Boycott the Multi-National Corporations in Thailand

[Frog]

More than 20 years ago in Thailand, before 7-11's, KFC's, McDonalds, Department Stores and Tesco's were on every block with a stop light. These corporations operate like organized crime outfits with sweatshops filled with slaves in and outside of Thailand. They had something called 'Fair Trade' and mom and pop businesses which actually had a chance of survival a couple decades ago. Now Thailand is becoming another victim of western colonialism and crack addicted convenient consumerism. Please if you have a heart for the impoverished, hard working people of Thailand, please support your local markets and small businesses before its too late..

p.s. Don't forget about the little guys (animals) also..

Thanks,
Frog

[Lung Per]

[GLCQuantum]

Agree with your sentiment there Frog but I just love Maccie D's I'm afraid - Never gonna happen for me.

[Roel]

The biggest buyers at Tesco, Big C, Makro and the likes are pop and mom who are stocking up for their pop and mom shop. (For newbies: The kind of shop where pop and mom can watch television whilst seated at the till. Not that there really is a till, that is a drawer, the more sophisticated enterprises have also pencil and paper and a pocket calculator in case a customer wants to purchase two items).

Actually I have used and am still using these shops a lot where ever I lived in Thailand. But as soon as you have a shopping list with several items that pop and mom do not sell you are on you way to Tesco. Simple as that.

Never really looked at it as 'organized crime outfits'. My next visit will be a lot more exciting than before!

[tonymaroni]

You are breaking my heart here.

Thai people live at the 7 get over it.

[Super Joe]

More than 20 years ago in Thailand, before 7-11's, KFC's, McDonalds, Department Stores and Tesco's were on every block with a stop light. These corporations operate like organized crime outfits with sweatshops filled with slaves in and outside of Thailand. They had something called 'Fair Trade' and mom and pop businesses which actually had a chance of survival a couple decades ago. Now Thailand is becoming another victim of western colonialism and crack addicted convenient consumerism. Please if you have a heart for the impoverished, hard working people of Thailand, please support your local markets and small businesses before its too late..

How naive are you? Ever wondered why you never see a convoy of product suppliers lorries going down the road, stopping off every other 6 shops to unload

Mom and Pop shops account for at least 5% of Tesco Lotus customers by volume, or approximately 1.65 million shop owners per month. They purchase 'Club Pack' products, before returning to their stores to sell break up packs to their customers at a healthy margin.

Approximately 136 billion baht worth of products and services were purchased from over 9,100 vendors most of whom are SMEs in 2009. Tesco Lotus vendors provide over 500,000 jobs to their employees across the country, this does not include jobs for those who provide the vendors with raw materials and other services.

More than 89 billion baht has been injected directly into local economies through infrastructure contracts. Tesco Lotus paid a total of 11.43 billion Baht in taxes in 2009.

I doubt the above is all correct etc, but at least they pay 'some' taxes. At least they reinvest, creating jobs & stimulating the economy. And at least these corps give tens of thousands of youngsters a start in life, where they gain a bit of experience of interacting with customers, discipline, time-keeping, cooking hot dogs at 7,500 degrees centigrade etc.

Your suggestion is what?, to support people who don't reinvest, don't pay taxes or employ people, but opt for free child labor instead. Good one.

SJ

[GLCQuantum]

Frog had chosen a poor choice of companies to back up his argument. There are the larger companies that pretty much wipe out the smaller companies with no shame but those aren't them.

The only one I could boycott completely there would be KFC.

I actually thought mam and pap stores mostly went to Macro to buy... that's certainly the case in Bangkok.

[margaretcarnes]

I know I know - but I do agree with Frog! There are a couple of 'buts' though - a lot of Mom and Pop shops are Indian owned -(I don't have a problem with that personally because there's nothing much beats a good Duwali cake) and also they do provide much needed jobs.

However on the minus side big retailers, in particular Tesco, have such agressive marketing tactics and can afford such initial 'loss leaders' that they can very quickly drive some surrounding small shops into the ground. Once established they hike their prices.
Still on Tesco - they do have space, good layout, and, most importantly for Thais, chiller aircon. As do of course the rest of them, but my particular hate is Tesco.
So it was good news last week to hear that their home operation in the UK isn't doing very well. Seems they have concentrated so much on opening stores abroad that they have lost track of what UK shoppers want. Sadly I doubt they will go under....

[Takiap]

I actually thought mam and pap stores mostly went to Macro to buy... that's certainly the case in Bangkok.

Two different mom and pop shop owners have told me they never use Makro because you don't get carrier bags.........lol.

Around here were we stay, most mom and pop shops get their stock from the pick-ups that drive around selling supplies. G market also seems to be quite popular with the shop owners.

[dtaai-maai]

Two different mom and pop shop owners have told me they never use Makro because you don't get carrier bags...

That sums up Thailand rather neatly, in my view!

[Nereus]

Big C is not going to go away:
......................................................................

Big C to raise B4bn for small store growth

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/ret ... ore-growth

Big C Supercenter Plc (BIGC), the hypermarket operator, plans to raise 4 billion baht for business expansion this year, with a particular focus on small-format stores

The company's board yesterday approved a private placement of up to 23.6 million authorised but unissued shares, representing 2.9% of Big C's existing share capital.

Based on current share price, the amount raised will be about 4 billion baht.

Another 1.5 billion baht of cash flow will be spent on business expansion in 2012.

Yves Braibant, the chief executive and president, said raising capital is an important step in the company's strategic plan announced last year to become the No.1 modern food retailer in Thailand and a major regional player.

Funds raised will allow Big C to support the rollout of small-format stores including through the recently announced partnership with Bangchak Petroleum Plc.

That deal provides the potential for 300 Mini Big C branches at Bangchak stations over the next five years.

"We believe this is the right time to engage in private placement to allow us to maximise our reach to consumers nationwide," said Mr Braibant.

He said private placement has a short timetable and allows for quick-to-market fundraising, making it the most appropriate choice.

The company expects total revenue to grow by 8-10% this year.

The board decided to postpone the rights offering announced last October to raise up to 25 billion baht of capital and will reconsider the issue at an appropriate time.

Kudatara Nagaviroj, the corporate affairs director, said Big C is forging ahead with its 2012 expansion plan, which includes opening four Big C Supercenters, six Big C Markets and 75 Mini Big C branches nationwide.

BIGC shares closed yesterday on the SET at 164 baht, down seven baht, in trade worth 216 million baht.

[Pleng]

Two different mom and pop shop owners have told me they never use Makro because you don't get carrier bags.........lol.

I think they go to wherever is more convenient for them, to be honest!

[Frog]

Two different mom and pop shop owners have told me they never use Makro because you don't get carrier bags.........lol.

I think they go to wherever is more convenient for them, to be hones


I don't have time for engaging in idle talk, insults or mindless arguments. I only mentioned a few names of but the list goes on and on I only offered an idea and to those of you who agreed, I hope you also know there is a core group of 1,318 multinational companies that sit at the center of global commerce. They own a majority of shares in 60 per cent of the world's large businesses and manufacturers.

Within that group, the researchers identified a "super-entity" of 147 companies that control 40 per cent of the wealth within the multinational commerce network. According to the researchers, each of the 147 companies is owned by other companies within the "super-entity," essentially creating a self-contained network of wealth.

A majority of the companies listed in the network are financial institutions, with British bank Barclays at the top of the list. Asset managers Capital Group Companies and Fidelity Investments are in second and third, while insurer AXA and State Street Corporation round off the top five.

Interestingly, the bogeyman of financial reform champions, Goldman Sachs, placed only 18th on the list.

The researchers say their work is evidence the world may need global anti-trust regulations -- rules designed to keep companies from becoming too large in their sector, or from developing de facto agreements to cooperate with competitors.so please do your best to help support 'Thai' businesses and your local organic farmers. And yeah those chickens running around the house atleast have the freedom of seeing the light of day and freegrazing of cows is still widespread here. Check out the torturous living conditions of the animals that are slaughtered for Burger King, McDonalds, CP, 7-11, Macro, and then tell me about how grateful you are that in 'THIS LIFE' you actually have the right, to see the light of day and travel more than 2 inches from the place you sleep and defecate.

Sincerely,
A selfless human..

[BaaBaa.]

Have you seen "Thai" Chicken living conditions?

You're clueless, go braid your hair and adopt the lotus position.

[BaaBaa.]

Double post due to laughter