Protest against Macro in Prachuab

[Bamboo Grove]

From Bangkok Post

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN

200 retailers protest Makro store building

CHAIWAT SATYAEM

About 200 retailers from Prachuap Khiri Khan province protested at the provincial hall against the construction of a Makro cash-and-carry store yesterday morning. Protesters say the opening of the store by Siam Makro Plc will push their shops out of business.

The protesters, led by Sorasak Limkiatchoedchoo, were from Hua Hin and Pran Buri districts and Sam Roi Yot sub-district.

They demanded that Prachuap Khiri Khan Governor Prasong Pithoonkijja order the suspension of the store's construction and check if Siam Makro properly sought permission for the construction from relevant authorities.

Deputy Prachuap Khiri Khan Governor Sanit Bunkorsakul yesterday listened to the demands of protesters' representatives and promised to help.

The protesters demanded the province act on their demands by Aug 20, saying they will mobilise a mass rally if it does not.Yesterday's protest coincided with a rally near Government House by groups of people from several provinces against superstores.

Meanwhile, a marketing executive for Tesco Lotus, which runs several hypermarkets in the South, claimed his company's stores have been well-received in the region.

Kawin Santhakul, director and president for marketing of Tesco Lotus, said the company has hypermarkets in Surat Thani's Muang district and Koh Samui, Phuket, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla's Hat Yai district and Trang province.

Surveys in Phatthalung and Krabi found most residents in the two provinces wanted Tesco Lotus to open stores there.

The company has already secured land plots for new stores in the two provinces and is seeking permission from relevant authorities for construction, said Mr Kawin

[The understudy]

Hi there Y'all

Here we go again, When a new Mall comes around there's always someone to protest. Last time it the same people associated Hua hin Shopping staged a rally against the New Hua Hin Market Village. a couple of years ago, I think this time it's the same.
I;m currently 50/50 on this because of the following reasons.
the Pro's
1. The New Macro Mall would boost the local economy.
2. It would provide employment for 'hundreds of people or more
3. more diverstiy of products in Macro stores.

Cons.
1. ttreatning the existensy of small scale mom and Mopo stores with cut throat prices,
2. lees trafic in the shopping areas in Downtowwn as mor poeple choose to shop out of town.
3. more money going to the Big corperation!

[Guess]

This seems to be a constant theme nowadays in Thailand with the opening of any foreign owned chain store. (I am presuming this is a foreign owned business).

Since the demise of the foreign influenced Thaksin regime there have been protests against Tesco, Carrefour and Big C and maybe more.

The arguments, I believe, regarding loss of local business, increased traffic and the corporates taking over are just standard off the shelf comments that camouflage the real resentments.

I don't think that any of them will amount to anything and hopefully a new government will be able to put things into perspective and the people will understand that, although economic development has some unpalatable features about it, it is here to stay. The public demands it.

All of us who live here have a dislike for 7/11 & Family Mart and what they stand for but would it be like to live without them.

What annoys me about protests like this is, why are they doing it? If you have time on your hands and a social conscience why not demonstrate outside of a police station about 16 year olds racing their 125 sports buckets down your road without any concern for the elderly, the young and the local wildlife. While they are there they could also protest about women on 100 cc Hondas with a child in front making a phone call and alternating between checking their makeup in the mirrors and looking at the sky.

I am under doctors orders to keep my ranting level down so that's it for now. I should be OK for the start of Serie A and the English Premiership though.

[richard]

At my ripe old age of 62 (body that is not brain !!) I'm unmoved and resigned to go with the flow

Let the younger generation protest

Emily Pankhurst did well

Shame though, as far as the UK goes no one listened to Enoch !!!!!

[Condoking]

[quote="
Shame though, as far as the UK goes no one listened to Enoch !!!!![/quote]

Fully agree Khun Richard, Enoch Powell may have sacificed his place in the shadow cabinet but what a speech, and look at the consequence of ignoring him.

[richard]

CK


let it ride. It's history

FA we can do about it

[DawnHRD]

Enoch Powell made a speech against Macro??

Can we keep this on topic, please. If you want to start a thread about the immigration policy of UK and its faults, by all means start one in "Foo". Thanks

[redzonerocker]

there you go richard & condoking, start your post in foo on immigration policy of the uk & how enoch powell forewarned the uk about the dangers of immigration. it will be interesting debate no doubt.
as for macro (actually its makro) who really gives a damn? they are a mega worldwide cash & carry outfit with substantial backing & if they have their foot in the door they will no doubt open it for their own benefit.
the protesters are wasting their time, just read the post from guess in this thread.
if we as people spent more time on the things that really matter in day to day living rather than wasting effort on things that we will never control, we might just make a difference,even if it is only in our little societies

[richard]

Think you missed the point Dawn

[redzonerocker]

just to put things into perspective,
would anyone consider /own up to regularly visiting/buying goods from a makro store in the uk?
go to any of the night markets around thailand & you will find better quality & equally competetive prices.
the argument that points towards the increase in jobs & general health of the local economy holds no weight when it decimates the local economy & community spirit, especially in areas of the world that are dependant on that local infrastructure.

[PeteC]

I know a man and woman here in the Rayong area where we are this weekend, who have been running a mom and pop store since the sixty's. They too have been hit hard over the years by people shopping elsewhere. However, they still have customers from the general area who can walk to their store.

That's a major part of the problem, as Thai's buy houses in developments that surround an urban area, it has become almost an impossibility to park a car in the downtown areas, and sometimes even a motorcycle. Those with needed cars because of where they live opt for the parking lots of the Tesco's of the world. It's just simply more convenient.

I don't know one Thai who isn't sympathetic to the mom and pop store problems but they all say, "we simply can't get there unless we walk or take an MC taxi...." Pete

[lomuamart]

It happened in the UK and still is.
I used to look after a magazine that was circulated to all the corner shops in the UK (as close as we could get it and we did spend a fortune on circulation). They were and still are an important advertising revenue source from alcohol, soft drinks, confectionery and snack manufacturers.
However, when I took over some 19 years ago, the circulation was 52,000. I look at the company's website from time-to-time and it's now down to 25,000 old style corner grocers. The circulation's not doing too badly though as the magazine diversified to include CTNs (confectioners, tobacconists and newsagents), petrol stations and off-licences, as they all tended to blur and mix together.
As Pete says, peoples' shopping habits change and Thailand is no different to elsewhere in the world. The local stores in HH will diminish in numbers naturally over the years as locals become more mobile and expect a larger range of goods. If the local stores don't try and change their ways - and that comment is especially directed to their merchandising), they're going to go under, unfortunately.
Us, we still shop local - markets and shops. I'm yet to set foot in Tesco Lotus, although that's probably because we don't have a car and I don't have a bike. I'm still the prehistoric resident who walks.
I'd also agree with Guess' point about foreign owned businesses. Just look at the FBA that was "rejected". It seems as though certain influential folk here want it to be tougher. How would the Thais react if it was a Thai owned supermarket that was opening in HH? I'd like to think the same way, but I'm not too sure.
To finish off here, there are plenty of protests still in the UK about supermarkets opening and how they are cleaning the centre of towns out. The main culprit is always Tesco, so that's why they stated a number of years ago that they were looking for expansion abroad and are now even looking to take Wallmart on in the States - no British company has ever succeeded there before.

[DawnHRD]

I don't think I did miss the point, Richard. I think a thread about UK immigration policy could be very interesting & is sure to get a lot of response (as rzr confirmed). However, I thought the way this one could go (and is going) would be interesting, too.

I know what you & Condoking were saying, and see your point, but I think it would be a valid thread on its own, as is this one. I think both would lose by being merged into one (which is what often happens - one post will be relevant to big conglomerates vs mom & pop stores, and the next will be about immigration)

Apologies for getting the spelling wrong rzr

[redzonerocker]

lomu brought up the point concerning tesco, who are by far the biggest supermarket & most profitable chain. over the past few years they have increased their profile further with the tesco express stores.
they seem to be everywhere nowadays & quite often linked with an esso garage.
the corner shops & general small stores are struggling to compete, which is understandable when you consider the size of the competition. even the other main supermarkets have their work cut out keeping competitive.
asda bought out by walmart, safeway taken over by morrisons & kwik save gone over to somerfields are three examples.
i dont particularly like shopping in the big stores but do like the express shops because of the prices & convenience.
makro malaysia were actually bought out by tesco early this year & will become tesco extra stores!
unfortunately the days of the small stores & corner shops are numbered.
by the way dawn,the spelling mistake wasn't specifically aimed at you.

[The understudy]

Hello Y'all

I think one point Mr. Lomu stated is really important may I quote:[quote]in HH will diminish in numbers naturally over the years as locals become more mobile and expect a larger range of goods. If the local stores don't try and change their ways - and that comment is especially directed to their merchandising), they're going to go under, unfortunately.[/quote] Some of the shops in Hua Hin tried it some sucessful and some don't but in General majoritiy of Thai's are conservative and are somehow reluctant to change and we hafta change the mindset of those poeple.
Another point that Mr. Lomu rightly stated rightly may I quote you again:[quote]How would the Thais react if it was a Thai owned supermarket that was opening in HH? [/quote] I have to say from my knowledge that Makro Superstores is a Joint venture Company between Germanies Metro Retail Group, and a Thai Partner which formed Siam Makro PLC and if we look @ Big C it's a soly Thai owned Company operrated by CRC Central Retail Corperation. The protesters trow everything into one Bucket when it comes to preserving therre self interest.

your's the understudy