Tesco Lotus

Infobox Company
company_name = Tesco Lotus
company_
company_type =
foubder =
foundation = 1998
location = Bangkok, Thailand
key_people =
industry = retailing
products = Shopping centers, Hypermarkets
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
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homepage = [http://www.tescolotus.net www.tescolotus.net]
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Tesco Lotus is a hypermarket chain in Thailand and China. In Thailand, the stores are operated by Ek-Chai Distribution System Co., Ltd.

Established in 1998, Tesco Lotus was a joint venture of the Charoen Pokphand Group and Tesco, the British giant supermarket chain. However, facing criticism over the growth of hypermarkets in Thailand, the CP Group sold its shares in Tesco Lotus in 2003, though it did retain interest in Tesco Lotus in China. [ [http://www.siamfuture.com/ThaiNews/ThNewsTxt.asp?tid=1435 CP Group gives up on Tesco and Makro] , "Bangkok Post", December 8, 2002 (via SiamFuture.com)]

Tesco Lotus stores stock groceries (western and local products) as well as a selection of stationery, school supplies, clothing, shoes, electrical equipment and many other non-food products at very competitive prices that the small 7-Eleven, Family Land and similar small stores cannot match. They also contain a bakery as well as a chemist/druggist department. The stores are often set in Malls and have food courts and many other shops and stalls available as well as a large car park. Temperatures are kept at a relatively cool 27C. Like their western cousin, Tesco Lotus has begun to offer a wide range of other services as well as their own credit cards.

In various locations within Thailand, Tesco Lotus Express stores (a smaller version of the Tesco Lotus supermarket) have opened at gas stations and on busy roadside locations. These stores stock a smaller range of goods, alongside refreshments, make-up, snacks, etc.

A controversy arose when the Royal Thai Police alleged that Thai soldiers operating as Tesco security intimidated a rural boy into poisoning chocolates as revenge for having their contracts revoked by the company. An Englishman in Bangkok was severely poisoned but survived the ordeal. [cite_web|url=http://phyakrut.com/news/content/view/2/|title=Phyakrut Newspaper หนุ่มอังกฤษดับเครื่องชนเทสโก้-โลตัส|accessdate = 2006-03-13]

They have a total of 24 Supercenters in Bangkok, 31 Supercenters upcountry, 14 Lotus Markets, 15 Value stores and 189 Express stores with more being built all the time. Other superstore chains ; Carrefour and BigC also operate in Thailand on a smaller scale.

In late 2007 and early 2008, controversy arose when Tesco Lotus sued three of its critics for libel. Jit Siratranont, former MP and now vice-general secretary of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, faces two years in jail accused of criminal libel, and a damages claim of 1.1bn baht (roughly 33 million USD); while Kamol Kamoltrakul, another newspaper journalist, has been served with a libel writ demanding 100m baht (roughly 3 million USD). Most recently, newspaper columnist Nongnart Harnvilai was sued for 100m baht for writing in her newspaper column that Tesco no longer 'loved' Thais. The offending article in tongue-in-cheek "Buzz" column was part of a collection of short stories on page 28 of the paper, and ran to just a few sentences. Free speech campaigners have said these writs underscore Tesco Lotus's determination to stamp out criticism of its rapid expansion, which has been hotly debated for nearly a decade. [cite_web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/apr/18/tesco.medialaw/|title=Guardian newspaper|accessdate = 2008-04-18] In May 2008, the Thailand National Human Rights Commission and the National Foundation of Consumers held a joint seminar on Tesco's negative impact on communities and the media's freedom to report and criticise. [cite_web|url=http://freespeechnotebook.blogspot.com/2008/05/tesco-libel-suits-thai-human-rights.html|title=blog report|accessdate = 2008-05-09]

References

External links

* [http://www.tescoplc.com/ Tesco corporate site]
* [http://www.tescolotus.net/ Tesco Lotus] official website