Inflammatory personal attack posts and replies have been removed. 

31 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Don, maybe you know the answer to this...

 

The supposed reason I've heard for no U.S. turkeys in Thailand the past two years is Thai fear that some kind of poultry virus will be passed to the Thai poultry stocks, is that right?

 

So, if that's the case, can that kind of thing be passed along via already slaughtered, processed and frozen turkeys -- as opposed to fresh ones???

 

Do the Thais really have any legitimate health concern here? Or this is just some kind of political B.S.?

 

About 2 years ago there was a problem in one state, I think that it was Indiana but not sure. Those turkeys were isolated and destroyed. Apparently it was an isolated situation and the issue was settled with the FDA and the Agriculture Department quickly. This is why Thailand decided to embargo. The same with one isolated case of mad cow disease  from a cow from Canada that was brought to Washington State about 15 years ago.  Once Thailand locks onto something like this it stays locked in and there is no effort to clear the issues. The new US Trade Representative could clear both of these two issues. The US grows about 250 million turkeys per year. Twenty nine percent are consumed during the holidays. It is a big business and the birds are safe. In my previous business I have tried using Thai turkeys from two suppliers. They were tough and the meat to bone and fat ration was about 15% yield. The US turkey after cooking is about 21% yield. Expensive at that. In Phuket at Don's Mall I would normally use about 50 turkeys on Christmas. We would feed 300 people on Christmas day. I sold a lot of complete take away meals. Butterball turkeys are over priced and are simply injected in the breast with butter oil. The Norbest are OK.

1 minute ago, DonaldBattles said:

About 2 years ago there was a problem in one state, I think that it was Indiana but not sure. Those turkeys were isolated and destroyed. Apparently it was an isolated situation and the issue was settled with the FDA and the Agriculture Department quickly. This is why Thailand decided to embargo. The same with one isolated case of mad cow disease  from a cow from Canada that was brought to Washington State about 15 years ago.  Once Thailand locks onto something like this it stays locked in and there is no effort to clear the issues. The new US Trade Representative could clear both of these two issues. The US grows about 250 million turkeys per year. Twenty nine percent are consumed during the holidays. It is a big business and the birds are safe. In my previous business I have tried using Thai turkeys from two suppliers. They were tough and the meat to bone and fat ration was about 15% yield. The US turkey after cooking is about 21% yield. Expensive at that. In Phuket at Don's Mall I would normally use about 50 turkeys on Christmas. We would feed 300 people on Christmas day. I sold a lot of complete take away meals. Butterball turkeys are over priced and are simply injected in the breast with butter oil. The Norbest are OK.

 

are UK turkeys also part of the ban?

maybe these turkeys arent so stupid and haven't been voting for themselves at christmas,  apart from the thai ones.

On 11/16/2016 at 11:18 AM, worgeordie said:

I dont believe they are British turkeys ,as the packaging is different from

what they sell in UK, there they have Union Jack on the bag.but looking

forward to your report when you receive yours.

regards Worgeordie

So here we go... got a call this morning from Tesco profoundly apologizing for running out of Turkeys. Asking if and when they will be available again, is was told they don't know and cannot tell. best to place an order every week....

I will do so, but skip all the other items I ordered to fluff up the total. Ended up paying 60 Baht for delivery of some coffee, coffee mate and sugar.... One has to smile. Apparently their system is not linked to the ever changing Inventory.  

Slowly seeing myself ending up with a Duck. 

I stopped by the Makro store in Chong Nonsi BKK today looking about turkeys (gai nguang). Asked at the butcher shop section. As usual in such things, one guy said yes and vaguely pointed off into the store. Another guy insisted no, not have.

 

Walked away, and a few minutes later, one of the butcher section guys came over to me and pointed me to a freezer cabinet labeled for lamb and beef  [I had already looked in the chicken/poultry section on my own, and found nothing] where I found about 3 sad-looking Thai brand turkeys, all wrapped just in loose clear plastic bags with a Thai label pasted on the outside, and one of the bags being totally split open/torn.

 

No pricing on the bags themselves. And no label or pricing on the freezer liner where Makro usually posts its prices.

 

All in all, a pretty depressing, useless proposition.

 

Stopped by Central Chidlom on the way home today, and two things:

--1. They're having their Thai turkeys on sale (no thanks, I'm going to pass).

--2. Finally some explanation of just who and where these Thai turkeys are coming from.

 

(I don't think I want to know what "local food" these scrawny birds are being fed with...)

 

 

 

On 11/16/2016 at 10:47 AM, Mekong Bob said:

USA (Norbest) frozen turkeys available in Chiang Mai at Rimping.  No Butterball turkeys found.

600 baht per kilogram.  Gulp!!!

 

  Robbery.  Meanwhile, back in the US:

 

  "A 16-pound turkey — the biggest single ticket item in the meal — averaged $22.74 this year, or 1.3 percent below 2015. The survey was conducted in 40 states with price checks on roughly a dozen items."

 

  So that's about $1.40 per pound or 105 baht per kilogram.  

 

  Nice mark-up by the Thai retailers (and the Thai government, presuming there's some of the usual punitive level of import taxation involved.)

 

  http://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/17/thanksgiving-meal-to-gobble-up-less-money-this-year.html

11 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Stopped by Central Chidlom on the way home today, and two things:

--1. They're having their Thai turkeys on sale (no thanks, I'm going to pass).

--2. Finally some explanation of just who and where these Thai turkeys are coming from.

 

(I don't think I want to know what "local food" these scrawny birds are being fed with...)

 

 

 

Pad Thai?

Derogatory post Removed

more likely.... sh**!!!

Looks like this post has run it's course and we should forget it. You have a choice of tough small Thai turkeys or some smuggled at Rimping for super big prices. You all can write a letter to the new US Trade Representative. This would help.

I'll be roasting two big chickens and I have some Frenches

turkey gravy mix....good enough, dressing, cranberry sauce 

and mashed potatoes....Thanksgiving Thailand Style!!

No doubt I'll have a delicious dinner with chicken, fish, vegetables, and dessert.  And then the next day I'll read about the Thanksgiving parades and football games and think to myself, "Missed it again.  Mai bpen rai!" 

Bickering post - and Quoted Reply - Removed

 

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look at your post - posted 10 hours ago - beside that is report post

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Rob at Sausage King has just bought a large Turkey so his regulars will be able to Pig out at Christmas.

 

john

The Thai turkeys in Rimping have very little breast meat,skin and bone

really, but not cheap circa 1,500 THB.a lot to spend,then find they are tough 

Don't know why they don't import from UK with the cheap Pound,

Regards Worgeordie

Last night, I was watching TV from the U.S., and the store chain Target had a commercial advertising Butterball turkeys for 99 cent per pound. 

2 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Last night, I was watching TV from the U.S., and the store chain Target had a commercial advertising Butterball turkeys for 99 cent per pound. 

 

 

That's expensive.  My brother in Florida paid $.49 per pound

I am told by some one who knows about these matters that the 'Turkeys' from Rimping have had the 'Breast Meat' removed before being plastic wrapped.

 

john

I doubt if this helps the thread but I happened to notice a few small turkeys in my local (samui) Tesco this morning.

Apparently a few turkeys are slipping thru.

 

Thanks to a good friend we were able to get a few at the last minute.  Norbest Turkey will be  on for Thanksgiving at  The Pun Pun.  Advance booking  [5555 what little time ] is a must.

So, I got the Tesco Turkey's. (sounds somewhat weird) 

Ordered a medium and a large. Price tag was exactly like described online, makes me think it was not really weight... Anyway, small stuff. 

Whilst better packed than any Thai Turkey I have seen before, fact remains, they are Thai!. I have attached photos below.  

On the weekend I will try and roast off the smaller one. Might end up rolling the Legs and Roast the breasts separately.  May even have to brine them. If that works sufficiently good, then we will have Turkey for Christmas. If not, we will have Duck! Period. 

Will keep you posted. 

 

For now, Happy Thanksgiving !

 

 

Thanks for posting the photos.... Nice to see just what Tesco is putting out.

 

Contrary to one post above, it doesn't look like these birds have had their breasts removed.

 

But whether the meat is any good -- or tough and stringy -- only the eating will tell!

Thats a good one 5555  ... a turkey mastectomy ???

 

Anyway hope all had a good feed for Thanksgiving Dinner....  But take note , those that had to work and were not able to feast away with the family......  and as usual for those good folks, know that will have the full Thanksgiving again on this Sunday.  We've done this for a number of years and people seem to appreciate it.  By the way,  our turkey is Norbest and non-mastectomied.

 

On 13 November 2016 at 10:26 PM, stament said:

Is the turkey embargo only against USA or all countries?

 

 

Well , what was told to me ,was a couple years ago when the bird flu was around , Thailand and other countries put a ban on fowl from the USA and 35 countries.  Also as I was told well before last year, all bans ,for this, had been lifted with the exception of the Thai ban on the USA poultry products.  So it seems obvious that there is some other conflict causing Thailand not to lift the ban.  Officials acting as children on a playground.  Again, this is what I was told,  so take all with a grain of salt. maybe yes, maybe no, TIT