Grocery Shopping

[Guest namjai]

When I move to Thailand next year, I will not be on a typical "big" farang budget, so I will not be eating out everyday. Thanks to my experience over the past 15 years, I know pretty much what other things cost , but for basic housekeeping, I do not have a clue.

 

For those who live there, could you please tell me approximate prices of the following (at Big C, Freedom, Lotus, etc.):

 

dozen eggs

 

cooking oil

 

bottle water

 

kilo rice

 

loaf bread

 

Soy Sauce

 

hot sauce

 

bar soap

 

laundry detergent

 

kilo pork

 

anything else you can think of...

 

Thanks!

[bkkguy]

Thanks to my experience over the past 15 years, I know pretty much what other things cost , but for basic housekeeping, I do not have a clue.

 

in 15 years you have never been to a supermarket in Thailand?

 

You have made the decision to move to Thailand and have no idea of your basic cost of living?

 

You give no indication of brand preferences, type of cooking you will do, shopping habits etc but expect useful responses? but I suppose, never having been in a supermarket ...

 

But do invite us over for whatever you are planning on cooking with the rice, eggs, pork and "hot sauce" - it sounds naa kin

 

bkkguy

 

 

[Guest namjai]

Of course I have been to a market in Thailand, but I didn't exactly take notes. As far as your smart ass answer...that is more appropiate at the sawadeee forum. If you do not want to answer than don't.

[Guest freeyourmind]

This software doesn't allow me to post a hyperlink

 

so you will have to copy/paste these sites into your browser

 

 

www.bigc.co.th

 

www.tescolotus.net

 

I hope this helps you

 

 

[Guest namjai]

Thanks, Freeyourmind, that is what I was looking for.

[Guest Hedda]

When I look at the original post and grocery shopping list presented, and the response it provoked, I am reminded of Harry Truman's admonition that people who can't stand the heat should stay out of the kitchen.

 

Although it may not have been intended, I think the original poster should understand that, with the way in which he phrased that post - with that gratuitous list of items waiting to be priced - we might all be excused for thinking that we had been mistaken for store clerks working behind the counter.

 

As a veteran of several boards, including the one survivor now popularly known as Sawatdee Mire, you realize that that kind of post, framed as it was, invariably invites the kind of response it did. Just remember, we're all consumers here, dear, and no one does errands for the white folk.

 

When you started that post the way you did, you invited that kind of response, because it's part of the heat that goes with the kitchen. There's nothing personal or, in my opinion, objectionable about the response you got. Frankly, if BKK guy hadn't beaten me to the punch, i would have been sorely tempted to give you the raspberry too. It's all in good fun, so treat it that way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bkkguy]

Of course I have been to a market in Thailand, but I didn't exactly take notes.

 

but you expect us to so we can answer your question?

 

 

As far as your smart ass answer...that is more appropiate at the sawadeee forum.

 

I don't see anything in my response that is in violation of the posting guidelines here, and have not been notified of such an infringement by the moderators

 

If you do not want to answer than don't.

 

if you couldn't be bothered making the effort don't expect others to do it for you - you would learn much more in half an hour in a supermarket yourself that you will from any replies to your half-baked question here!

 

bkkguy

 

 

 

[Gaybutton]

but you expect us to so we can answer your question?

I don't see anything in my response that is in violation of the posting guidelines here, and have not been notified of such an infringement by the moderators

if you couldn't be bothered making the effort don't expect others to do it for you - you would learn much more in half an hour in a supermarket yourself that you will from any replies to your half-baked question here!

 

bkkguy

 

I've never understood the need some people have to try to embarrass and chop apart others if they ask a question or post something some might consider to be "half baked." I suppose those who do post such flame messages are perfect all the time. I think such messages are unnecessary, uncalled for, and inappropriate whether they comply with the posting guidelines or not. All it accomplishes is to make others afraid to ask questions.

 

He didn't ask anyone to go shopping for him, make notes for him, or anything else. He simply asked if anyone knows the prices of these items. Isn't that terrible?

 

He also didn't say he hasn't been to a grocery store in the fifteen years he's been coming to Thailand. The only relevant prices would be today's prices anyway, unless one believes prices today are the same as they were fifteen years ago or even last year.

 

I don't know all the prices and I don't intend to go to the grocery store and hunt down prices, but I do know some of the prices he requested:

 

dozen eggs: ranges from approximately 30 to 40 baht

 

cooking oil: depends on what kind of oil you prefer. The prices usually range betwen 32 to 70 baht

 

bottle water: depends on the brand. I buy directly from a local bottling company for about 12 baht per six-pack

 

kilo rice

 

loaf bread: sliced white bread is about 20 baht. Other breads range from about 20 baht for a French bread to 80 baht for specialty breads.

 

Soy Sauce

 

hot sauce

 

bar soap

 

laundry detergent

 

kilo pork: depends on what kind of cut you want. Most of what I see ranges from 30 to 50 baht per kilo

 

I do not know, offhand, the prices of the items I left blank. Maybe if someone does know, he can simply post the answers instead of trying to make the guy feel like a damned fool.

[Guest namjai]

Thanks, Gaybutton

[Guest mauRICE]

What sort of budget are you looking at? Some of us old hands might be able to make a few suggestions. Where do you intend to live? Will you be working?

 

I know farang in Thailand who are contented with as little as 8,000Bt per month and I know one who is languishing on half a million - guess which one has got a Thai bf?

 

Some of us occasionally come across as a little abrasive when we want to drive home a point but this is due do our posting styles and not borne out of malice. I myself have adopted an increasingly direct tone over the years as subtlety is often lost on the range of discursive styles as well as linguistic and processing abilities that we have to cope with here.

 

Assuming that the moderators of this forum continue to do their job, you can rest assured that posting here will be a far more productive endeavour than swimming in the virtual Bates swamp which Hedda alluded to, where posting ghosts are always ready to strike and drag to you to the bottom if you don't toe the party line, or whenever Mother feels like playing with herself. And all she has to do is smile.

[bkkguy]

I've never understood the need some people have to try to embarrass and chop apart others if they ask a question or post something some might consider to be "half baked."

 

in 15 years of using BBS, USENET, mailing lists, discussion forums, etc, I have watched the average quality of questions and the responses they elict go from well-thought out interesting questions deserving informative helpful replies to garbage like this that does not deserve a response

 

if he has made the decision to come and live here and still does not know the basic cost of living then I think he has bigger problems then the the price of a kilo of rice, he gives no information about shopping habits, pack size/brand preferences, cooking habits etc and could get all the info he needs on exactly what he wants in a very short time in a supermarket - if he couldnlt be bothered doing that on any of his recent trips when he was making he life decision tio move here why should we bother?

 

 

I think such messages are unnecessary, uncalled for, and inappropriate whether they comply with the posting guidelines or not. All it accomplishes is to make others afraid to ask questions.

 

hopefully it will get rid of those asking useless quiestions or questions easily answered via a qiuick google or archive search!

 

 

He also didn't say he hasn't been to a grocery store in the fifteen years he's been coming to Thailand. The only relevant prices would be today's prices anyway, unless one believes prices today are the same as they were fifteen years ago or even last year.

 

he is not coming till next year so why are todays prices relevant?

 

Maybe if someone does know, he can simply post the answers instead of trying to make the guy feel like a damned fool.

 

if you want the forums to be full of fools asking foolish questions then pander to him!

 

bkkguy

 

 

[Gaybutton]

in 15 years of using BBS, USENET, mailing lists, discussion forums, etc, I have watched the average quality of questions and the responses they elict go from well-thought out interesting questions deserving informative helpful replies to garbage like this that does not deserve a response

 

if he has made the decision to come and live here and still does not know the basic cost of living then I think he has bigger problems then the the price of a kilo of rice, he gives no information about shopping habits, pack size/brand preferences, cooking habits etc and could get all the info he needs on exactly what he wants in a very short time in a supermarket - if he couldnlt be bothered doing that on any of his recent trips when he was making he life decision tio move here why should we bother?

hopefully it will get rid of those asking useless quiestions or questions easily answered via a qiuick google or archive search!

he is not coming till next year so why are todays prices relevant?

if you want the forums to be full of fools asking foolish questions then pander to him!

 

bkkguy

 

All of that is your opinion, one I do not share.

 

You said, "garbage like this that does not deserve a response." If that is the case, then why did you respond? I'm sorry, but you are coming across as trying to be the person who gets to decide what is garbage and what is not. To me, any good faith questions deserve a response, even if it is your idea of a ridiculous question. Who appointed you judge and jury over what questions are and are not deserving of a response?

 

You are assuming that he does not know the basic cost of living here. I don't make that assumption just because he asked for some grocery store prices. In my opinion, that's part of planning ahead. He did not say he has never been to a Thai grocery store. That is purely your own assumption.

 

You also said, "hopefully it will get rid of those asking useless quiestions or questions easily answered via a qiuick google or archive search!" I do not share that hope. I think one of the functions of message boards ought to be answering just such questions. Maybe a google search didn't occur to him. If it occurred to you, then why couldn't you have simply posted a response that said something to the effect of ,"A Google search will provide you with the information you need," and left it at that, rather than to jump all over him and make him feel like an idiot?

 

Can't you see that others may balk at posting totally legitimate questions, even questions you have decided are appropriate, for fear that they too will be attacked for it?

 

I'm sorry, bkkguy. Most of the time I completely agree with your postings, but this is one time I think you're dead wrong.

[Guest stef]

Same Bkkguy, I don't believe the questions were meant to receive such negativity.

I think you took it the wrong way.....I usually agree with your comments all the time..but on this one... you are too hard on the original poster.

 

There aren't foolish questions really. Some questions might look stupid to some, but for some others, it might really be a good sources of informations.

 

This is a great place ( message board ) to ask those questions. That it is odd questions or not.

 

I also think that some of what you have said are true.

I mean prices of today are irrevelant if one is expected to move out here next year. It really won't help much if someone is looking to live here on a tight budget.

 

 

 

[Guest namjai]

I never thought that one question, phrased correctly or not would create such a long thread. You can be sure that I will not be coming back here again. For those who understood the nature of my question, thank you very much for your positive feedback. For those who did not understand, I hope that you will have better response should you ever need help from somebody.

[Gaybutton]

I never thought that one question, phrased correctly or not would create such a long thread. You can be sure that I will not be coming back here again. For those who understood the nature of my question, thank you very much for your positive feedback. For those who did not understand, I hope that you will have better response should you ever need help from somebody.

 

I hope you'll change your mind and stick with us. Just because one person decided to post in such a negative manner and then actually try to justify it, is no reason for you to discontinue posting and asking questions. I guarantee you that one person's questions is what others want to know as well. Even the 'experts' who become bored with questions were once new to Thailand and new to the boards themselves, and didn't know anything more about it than you do. Sometimes they forget that.

 

It isn't people with questions who should stop posting. It's the people who post flames who should stop posting, or at least change their negative, 'how dare you' attitude toward others.

 

Unfortunately, your statement that you won't be back proves my point about how flame posts drive people away and make them afraid to ask questions.

 

Again, I hope you do decide to stick with the board. If someone doesn't like your questions, tough luck.

[bkkguy]

I am obviously in the minority here in thinking this is a hopeless question that will not elicit usefull responses, but I think the case has been proven so far - links to supermarket web sites that at best include a "special" price for an unknown Thai brand laundry detergent, gaybutton's response with the 300% price range for bread and maurice's post that some people live on 8,000Bt per month and others on half a million

 

namjai has been gushing in his thanks for these replies, perhaps before he departs he could explain how these responses have been helpful in his quest for knowledge of basic housekeeping costs here - I still think the best suggestion is to spend 30 minutes in the supermarket himself to get a highly specific and personalised knowledge of his living costs here!

 

bkkguy

 

 

[Gaybutton]

namjai has been gushing in his thanks for these replies

 

He has? Where?