The management of Tesco Lotus in Thalang told The Phuket News that the item most in demand is bottled water, with rice in second place. The store no longer has all the brands it would usually stock, but there is still a good supply.
Some water companies are based in southern Thailand, so supplies are still being delivered. Two or three major rice companies based in Pathum Thani are also still able to deliver to Phuket.
Apart from water and rice, the highest demand currently is for instant food and seasoning. Supplies of these, too, are not as plentiful as in normal times, the store said.
There are no problems with fresh fruit and vegetables, however, because Tesco orders these from local farms. The store stressed that prices have not changed – none have been increased because of shortages.
Staff at Big C Phuket have also seen big demand for water, rice and instant food, along with dairy products. They said that supplies are less plentiful and take three or four days to deliver after being ordered, compared with two days in more normal times.
Goods are being delivered every day but in the case of water, only two or three brands are arriving, and the amount delivered is sometimes smaller than was ordered. Rice is being delivered from six or seven factories.
In the case of Big C, some supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables have been affected as the store sources around 70 per cent of its supplies from farms in central Thailand.
Big C, too, stressed that prices in the store have not been raised as a result of the flooding.