Tesco Lotus

[caller]

Is that why nothing ever fits and there are always bits missing???

I was going to use the word "crap", but I've learnt from experience never to invite the wrath of IKEA fans!

[lomuamart]

IKEA were coming in for a bit of stick in the UK from what I remember last year when back home. Ie their customer relations. Went to the one in Birmingham and felt like a zombie, walking through their well signposted maze. Half decent stuff for reasonable prices, but surely we don't need one of these in HH?
Hell, there's a Tesco coming soon, an Index etc etc. This is Thailand. I don't need the UK's high street here.

[Norseman]

I think we all say amen to that caller and lomuamart!!!
The furniture you get here is 1/3 of Ikea price and you don't need glue, screwdriver or anything to assemble it.
It's all assembled by some smart brain warrier in LOS that don't need user instructions or anything.
We want finished products!
We don't want to work as accessories managers in HH.

[Jaime]

Hell, there's a Tesco coming soon, an Index etc etc. This is Thailand. I don't need the UK's high street here.

To be honest, apart from the branding the Tesco Lotus stores don't bear much resemblance to the Tesco stores here in the UK. In LoS they have a huge 'mall' feeling with a touch of Thai disorganisation thrown in. My experience is that there is usually only a small amount of Western stuff in them that you couldn't get in a 7-11 or Mini Market - olive oil, HP sauce etc. that is all on one or two aisles within the vast array of plastic bowls, washing lines, toilet paper and other household goods. Presumably the HH Tesco will be accompanied by the obligatory MK Suki - Yuk! Tasteless boiled cabbage, jellyfish and liver with plastic dim sum. The Thai's seem to love it for some reason but it is nothing like the Thai grub.

On another note, when I got back to the UK recently I was told that there had been a news item whilst I was away that revealed Tesco's plan to pull out of Thailand and sell their interests to Carrefour. Seems strange as they are investing so heavily. Anyone know whether this is likely to happen? If so it will be France's high street on the door step rather than the UK's!

[Guess]

I have not heard these rumours re: Carrefour. However the good side is that if the froggies do take over than maybe we can get some Lao style bread.

I have checked out Tescolotus.com & Tesco.com, nothing. I have also checked in the City of London and again drawn a blank.

I personally do not think it makes any difference whatsover who owns these large corporates. They will be run in a manner consistent to their current marketing policies.

I agree that none of them have anything to offer that we can not get already in Hua Hin.

The only things that I get excited about is that maybe we will have a bowling alley and a cinema. After that I may be tempted to stuff a Funking Gonut down my throat.

Welcome to the world of mass marketing.

[lomuamart]

Westmoor4,
Moved your question to sit alone on this forum. It should generate more response that way, rathr than being in with shopping.
Mod.

[Bamboo Grove]

Guess wrote

I agree that none of them have anything to offer that we can not get already in Hua Hin.

It's very difficult to get good quality beef here in HH. Hopefully the new establishment will change this. At the moment I "import" all my beef from Bangkok. In Hua Hin they end up in the markets the same day, they've been butchered and are very stewy. Yes, I know some places sell beef imported from U.S.A. or New Zealand but the prices are not that customer friendly for those. I wouldn't be able to sell minced beef with gravy in my place if I had to buy it for 400 baht/kg.

[JW]

Bamboo,

Couldnt agree more. The prices and portions that are delivered by our local farang friendly butchers are an absolute joke. I am looking forward very much to good quaility meat and sensible prices. It will be interesting to see state of some outlets a little while after Tesco has been open!? Everyone has to make a living, but there is living and LIVING!

[Limey711]

When we were there in October, we went to the opening day of the new Index complex, if I remember correctly they had an half decent DIY section within their store, hope this helps.

Happy New Year to everyone.

Limey

[tuktukmike]

BG

Where on earth have you been charged bht400 kilo.

I cant honestly say i have seen beef at this price in hua hin.

The normal price i know is around bht200 a kilo, and yes i have a vested interest in this (sort of).

There are people in town who dont seem to realise the cost of running a company suppliying farang food, we have to pay tax every month along with VAT and staff social security and salary.

Then there is the cost of running several freezers and also the electric used for making ready meals as well as the realistic price of ones own labour.

Lets be honest for once, we all know anyone can buy Heineken or any other beer in the local shops for around 30-35 bht a bottle.

Yet all the bars sell it for 70-75 bht a bottle, this is double the price you pay to buy the damm stuff. i would love to be in a position myself to have this sort of mark up.

What would be the bar owners response, we have to pay the girls salary, rent, electric, and of course maybe for some tax and vat, same same or not.

Overall we all try and give good service in this town but for the farang food outlets i can tell you we put in more hours than we could ever be paid for from the profits, this christmas we hardly stopped and i am sure others in this role would agree.

Last point would be, we pay a fair starting salary of 6000 a month and i wonder how many bars pay this also remember we dont get bar fine money.

This is not meant as a go at the bars, its just to try and show the reality of the situation when running a company and paying your way.

That said i am off for a beer.

Mike.

[Bamboo Grove]

If the price for ground beef is 200 B/kg, it's not too bad, particulary if you are cooking for yourself or your family. However, if you have a pub and try to keep your prices reasonable, it cuts down the margin profit remarkably. I do remember checking out the price for mince in the Shopping Mall, and correct me if I'm wrong, I think it was 180 Baht for half a kilo. And by the way, I'm not moaning about the price, I was merely stating the fact that good quality ground beef with reasonable price isn't available here in Hua Hin.

[Guess]

BG,

Mike's estimate seems much closer to what I remember. I don't buy beef very often as my wife will not eat it on religous grounds and I eat very little meat of any kind. If I am making a Spaghetti Bolognese or Chile con Carne for friends at a party I buy my beef from the large Chinese lady in the centre of the day market. From memory it is about 180 Baht per kilo for rump end fatless cuts and she will grind it as many times as you like. She hisses and tuts and looks at me like I am crazy for asking for three mincings but she does it and I think only adds on ten or twenty Baht.

When I was staying down south we used Tesco every week but never for fresh produce. It was always cheaper in the market.

[tuktukmike]

Hi BG

I think you will find its 240 bht a kilo in the shopping mall.

But if bought direct its only 200 a kilo.

This is due to having to pay the mall a large percentage.

someone agreed to pay this to get their products in there and now the rest of us have to pay the same.

But there are some good points with the mall as like us they now sell Paxo, Bisto gravy of different kinds including chip shop curry, mmmmm.

For me i have never liked tesco due to the fact in the UK all our local Butchers closed down, this meant you can only buy that lump of beef with artificial fat wrapped round it.

And i worked for Tesco at their major distribution depot at Magor where they load some of the containers bound for Thailand.

For me the Bowling Alley is what i am looking forward to and hopefully we can organise teams.

Mike.