Thailand retail sector
bill to be resurrected
again
Will closing at 5pm 3 days a week really serve consumers?
By Jon Fernquest 
Retailing has a long history in
Thailand (Read an article). With the 1997 economic crisis a decade ago Thailand experienced a huge increase in large foreign retail chains opening stores in Thailand (Read the long detailed chapter in Thai Capital After the 1997 Crisis pages 85-104 by Silkworm).
Many local retailers felt like this move into Thailand by big retailers was a foreign invasion. For them it felt like it.
The new gigantic air-conditioned stores with a variety of stores that met all of a customers' needs took away many customers from small neighborhood stores.
Some said that the small retailers could compete better and even win back customers from large retailers if they improved their stores and businesses. That is all it would take (Read article).
Training appears to be part of the new proposed law that will be debated soon in public hearings. Maybe training will help local stores adapt.
The article follows the vocabulary:
retailing
- the sale of goods from a fixed location such as a department store or
convenience store (See Wikipedia)
hearings - an official meeting to collect facts about a situation or problem
public hearings - hearings where ordinary people are allowed to express their opinion (and thus participate in decisionmaking)
hearings - an official meeting to collect facts about a situation or problem
public hearings - hearings where ordinary people are allowed to express their opinion (and thus participate in decisionmaking)
Long-stalled retail draft gets new life
Hearings possible by NovemberCHATRUDEE THEPARAT and PHUSADEE ARUNMAS
21/09/2009
Despite growing scepticism over how long it will manage to stay in the office, the government vows to move ahead with plans to revise the long-delayed Retail and Wholesale Act, vowing to finalise the draft and bring it for parliamentary debate within three months.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva recently directed Kiat Sittheeamorn, head of the Thailand Trade Representative office, to chair the working panel to speed up revising the act.
The revision, which takes also into account international practices, and public hearings are expected to be completed in October or November and parliamentary debate is likely in December or early next year.
long-stalled -
delayed for a long time
scepticism - not believing in things easily or quickly, questioning them
growing scepticism over Y - believing in Y less and less
vow to Y - promise to do Y
move ahead with Y - working to make progress on Y and achieve goals
vows to move ahead with plans - promise to work and make progress, achieve goals on Y
revise - rewrite and improve writing
Retail and Wholesale Act - the name of the proposed law that will control big retail and make things fairer for smaller retailers
the draft - writing that is not complete yet (still writing and improving)
finalise the draft - make the writing complete, finish the writing
parliamentary debate - discussing and arguing about a proposed law and changing it before it is made into a law finally
takes into account Y - includes Y in its analysis
practices - ways of doing commonly repeated tasks
international practices - ways of doing tasks that meet higher international standards
takes also into account international practices - uses in its analysis the high standard ways that tasks are done internationally
scepticism - not believing in things easily or quickly, questioning them
growing scepticism over Y - believing in Y less and less
vow to Y - promise to do Y
move ahead with Y - working to make progress on Y and achieve goals
vows to move ahead with plans - promise to work and make progress, achieve goals on Y
revise - rewrite and improve writing
Retail and Wholesale Act - the name of the proposed law that will control big retail and make things fairer for smaller retailers
the draft - writing that is not complete yet (still writing and improving)
finalise the draft - make the writing complete, finish the writing
parliamentary debate - discussing and arguing about a proposed law and changing it before it is made into a law finally
takes into account Y - includes Y in its analysis
practices - ways of doing commonly repeated tasks
international practices - ways of doing tasks that meet higher international standards
takes also into account international practices - uses in its analysis the high standard ways that tasks are done internationally
The Commerce Ministry began public hearings on the new law last Friday and plans to organise eight more hearings over the next two months. The hearings are aimed at ensuring fair conditions for businesses covered under the law and preventing any conflicts following implementation.
The hearings will focus on four main points: types of businesses to be controlled, the agency authorised to approve new businesses, support for small retailers, and punishment of violators.
According to Mr Kiat, the new draft would be based on the principles that allow both traditional family shops and large modern-trade operators to co-exist.
ensuring fair conditions
- being careful that some people are not treated better
than others (fairness)
preventing any conflicts - stopping people from fighting
implementation - making a plan into reality
agency authorised to do Y - government agency has been given official permission to do Y
punishment of violators - punishing the people who broke the law
co-exist - be able to exist and operate together (without the bigger one forcing the smaller one out of business)
preventing any conflicts - stopping people from fighting
implementation - making a plan into reality
agency authorised to do Y - government agency has been given official permission to do Y
punishment of violators - punishing the people who broke the law
co-exist - be able to exist and operate together (without the bigger one forcing the smaller one out of business)
New modern-trade stores must be located in suburban areas, while existing operators in crowded areas may be required to close at 5 pm for two or three days a week, he said.
In a bid to enable small family outlets to stay competitive, the government may provide experts to give them suggestions on how to improve their services, while the new law also needs to set guidelines on the size of modern-trade outlets.
suburb, suburban areas - a part of a city
or town that is outside of the center of the town
outlets - stores
set guidelines - create rules to guide a process, show how it is to be done
outlets - stores
set guidelines - create rules to guide a process, show how it is to be done
Mr Kiat, said the law also needed to promote fair dealing between modern-trade operators and suppliers and promote Thai entrepreneurs to develop their own brands.
A Commerce Ministry source said the act was likely to pass if the Abhisit government remained in office until next year.
The long-awaited retail industry regulations have moved at a snail's pace despite calls by small operators for the past decade for legislation to regulate the rapid growth of hypermarkets, chain convenience stores and other large operators.
promote fair dealing - do
things to make people be fairer with each other (not cheat each other)
moved at a snail's pace - moved very slowly
legislation to regulate - new laws to control the way that business is done
hypermarkets - very large stores like Tesco Lotus and Carrefour
chain convenience stores - small local stores open 24 hours per day like 7-11
moved at a snail's pace - moved very slowly
legislation to regulate - new laws to control the way that business is done
hypermarkets - very large stores like Tesco Lotus and Carrefour
chain convenience stores - small local stores open 24 hours per day like 7-11
Critics say that the Interior Ministry's current urban planning and building codes are not adequate for the changed business environment, in which chains are squeezing out family businesses.
The new law did not win support during the Thaksin Shinawatra administration. Even when it was approved by the Surayud Chulanont government, the National Legislative Assembly sent the draft back.
Under the current draft, which focuses on protecting local retail businesses, existing giant retailers can expand but must comply with new regulations - restricting operating hours, size and proximity to city centres - to leave room for small players.
urban - city
urban planning - the study of how cities can be built in a planned way to meet the needs of people (See Wikipedia)
urban planning code - the laws controlling city planning
the building code - the laws controlling building (See Wikipedia and international building code)
chains - retail chains, large companies owning stores in many places
chains are squeezing out family businesses - big companies with many stores are taking customers from small family businesses and forcing them out of business
comply with new regulations - follow and obey new regulations
proximity to - nearness to
leave room for small players - provide some opportunities for smaller businesses
urban planning - the study of how cities can be built in a planned way to meet the needs of people (See Wikipedia)
urban planning code - the laws controlling city planning
the building code - the laws controlling building (See Wikipedia and international building code)
chains - retail chains, large companies owning stores in many places
chains are squeezing out family businesses - big companies with many stores are taking customers from small family businesses and forcing them out of business
comply with new regulations - follow and obey new regulations
proximity to - nearness to
leave room for small players - provide some opportunities for smaller businesses
(Source: Bangkok Post: Long-stalled retail draft gets new life: Hearings possible by November, CHATRUDEE THEPARAT and PHUSADEE ARUNMAS, 21/09/2009, link)
