Are fresh markets a better value than Big C?

[aronp1]

Yes, much better prices at a market, plus better quality as well. Someone mentioned "I don't see rats running around Big C". Well I don't know what markets you've been going to. I've never seen any rats at any market, besides what does that have to do with the quality and price of the food there? I think some people are just sitting too high on their horse to live in Thailand. GO to the markets! Support your community and eat healthier food.

Rats are in all the markets, you just don't see them. It affects quality if the rats are pissing and shitting on your food. Has little to do with riding high on a horse.

Eat healthier?

If you want to eat healthier, support the local farmers growing organic.

When and f you see a rat where is it? I'll tell you , on the ground. Where is the food? I know where it isn't. ON THE GROUND! You really think people selling food are going to let rats walk all over their product? Oh just let the rats walk all over the food, hell this is just how I'm making a living and feeding my family, nothing important here. Give me a break!

[loonytune]

For example, some things just have to be handled. Stall holders do not like you picking up and squeezing mangosteens, which is a must if you don't want to pay big money for rocks which are inedible. I can do that in the supermarkets.

this is not the way to do it. firstly dont buy fruit when it is expensive. within days the price will drop to reasonable.

secondly stand back and just point to the mangosteen and say how much you want eg twenty baht or 1 kg whatever. then the vendor will go about squeezing his own mangosteen and bagging them. hand it to you and you pay. if you get too much no-good stuff, remember it, and simply chose a different vendor next time.

[tropo]

Yes, much better prices at a market, plus better quality as well. Someone mentioned "I don't see rats running around Big C". Well I don't know what markets you've been going to. I've never seen any rats at any market, besides what does that have to do with the quality and price of the food there? I think some people are just sitting too high on their horse to live in Thailand. GO to the markets! Support your community and eat healthier food.

Rats are in all the markets, you just don't see them. It affects quality if the rats are pissing and shitting on your food. Has little to do with riding high on a horse.

Eat healthier?

If you want to eat healthier, support the local farmers growing organic.

When and f you see a rat where is it? I'll tell you , on the ground. Where is the food? I know where it isn't. ON THE GROUND! You really think people selling food are going to let rats walk all over their product? Oh just let the rats walk all over the food, hell this is just how I'm making a living and feeding my family, nothing important here. Give me a break!

Rats can't climb? I've seen rats around eating establishments so big they're probably pets and have names?

These were at the Thai food court type of places.

[loonytune]

perhaps we could have someone actually go look through the literature to see how persistent leptospirosis is from rat piss. can it be washed of easily, does it die without any intervention within a given time span/temperature range, etc. that sort of stuff should be put into the public knowledge.

PS: not me i like to live dangerously on the edge.

PM me when it read and posted so i dont miss it.

Edited January 16, 2016 by loonytune

[ChangMaiSausage]

There are rats in every market around the world they are part of market life, just because you don't see them does not mean they are not there.

When back in Thailand we buy meat and veg from the market (I actually enjoy a walk through the market on a morning, but there again I love my food and cooking)

Each to their own, if you prefer to but from the side of the road, from Big C or a market its down to you to ensure you have picked and bought the freshest.

I do believe that most fruit and veg contains some kind of preservative when we but from wholesalers.

[loonytune]

"There are rats in every market around the world "

you live in a different world to some of us. some countries they dont even have market like they do here

[Forkinhades]

Our local market 'wannasin' on soi siam country club has produce fresher and cheaper than any of the big stores!

Makro is our preferred choice when we do the weekly shop, and can offer some good cuts of meat, and more hygienic. Also good for fruit juices and many western delights.

[Gonsalviz]

I don't have much choice. Tesco is 16 km away and Makro is 35 km away. I do not find the produce fresh at all and general l have to buy the quantity I need which cost a lot more than the local market. Not a good deal.

At the local market what I buy for way less and share with the family. The amount I buy local would cost 20 Baht at the local market would cost 60 to 80 or more at Tesco.

And I don't want to hear about what chemicals are used. They all buy from the same places.

[balo]

I don't have much choice. Tesco is 16 km away and Makro is 35 km away. I do not find the produce fresh at all and general l have to buy the quantity I need which cost a lot more than the local market. Not a good deal.

At the local market what I buy for way less and share with the family. The amount I buy local would cost 20 Baht at the local market would cost 60 to 80 or more at Tesco.

And I don't want to hear about what chemicals are used. They all buy from the same places.

How do you know that ? Yes market sellers buy from local farmers, but I am pretty sure Makro and Big C have their own suppliers of fruit and vegetables. Regarding chemicals we just don't know , but they sell a lot of stuff wrapped in plastic , maybe it's more hygienic than buying stuff from the market.

Edited January 17, 2016 by balo

[mgjackson69]

I don't have much choice. Tesco is 16 km away and Makro is 35 km away. I do not find the produce fresh at all and general l have to buy the quantity I need which cost a lot more than the local market. Not a good deal.

At the local market what I buy for way less and share with the family. The amount I buy local would cost 20 Baht at the local market would cost 60 to 80 or more at Tesco.

And I don't want to hear about what chemicals are used. They all buy from the same places.

How do you know that ? Yes market sellers buy from local farmers, but I am pretty sure Makro and Big C have their own suppliers of fruit and vegetables. Regarding chemicals we just don't know , but they sell a lot of stuff wrapped in plastic , maybe it's more hygienic than buying stuff from the market.

Bought from the open market or bought from a supermarket, I still wash the produce with soap and water.

The fact that it is wrapped in plastic is nothing to do with hygiene...that is packaging for convenience of the customer and checkout.

[Forkinhades]

Lime juice and water.

Soap?? Really, that must taste awful, yuk

[mgjackson69]

Lime juice and water.

Soap?? Really, that must taste awful, yuk

Why would it taste awful?

Wash with soap and water, rinse with water, no soap is left behind.

[loonytune]

re rats: this is a new one on me

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-01/15/c_135013946.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lassa_fever

Edited January 17, 2016 by loonytune

[aronp1]

And I don't want to hear about what chemicals are used. They all buy from the same places.

I'm sure you are referring to Tesco,Big C,etc. Because the fruits and veggies at local markets are not bought from the same place as the big retailers buy theirs.

[Nowisee]

A couple of months ago I was walking through local market and stepped on rat... it made a squealing sound and the feel under my foot felt weird and made me jump... a few locals looked at me and we all had a laugh.

What I don't understand is why the all the cats don't eat the rats? My dogs back home killed about 15 pack rats when I moved into and renovated an older home in Arizona. They would spend hours waiting for and then eventually killing a pack rat. They were cattle dogs and obsessed with killing. Here, there should be killer cats and dogs in these markets or set traps. No one seems to care.

Edited January 18, 2016 by Nowisee

[tropo]

A couple of months ago I was walking through local market and stepped on rat... it made a squealing sound and the feel under my foot felt weird and made me jump... a few locals looked at me and we all had a laugh.

What I don't understand is why the all the cats don't eat the rats? My dogs back home killed about 15 pack rats when I moved into and renovated an older home in Arizona. They would spend hours waiting for and then eventually killing a pack rat. They were cattle dogs and obsessed with killing. Here, there should be killer cats and dogs in these markets or set traps. No one seems to care.

The answer is quite simple - the dogs and cats are well fed by stall holders and don't need to hunt for food. The rats have no natural enemies (other than the old person stepping on them by accident) and flourish.

[ace]

The Makro fans: do you include the place on Pattaya Nua rd? I've been there a few times as its close, but am always disappointed on both quality and price. Perhaps sukhumvit is better, never been there.

I find the fresh places a bit hit and miss although love the prawns at naklua. If they're moving, they're good.

[KittenKong]

I only use the big Makro on Sukumvit.

[TheCruncher]

The Makro fans: do you include the place on Pattaya Nua rd? I've been there a few times as its close, but am always disappointed on both quality and price. Perhaps sukhumvit is better, never been there.

I find the fresh places a bit hit and miss although love the prawns at naklua. If they're moving, they're good.

Agree, the Makro on Nua doesn't stock many things that are available in the other one, so I don't bother with them anymore.

[digbeth]

And I don't want to hear about what chemicals are used. They all buy from the same places.

I'm sure you are referring to Tesco,Big C,etc. Because the fruits and veggies at local markets are not bought from the same place as the big retailers buy theirs.

Go to the big vegetable wholesale market 'Talad Thai' north of Bangkok at 3-4AM in the morning, that's where the market people get their stuff, you'll see many of the mobile grocery store on the back of pickup truck-type too also see all the big trucks from all the supermarkets there getting their produce

Okay, supermarkets gets their produced delivered directly to their distribution centre too, but they do go to the same wholesale market to buy some things just like the vendor in the market

[mgjackson69]

Does anyone truly think that the supermarkets are getting their fresh products from different farms/fields than the sellers in the market?

If someone can point me to a field marked "Makro only" I will change that notion.

[emilymat]

I went to Big C this morning. It was a a general grocery shop which would have included some spuds.

However, when I tested the potatoes they were soft, almost like you can gently squeeze an orange. I gave them a miss and popped into the market on Siam CC road on my way home. Picked up some great potatoes for baking and general cooking. They were scrubbed clean and firm and about two third the price of Big C.

Market every time for me.

[Forkinhades]

Wannasin market on Soi Siam is the best I've been to, even have imported produce.

Broccoli, cauliflower, spuds, carrots, always much fresher than the big stores. What I like as well is the veg that has a short life left gets chopped up ( bad bits cut off) and put into a 20 baht plastic bag, which is great for making soups.

[RabC]

Does anyone truly think that the supermarkets are getting their fresh products from different farms/fields than the sellers in the market?

If someone can point me to a field marked "Makro only" I will change that notion.

The produce may well come from the same fields but I trust Makro, BigC et al not to spray their produce with preservatives that are toxic where as I do not have that confidence when buying at a market. Also read up on some of the stuff used by these market people, for a preservative to work it has to get in to the cell structure and washing will achieve nothing.

[craigt3365]

I went to Big C this morning. It was a a general grocery shop which would have included some spuds.

However, when I tested the potatoes they were soft, almost like you can gently squeeze an orange. I gave them a miss and popped into the market on Siam CC road on my way home. Picked up some great potatoes for baking and general cooking. They were scrubbed clean and firm and about two third the price of Big C.

Market every time for me.

Makro is much better. It's where the local restaurants shop. I've seen chefs from the big resorts here walking around.

And as mentioned, for better or worse, I trust them more than an independent vendor in a "fresh" market. As indicated in the various reports I did links to. Either way, who really knows? Tough decisions.

[emilymat]

I went to Big C this morning. It was a a general grocery shop which would have included some spuds.

However, when I tested the potatoes they were soft, almost like you can gently squeeze an orange. I gave them a miss and popped into the market on Siam CC road on my way home. Picked up some great potatoes for baking and general cooking. They were scrubbed clean and firm and about two third the price of Big C.

Market every time for me.

Makro is much better. It's where the local restaurants shop. I've seen chefs from the big resorts here walking around.

And as mentioned, for better or worse, I trust them more than an independent vendor in a "fresh" market. As indicated in the various reports I did links to. Either way, who really knows? Tough decisions.

Thanks. I use Makro on Nua a lot. Living on the darkside it's much easier to get to. It's only occasionally I use Big C, this time because I had a dental appointment in town. Also, there are lots of 'bits and pieces' you can't get in Makro, given the nature of the store.

I would add, that by using Big C,say once a month, you really do notice the price increases in all the areas. I know there is inflation but some of the items I buy occasionally can easily go up 10% in a month.

[gk10002000]

One of the markets up off Soi Yumai used to have fish that were still alive. Not the best, but alive is a better guarantee then a fish on ice. Of course you can tell a bit about how fresh the fish is by its eye appearance, etc.

[tropo]

I went to Big C this morning. It was a a general grocery shop which would have included some spuds.

However, when I tested the potatoes they were soft, almost like you can gently squeeze an orange. I gave them a miss and popped into the market on Siam CC road on my way home. Picked up some great potatoes for baking and general cooking. They were scrubbed clean and firm and about two third the price of Big C.

Market every time for me.

I can't understand why anyone would buy soft potatoes anywhere as it's about the easiest vegetable to test for quality.

[craigt3365]

One of the markets up off Soi Yumai used to have fish that were still alive. Not the best, but alive is a better guarantee then a fish on ice. Of course you can tell a bit about how fresh the fish is by its eye appearance, etc.

They use chemicals and antibiotics to keep the fish alive. I can't find the article, but one restaurant in Bangkok is well known for this. It has big fish tanks outside. Somebody tested the fish and they were massively tainted. Some reports say eating just one fish can cause anemia.

http://www.bimcbali.com/medical-news/formalin-in-food.html

The widespread use of formalin, in preservation of fish, fruit and other food items is posing a threat to public health. The chemical used as a solution in water keeps fish fresh and makes fruits like mangoes attractive. This chemical, usually used to stop dead bodies from rotting, is now being used to preserve edible items.

I quit eating that white fish that is so popular here after seeing a "farm" where they are raised. It was disgusting.

http://www.today.com/id/40198123/ns/today-today_health/t/could-your-seafood-contain-toxic-chemicals/#.Vp6_tVKjs0M

Footage taken by a U.S. advocacy group of seafood being raised in Vietnam, for example, showed fish in dirty sewage water, pumped with toxic antibiotics and banned drugs just to keep them alive, boosting production and driving down costs.

‘Disturbing number’

Ron Sparks is commissioner of the state Department of Agriculture in Alabama — one of the few states that tests imported seafood for drugs like chloramphenicol, nitrofurans and malachite green, chemicals so toxic to humans that they’re banned in all food. “In some cases, between 40 and 50 percent of our tests will come out positive,” Sparks said. “That’s a disturbing number.”

scary stuff.....

[SidJames]

It's frightening reading the news over here at times.

This is a link from the main news site on this forum about what is being done to fresh veg at the markets so I wonder if the supermarkets are guilty of the same practice?

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/28752