Seven Eleven's shame

Recently I saw in the letters column of the Nation, a reply letter from Seven Eleven, arguing that they are no threat to small retail shops in Thailand because they are franchises and because they don't undercut prices to other small stores and sell different products to them.
This is of course complete rubbish. Seven Eleven are a direct threat to the Thai way of life.

Like all American franchises operating outside of America there is scant regard for the the people or the economies they are operating in. The fact that Seven Eleven only recently, 2005, became an indirect subsidiary of the Japanese company Seven & 1 Holdings hasn't changed a thing.

If you walk down any street in Thailand within a few hundred meters you will see at least five seven Eleven's, some almost next door to each other, this is ridiculous and is undermining local shops and stalls doing business. They sell almost exactly the same things and while they might not "always" undercut prices they attract with air-con and junk foods. Making it very difficult for small stall owners to compete without undercutting their own profit margins to attract the customers they need to survive. Not only this but they are pushing up rents for shop keepers and feeding unhealthy food to the youth of Thailand.

Please think twice before you go into a Seven Eleven they are possibly even worse than Tesco's.

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[Marsilius]

When Tesco recently applied to increase the number of their smaller convenience stores throughout Pattaya, local store owners understandably objected.

But when City Hall polled local residents as to whether they wanted to see Tesco on their soi corners, the overwhelming result was a "yes" vote.

Like consumers everywhere, local people saw how they would benefit from more choice and more competition - and wanted to be free from being held over a barrel by the monopolistic local store owner.

An instance where "Thai Rak Thai" turned out to be no more than just a slogan, after all!

But when City Hall polled local residents as to whether they wanted to see Tesco on their soi corners, the overwhelming result was a "yes" vote.

Like consumers everywhere, local people saw how they would benefit from more choice and more competition - and wanted to be free from being held over a barrel by the monopolistic local store owner.

How are local shops and stall holders monopolising trade exactly? And this poll was credible? Tesco's is a disgrace in Thailand. It's not so much Thailand for the Thais, but trying to keep greedy western and other multi national companies from trying to destroy the fabric of Thai life out.

There is a branch of Tesco in Surin that must be the most popular shopping area in the province. Thais travel miles to go there.
Why? It offers huge choice, affordable prices and great service. And guess what: there is hardly a farang in the place.
If Tesco and other international chains were not wanted by Thai people they would have closed years ago.

Cedric, it's called progress. Thai's like it ... even if it spoils your picture-postcard image of the country.

Not a word about Mcdonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and so forth ad nauseam! Not only the economic implications but the unmitigated nutritional disaster they foist on their patrons.
Silom Farang of "Gay Boy Thailand" otherwise excellent blog never tires of writing about his sojourns to Burger King which on occasion he has treated as if it were gourmet fare. (Detailed essays on how they don't get the meat just right.) And he is always writing about his trips to the various 7-11s and the "benefits" one offers over the other.
I find it all quite amusing in a very dark way since all of these places take a huge toll in every regard that I can think of.

When Tesco recently applied to increase the number of their smaller convenience stores throughout Pattaya, local store owners understandably objected.

But when City Hall polled local residents as to whether they wanted to see Tesco on their soi corners, the overwhelming result was a "yes" vote.

Like consumers everywhere, local people saw how they would benefit from more choice and more competition - and wanted to be free from being held over a barrel by the monopolistic local store owner.

An instance where "Thai Rak Thai" turned out to be no more than just a slogan, after all!

Marsilius, have you ever read Noam Chomsky's writing on the subject?

[Marsilius]

From the Pattaya Mail, January 25 2008 - a genuine item of news (gasp!)...:

"The first Tesco Lotus Express retail outlet in Pattaya took another step towards completion on January 14, despite the fierce opposition of local shopkeepers, when a second public hearing revealed the majority of residents to be in favor of the store.
The Thai Union Against Foreign Retailers has actively lobbied against the store, and construction was halted towards the end of last year to clarify the status and legality of the work.
Tesco Lotus had carried out its own research, which showed that the majority of people in Pattaya were in favor of the store. Local retailers, however, had vehemently opposed the results, and PattayaтАЩs mayor had suggested a second public hearing be undertaken.
The results of that second hearing have revealed that the majority of residents are in favor of Tesco Lotus Express.
On January 14 at Pattaya City Hall, Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn chaired the second public hearing for people in 27 communities regarding the acceptance of the Tesco Lotus Express on Soi Nernplabwan in Central Pattaya.
Niran said that the situation has confused many people. City hall had examined the construction work and the permissions granted to use the area, and found that everything was approved correctly. However, those in opposition to the project continue to accuse Pattaya administrators of having a special interest in the large department store chain. That, said Niran, is not true at all.
If anyone still has doubts about the permission for constructing Tesco Lotus Express on Soi Nernplabwan, then they can verify the details at any time, he added. Pattaya City has operated according to the law and the Ministry of Interior regulations. It has acted throughout for the benefit of the local inhabitants.
Tawit Chaisawangwong, chairman of Pattaya council said that checks have been made to ensure that there has been no suspicious activity regarding the granting of permissions. He said that all such processes are based on the law, and that a section exists in city hall to verify the procedures of government officials.
Representatives of the Rungruang Community, which is in the same construction area as Tesco Lotus Express, said that the general point of view amongst residents is that local retailers and foreign retailers have their own customers, and that the two groups of customers are not the same.
Shoppers will use their own discretion. Local retailers should have confidence in what they offer, and in the service they give. Consumers will find what they want for themselves. If a higher price means better quality, they will pay the higher price.
There were 228 people at this second public hearing. Of these, 156 people voted for Tesco Lotus Express and 69 people were against. Two people abstained and there was one spoiled paper (invalid ballot).
After the results were announced, there were still some people who were not satisfied. They questioned Niran, who said that the results of this second public meeting would be submitted to the governor of Chonburi for final consideration."

Mom and Pop stores aren't worth saving. They're dark, dusty, non-airconditioned, and often sell shoddy and expired goods. If they become extinct, so what. People like shopping at 7-11.

Exactly RawSugar, it's disgusting that the Americans want the whole world to be as unhealthy as they are and smell as bad too. Talking of Naom Chomsky I have their "Imperial Ambitions", conversations with Naom post 9/11, Penguin.

I got it by default, I was having dinner after tennis and left my balls in the restaurant. A few days later I sent in the maid to pick them up and she came out with a bag full of balls a book and a birthday card addressed to Christopher. They just gave her all the left property. I haven't read it yet but am planing to before I return it. Any good?

Part of one article:
Increasingly, biofuels are likely to "starve the poor" around the world, according to Runge and Senauer, as staples are converted to ethanol production for the privileged тАФ cassava in sub-Saharan Africa, to take one ominous example. Meanwhile, in Southeast Asia, tropical forests are cleared and burned for oil palms destined for biofuel, and there are threatening environmental effects from input-rich production of corn-based ethanol in the United States as well.

The high price of tortillas and other, crueler vagaries of the international order illustrate the interconnectedness of events, from the Middle East to the Middle West, and the urgency of establishing trade based on true democratic agreements among people, and not interests whose principal hunger is for profit for corporate interests protected and subsidised by the state they largely dominate, whatever the human cost.