Stroker Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 Thought this was an early April 1 joke at first. http://www.aroundthemoat.com/2015/03/27/supermarket-chain-big-c-announces-foreigner-evening-curfew/ Expat foreigners living in Thailand are to be excluded from Big C stores after 5pm, the company has announced in a statement. Due to complaints from Thai natives, Big C has decided to implement a total ban on foreigners from entering their stores between the hours of 5pm in the evening and closing time. The measures are being taken to appease Thai nationals frustrated by having to wait in line behind foreigners who have not grasped the basics of the Thai language or the ability to recognise the difference between Thai coins. Thais are notorious for their lack of patience, and a dithering old westerner counting coins at the checkout till is a key frustration of the indigenous population. The ban will apply to all persons living in Thailand that are not owners of a Thai ID-card. Thais of a particularly pale complexion but have been advised to bring identification with them to the supermarket from now on. Big C expects the ban to have minimal impact on their expat customers. A Big C spokesperson said, “We don’t expect many expats to actually be affected by the ban as they all have maids or Thai wives that can do the shopping for them anyway. Furthermore they are often rich and do not work during the day, so they can pop along then if they need to. But for hard working Thais who only have a few minutes to quickly buy some stuff on the way home after a day’s work and picking up the children, it will make a big difference” “This ban should allow Thai nationals a more pleasant shopping experience, where they can push and shove in the queue as much as they like without drawing the wrath of an older white gentleman who will shout at them in a language they don’t understand.” Big C loyalty card holder Pongpat Siriwatana commented, “In the last week I’ve told six different foreigners to go back and weigh their vegetables, but somehow I still end up waiting at the till as the shop attendant runs off to weigh the produce for them. How do they not learn?” Expat grocery consumer Stephen Peterson was less impressed by the news. He said, “I’m a bit offended by the suggestion that I’m a dithering fool that slows everybody down in the supermarket. I was in Big C just yesterday, and it only took me about, forty or fifty minutes was it? No maybe it was just over an hour. It definitely wasn’t and hour and a half. Although if you include parking time it may well have been two hours. Actually, come to think of it, it was a Tops.Sorry, what did you say about the vegetables? Doesn’t the shop attendant weigh them for you?” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobber32 Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 My initial reaction was that this was a joke. I'll be at my local Mini Big C tonight at around 6 pm, and we'll see what happens. I'm basically easygoing, but if this is true, they might have an argument on their hands. 7/11 and Tesco Lotus can have my business instead. And Thais don't dither? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sustra2 Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 one day i went to Big c in Bkk with my lb.......i had an empty shopping cart .....slowly and methodically filled by my lb...i still have to refill my credit card from that day...so the curfew is welcome! will never go to a Big c again in my life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixon cox Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 I too thought it was some sort of joke while I was reading it. Is this serious?! I can understand an uneducated Thai being racist as they possibly don't know any better. But a corporate entity openly showing racism and stereotyping farang (not working, having maids and Thai partners etc.) is appalling. Does this xenophobic country have no shame?! No consideration at all for farang like me who sleep throughout those awfully hot daylight hours. The concubine will have to [continue to] do the chores. I prefer Friendship Supermarket anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rxpharm Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 Read the staff bios and you will know what the answer is to "is it a joke or serious?" question. Justin Hagel (editor in chief) Justin was born in Sand Diego, CA in the USA to an American father and a Thai mother. The family moved to Thailand when he was 16.His dream was to become an international lawyer but his parents told him to forget that rediculous idea. “Only people from low class families become lawyers. You better get a real job!” his father told him when he graduated.He listened to his dad’s advice and became a janitor at the local mental hospital. The face of the family was saved.He is also the only naturally ginger haired Thai in Chiang Mai. In 2014 he started www.aroundthemoat.com Donatello Di Fabrio (editor) Donatello, born in Venice, Italy, spent most of his teenage years competing in Leonardo Di Caprio look alike contests, but never won (for obvious reasons… He does not like him at all!).Moved to Chiang Mai when he was 26 and has lived here for a few years now. His passions are collecting Titanic miniatures and watching movies about the wolves and about Wall Street. He joined www.aroundthemoat.com in 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobber32 Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 If you click on the link, then go to the Homepage, it very quickly becomes apparent that aroundthemoat is trying to out-Onion The Onion... Silly me! Jumped in with both feet (again). Thanks route67 - I can shop in peace again tonight. And rx, thanks also for your insight into the staff profiles. People like that give wankers a bad name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seven Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 You couldn't make shit like this up. I'm still amazed this country 'functions'. Or does it? I didn't think thais shopped at Big C. Opps. Why did i believe this at first? Too reasonable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soiboy Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 lol I admit, I was almost finished reading it before it dawned on me that this may be some sort of Thai "Onion" article. Nicely done. Actually, it is the farangs who do their weekly shopping all at once that annoy me. As sweetie says when we are looking for a line to get into to check out, "That line have too many big cart." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchieBunker Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 I frequent Big C in central Bangkok. You often see hordes of Chinese buying up all sorts of stuff. Immediately after checking out, they pile all this shit into large boxes and run over to mail them back to China!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 Guess Big C didn't find it funny either...the article has been removed. Dear Andy, Big C Supercenter PLC wishes to inform you that the article “Supermarket Chain Big C announces foreigner curfew” posted on “Around the Moat” web site on 27 March 2015 is a complete hoax, malicious, unfounded and constitutes a serious criminal act under Thai Laws. Big C Supercenter has demanded that the “Around the Moat” web administrator immediately delete the article. We have also filed a police report and reported to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology of this criminal act – and will proceed with proper legal actions against the web site and the authors to the fullest extent of the laws. You and our valued customers are our priority. We always strive to serve all customers regardless of nationality to the best of our abilities. We truly appreciate your kind patronage, support and understanding — and will do our utmost to serve you even better everyday. Kudatara Nagaviroj,Executive Advisor for Corporate Affairs,Big C Supercenter PLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seven Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 'We have also filed a police report and reported to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology of this criminal act ' Good! That should do it! I'm sure BiB are on it as we speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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