Guest Posted May 19, 2001 Report Share Posted May 19, 2001 I've been asked to bring the following to the attention of the forum members by a rather distraught Thai university student (friend of my girlfriend) It seems that Starbucks doesn't want Thais to drink its precious coffee. I have not edited the following which has been posted now on at least 15 popular Thai forums. It was Friday, May 11th, a nice evening that my good old friend and I had just finished our dinner. It was only 10:30 p.m., the night was too young to end.We both still had a lot to catch up since we had not seen each other for 8 months. We decided to drive to my usual hangout coffee place, Starbucks on Convent road. After we finished our coffees around midnight on , we headed for our car in the parking lot behind the shop. While we were approaching our car, there is one rather attractive Caucasian lady who had a big smile on her face walked straight to me and asked, "who are you? Who do you think you are?" For a split moment, I was puzzled and tried to figure whether I know this lady. I told her, "we are customers at Starbucks, why?" With her impolite tone of voice, she then proceeded closer to me and said, "that parking space is only for the owner of Starbucks. My husband is the owner of Starbucks Thailand. I could have had your car tolled to the police station." She spoke so loud as if we both were deaf! I said, "sorry, i didn't know that. There is no signage that say so. Next time you should put a signage there. By the way, I'm a regular customer here and this is not the first time I park here at this spot." With her arrogant manner, she proceeded closer to me, and start to point finger at my face and said, "sorry is not enough and there will be no more next time for you!" If our apology is not sufficient, we didn't know what the hell this woman wanted from us! At that point in time, we both were stunned to hear that she who claimed that her husband own Starbucks, did not want us-her customers---back here! I and my friend then told her, "Ok, then we won't come back here again." The lady said," Good, don't ever come back, we don't want people like you back here. Starbucks is not for you Asian anyway!" Then she turn around and walked back to her husband, the owner of Starbucks Thailand, who witnessed the whole situation and waited a few feet away next to their Silver Volvo. We drove away feeling so furious and disappointed! Ladies and Gentlemen, since Starbucks is not for Asian like us, lets make her wish comes true. Lets make sure that will no longer have us as their customers. S. Boonnak Sasin MM 1992 Marketing Manager SWT Corporation Public Co., Limited 90 Moo 5, Chaengwattana Road, Klong Gluar, Pak-kred, Nonthaburi 11120 Thailand Tel: 791-8603 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 19, 2001 Report Share Posted May 19, 2001 This sounds a little bit like the beginning of an urban legend..Any secondary facts?? While starbucks is over priced, I would hate to have to give up a source of good beans.. I guess it is back to watching the chem lab students make my coffee in beakers at Siam Centre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhordPhan Posted May 19, 2001 Report Share Posted May 19, 2001 I really think this is another paranoid urban legend. First, nobody in their right mind would act like that. Second, I don't believe there is an "owner of Starbucks, Thailand." I'm no expert, but in the US I believe that all Starbucks are corporately owned and not franchises. I think they all work that way. Third, if there is an "owner" of all the Starbucks in LOS, would that person be white? I suspect that that person would have to be Thai, wouldn't they? It's all BS. PhordPhan BS Detector Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gummigut Posted May 19, 2001 Report Share Posted May 19, 2001 Could very well be true. Just a simple phone call away. Could also be posted to annoy the persons address and phone number that was included (although I doubt the case). I find the post credible, why else post a number and address. I also find the scenario very plausible. As to starbucks being corporate owned... I'm not sure if Starbucks is an american company, if not, it has to have a thai partner who could very well be the man in the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsoutien Posted May 19, 2001 Report Share Posted May 19, 2001 quote: Originally posted by PhordPhan: Second, I don't believe there is an "owner of Starbucks, Thailand." I'm no expert, but in the US I believe that all Starbucks are corporately owned and not franchises. I think they all work that way. PhordPhan BS Detector You're right. Starbucks are indeed corporate owned in the US. But they are franchised in Asia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 19, 2001 Report Share Posted May 19, 2001 In addition: does it really make any business sense that a Starbucks would not want to serve Asians in an Asian country? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boo Radley Posted May 19, 2001 Report Share Posted May 19, 2001 Possibly someone with a grudge against Starbucks has fabricated this story. Or a rival business competitor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted May 19, 2001 Report Share Posted May 19, 2001 It sounds like another anti-farang drive started up by those Thai websites. I hear alot about the content of Thai webboards, most of it is jingoistic Thai waffle!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 19, 2001 Report Share Posted May 19, 2001 This makes no sense. Who is going to set up a chain of retail coffee houses in BKK and not have Asians as the primary demographic?? If the person in the car was truely the owner of the "franchise rights" in Thailand they would have to be Thai or at least have a Thai partner. Nothing in this story makes sense. I do realize that BKKPhil is a very credible guy on this board and has been a productive contributor to the forum. Starbucks biggest growth market right now is in Asia!! They are growing rapidly in Japan and have opened them up in China as well. This sounds way too wierd for such a well run company! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sukhumvit Posted May 19, 2001 Report Share Posted May 19, 2001 Wow, Thais boycotting Starbucks. Who knows where this will lead? Today Starbucks, tomorrow McDonalds... Hey, maybe it's true after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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