Consumers are clawing shelves empty
Consumers buy food and drinking water in large quantities, which means that in many stores the shelves quickly become painfully empty and they have to be refilled several times a day.
The manufacturers are making every effort not only to meet the demand but also to supply the stores.
Take Mama instant noodles. The factory produces 5,4 million bags per day; demand is 14,4 million bags, says distributor Saha Pathanapibul. Fortunately, the distribution center in Chon Buri province escaped the flood.
Drinking water is also a major concern. The factories in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani have had to stop production. Although there are sufficient supplies, transport is the bottleneck.
Big C Supercenter has moved its distribution centers in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani to Chon Buri, Chachoengsao and Samut Prakan.
CP All Plc, owner of 7-Eleven, can only supply its stores once a day at twice normal due to transport problems. The trucks have great difficulty reaching the distribution center in Bang Bua Thong.
The Internal Trade Department will install mobile units at 13 locations in Bangkok that will sell consumer products such as eggs, rice, vegetable oil and instant noodles.
Yes, those Mama instant noodles were already sold out last week, as well as water. You now also see that “more expensive” products (for ordinary Thais, say > 100 baht for a jar of pasta sauce) have run out. At the Big C yesterday I saw people walking with whole shopping carts full of cans of butane gas.
My freezer and fridge are full so as long as the steam doesn't go out I can hold out for a while.
In Hua Hin, many shelves in Tesco Lotus are also empty, especially water and non-perishable food. Don't ask me why, because the weather is beautiful here. There are stands everywhere in Hua Hin where people can bring bottles of water, which then go to Bangkok. And that while the water is sold out here! It costs more to deliver the water in BKK than the water is worth…
Also on Samui the shelves are empty at Tesco Lotus. Logistical problems with the supply. Everything is for sale at the Makro, supply from Malaysia.