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Khun Ton smiles at the speed of today's SuperCheap resurrection

Photo by phuketwan.com

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Hope Grows Fresh: Phuket's SuperCheap is Reborn Alive and Kicking

By Chutima Sidasathian

Friday, October 18, 2013

SuperCheap Rebirth Photo Album Above

PHUKET: The rebirth of an iconic Phuket brand was beginning today as searchers picked over the remains of the old one.

SuperCheap manager ''Ton'' could be seen for the first time in days to be smiling broadly as the gloom lifted.

In a field behind the charred and smoking ruins of the old SuperCheap store, he was witnessing a saga of Phuket rejuvenation.

Tents were going up. Fresh food was being unloaded from trucks.

SuperCheap was coming alive again as searchers next door looked for bodies in the ruins of the old store.

''We certainly hope there are no bodies and if any person has died, we are willing to respond to our responsibilities,'' Khun Ton said.

''Fortunately, it's a quiet time of night at 9.30 and the blaze began at the rear of the store and spread out into the public area.

''People had time to get away. Our staff have been with us for a long time and they are familiar with all the exits.''

The original store developed in its uniquely higgedly-piggeldy way after opening day on April 2, 1995, he said.

Just three years later, the first of the international retail outlets arrived when Tesco opened its doors on Phuket.

Since then, competition has grown more intense. But SuperCheap is beginning its recovery today with plenty achieved despite serious competition over the past 18 years.

''When we first opened we sold only canned goods,'' Khun Ton said.

''Fresh vegetables came later. We expanded bit by bit, as we could afford to,'' he said, accounting for the lean-to tin shed appearance of the landmark store destroyed on Wednesday in the biggest blaze on Phuket since the tantalum factory riot of 1986.

Back then, thousands of Phuket people rioted and razed to the ground a toxic factory that the Bangkok Government was trying to impose on the island.

Today it's all about resurrection, not rioting.

Ten-wheel trucks are still running from Rachburi province to Phuket twice a day, bringing fresh produce for distribution to 45 stores and instant fresh sales.

Deals were taking place this morning as Phujketwan watched the new beginning.

''We have our own slaughterhouse as well so all the meat is fresh, too,'' Khun Ton said.

The new SuperCheap is directly behind the old one, in a field where Burmese live in shacks nearby. The Burmese were there in numbers today, pitching in.

The new SuperCheap will be open from 6am to 8pm every day. It will be interesting to watch it grow.

Customer Kantaporn Kemman said today: ''I will keep coming because if fish cost 180 baht a kio in the fresh market, you could bet it would be 120 baht in SuperCheap. Great to see them trying to recover.''

Added another shopper, Pratumwan Tanhongtong: ''I always buy at SuperCheap and resell items from my own shop. Everything is fresh and hard to beat. I'll be back.''

SuperCheap Blaze VIDEO

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=587230417991096&set=vb.100001124301679&type=2&theater/

SuperCheap Fireworks VIDEO

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=536866203055440&set=vb.100001961965470&type=2&theater/

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

Only in Thailand could someone be so positive after such a loss, it shows their social responsibility, rather than just sitting back and waiting for insurance monies. Well done Super Cheap.

Posted by Gregg P Cornell on October 18, 2013 13:25

I wish SuperCheap a speedy recovery, bring back the shopping opportunity and the employment for thousands of workers.

Posted by BeerChang on October 18, 2013 14:44

I mean, in the earlier posts and in other media outlets, everyone was condemning the supermarket for being a health hazard. But if they did manage to get through this immense blaze with NOT a single casualty, it has to say something about their system. The employees are able to find their way out without the fire alarm and drills. I'm still holding my breath that all is well, but seriously, everyone has something to learn from Supercheap if no casualty is reported at all.

Posted by May on October 18, 2013 15:23

Editor Comment:

Not a disco, May. Different circumstances. Big fires don't mean large numbers of deaths.

- Gregg

Unless of course it was not a loss at all but results in a large profit.

Bt 620m is a huge amount of money and the dilapidated building was ripe for demolition anyway.

Maybe, or maybe not. Who knows.

Posted by ThaiMike on October 18, 2013 16:24

Cannot kill a good concept, Supercheap will be back up in no time...or at least very fast.

Posted by Sailor on October 18, 2013 17:36

Wonderful.

I remember a couple of years ago the Burmese labour camp at Patong burnt to the ground. The Rotary Club of Patong Beach went to Supercheap to buy supplies to help the Burmese people who were left with nothing. Not only did they buy well, but Supercheap also donated goods at the same time.

The wheel has turned.

I wish Supercheap all the best. I will miss the maddening labyrinth, but look forward to shopping at the new store.

Glad there have been no fatalities found so far. It could have been so much worse.

Mark.

Posted by Mark Thalang on October 18, 2013 17:42

Thai Mike, it may be insured for 620 Million but they will only get paid out for the value of the buildings and stock.

Posted by Gregg P Cornell on October 18, 2013 23:25

- Gregg

That's how it works where I come from, however not many know that in Thailand you can insure a building for the value it costs to rebuild it, not what it was actually worth.

In the case of old, dilapidated buildings, much like the SuperCheap store, the difference can be substantial.

All this perfectly legally and accepted by the insurance companies.

Posted by ThaiMike on October 19, 2013 07:59

Social responsibility? I think that is an inappropriate term for a commercial enterprise that had 'Hundreds' of Burmese who worked without permits. I have watched Tesco get bashed and criticized in some of the other comments. I know that Tesco has a commitment to cleanliness, food safety and customer safety. Running an operation like that is more expensive than running a retail unit where the aforementioned qualities are not a priority. There is no argument that Super Cheap filled an important niche and because of it, many thousands of under paid or poorly paid people were able to purchase the bare necessities. However, that begs the question as to whether Super Cheap was a long term solution, or part of a larger economic problem on Phuket. I have no malice towards Super Cheap and do hope they recover and rebuild in compliance with Thailand's food safety regulations, labour laws and building code.

Posted by Ryan on October 19, 2013 09:38