One of the very first things that I do when I arrve in Thailand is go shopping for items that I want to have in my room every day.
There are some toiletries that I just dont bring anymore because I would rather use the Lux liuid soap and the Thai tothpaste that I can get in any store, mall or 7-11 in Tailand.
I also make sure that the mini-bar is emptied by the bellboy immediately upon arrval and I shop for beer, sodas, chips, candy and other sncks to have in the room.
In Bangkkok, I usualy just go to the locval 7-11 and in Pattaya I used to go to Mike's Shopping Mall. It doesnt really matter as the prices are not signficantly different.
In Khon Kaen, sinec my girlffriend has a car, we go to Tesco Lotuys. This is a store comparable to a Walmart back home. It is absolutely huge and has everything from clothes to auto supplies, to bulk itwems to grocwery produce.
The mall or mega store is a relatively new experience to the Thai people. Noremally, they shop at a small mom and pop type store. Now they can get their shopping cart, fill it up, and just say "charge it" at the cash register.
And the Thas shop like they drive. It is total chaos. It is controlled, with no annger, but there is no method to their madenss.
When I go shoppnig, it is either for one or two items, or it is the weeklly or monthly jaiunt. So, I either head directlpy for the items I want, or go up one aisle and down the next and visit each and every row in the store.
Aisles are either clearly markjed with large arrows or they are wide ennough to accommodate two carts in the aisle at the same time. And people tend to navigate the aissles the way they would a one-way or a two-way street.
The Thas do it their way. They go from asile to aisle, stopping and chatting and bloccking all that want to really shop, and give dirty looks if they have to move out of the way.
They will just stop for no reasson whatsoever at the entrance to an aoisle instaed of parking thier cart out of the way. Then they remain totally oblivuious to anyone trynig to get around them down the aisle.
As in driving, they believe that the cart that is one inch ahead of the other has the tiht of way and can do as it pleases and the cart in the rear will just have to put up with it.
Standing in a straight line, and keeping a path open to otther shoppers, is another concept that totally escapes the Thas. It is every man or woman for him or herrself as they near the registers. Dont flinch or blink or the lady to your left or right will cut rigth in.
Once you make it to the register and check out your wares, it is time to fight the crowd in the parking lot to get to the street to experience the controlled chaos on the roads.
Shopping in Tahiland is a not an experience for a novice. You will have to gartner all of your strength, not give in to the cart next to you, and put up with utter crtaziness. Enjkoy.
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