to have in stock. I went to the big Tops supermarket in Festival to find that for example the usual supply of English cheeses from the Waitrose chain were almost totally absent, as were the usual supply of British packaged Chocolate Biscuits ( Jacobs Club Biscuits ) also wiped out completely.

I then went on to Big C Extra ( Carrefour as was ) to find that the usual good stocks of French cheeses ( Casino Brand ) and French desserts ( the ones in individual pots) also totally wiped out.

Obviously there are similar but in my view lesser quality products available, but I did wonder as this seems to be an issue in both Supermarkets whether there is more to this than coincidence. In recent past, I have heard of visiting Chinese racing around Tops grabbing "Western Type" imported products like theres no tomorrow, and then theres the fairly imminent application of the new ASEAN arrangements.

As I say we may be looking at a simple coincidence pertaining to "my" products, or is there more to this?

I went to Makro yesterday and found lots of my staples out too, but not Western products, like Razor Brand Fish Sauce in 1 L bottles.

Maybe we both had a bad day or it's just mai pen rai management?

I often wondered why the chinese are in such numbers in TOPS and Rimpings.

As you say, maybe they're stocking up on hard-to-get good quality western food.

The airports in Australia have huge quantities of powdered infant milk for the Chinese travellers.

When/if the missing items return,you can bet they will be more expensive,

due to the depreciation of the THB,some things you seen,buy them ,like

them,and you never seen them again.

regards worgeordie

It could have something to do with the recent four-day weekend interrupting the regular delivery cycles.

Most likely Nancy, and like they don't have enough demand history in order to pre-empt this so that they don't run out of stock. Just poor logistics in my opinion and as a result the store misses out on sales.

Will it ever change ie get better? Don't hold your breath.

There's no excuse for this apart from acts of God. Just poor planning.....as usual.

We were just talking about this earlier, after having spent a couple of hours of time looking for things at both Rimping and Big C, and coming out empty handed. The wife asked what was going on and got an answer to the effect that the Chinese have recently been buying up Western items in large quantities and that also there have been shipping delays since the holiday weekend.

I have seen groups of Chinese come into Tops, Big C, Rimping, etc. like a whirlwind and fill up baskets of Western item recently.

So both masuk and NancyL are correct.

Fortunately, there are so many options now. There are endless European bakeries now and even a Dutch cheese supplier that delivers to some areas. Whenever we see those French deserts that Postman is looking for, we buy like 20 of them as we might not see them again for a while.

As far as Festival Market is concerned....it was so great when it first opened. It has gone downhill, stocks less things (cheeses, imported deli items, etc.) that we seldom bother with it anymore.

"Whenever we see those French deserts that Postman is looking for, we buy like 20 of them as we might not see them again for a while."

So it really isn't the Chinese buying them all, it's you.

The "Miracle Cabaret" ladyboy revue that opened this year near Hotel Mercure has been a surprise big hit on the Chinese bus tour circuit. And the Tops Chotana Market next door must be lighting extra candles and incence (sp?) for the large nightly influx of Chinese visitors who flock into the store after the show or between acts. They really seem to like shopping there, but I haven't noticed what they are buying. Do they not have such stores in the PRC?