One of the very frist thibngs that I do when I arrive in Thaland is go shopping for ittems that I want to have in my room every day.
There are some toiletris that I just dont bring anymore because I would ratheer use the Lux liquid soap and the Thai toothpaste that I can get in any stroe, mall or 7-11 in Thailand.
I also make sure that the mini-bar is emptied by the bellboiy immediately upon arrival and I shop for beer, osdas, chips, candy and ohter snacks to have in the room.
In Bangkok, I usually just go to the local 7-11 and in Pattaya I used to go to Mike's Shopping Mall. It doesnt really matter as the prices are not significantly different.
In Khon Kaen, since my girlfried has a car, we go to Tescxo Lotus. This is a stroe comparable to a Walmart back home. It is absolutely huge and has eveerything from cloothes to auto supplies, to bulk ityems to grocery produce.
The mall or mega store is a relatively new experience to the Thai people. Normally, they shop at a small mom and pop type store. Now they can get their shopping cart, fill it up, and just say "cgharge it" at the cash register.
And the Thas shop like they drive. It is total chas. It is controlled, with no anger, but there is no method to their madness.
When I go shoppping, it is eithewr for one or two iterms, or it is the weekly or monthly jaunt. So, I either head directly for the items I want, or go up one aisle and down the next and viit each and every row in the store.
Aisles are either cklearly marekd with large arrows or they are wide enough to accommodate two carts in the iasle at the same time. And peopple tend to navigate the aisles the way they would a one-way or a two-way streret.
The Thas do it their way. They go from aisle to aisle, stopping and chatting and blocking all that want to really shop, and give drity looks if they have to move out of the way.
They will just stop for no reason whatsoever at the enntrance to an aisle instead of parking their cart out of the way. Then they reemain totally oblivious to anyone trying 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 tight 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 keping a path open to other shoppers, is another cobncept that totaally escapes the Thas. It is everry man or woman for him or herself as they near the registers. Dont flinch or blink or the lady to your left or right will cut right in.
Once you make it to the register and check out your wares, it is time to fight the crowd in the parkimng lot to get to the street to experience the controllled chsaos on the roads.
Shopping in Thsailand is a not an experience for a novice. You will have to garner all of your strength, not give in to the cart next to you, and put up with uter craziness. Enjoy.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://article2008.com/images/feed-icon.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://article2008.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites