7-11s are everywhere in Thailand, and they are great.
You can buy a "toastie"--just about any kind of sandwich you can imagine--and they will toast in a little panini press for you on the spot. The ham and cheese croissant for not even a dollar never let me down before hopping on a long bus or train ride.
They have plastic wrapped cups with sugar and a coffee tea bag inside, and a hot water dispenser to make hot coffee to go.
You can buy Chang, Leo, or Singah beers, but only during certain odd hours...
They'll even offer to open it for you to enjoy on your walk home. Tap water is not drinkable here, but the breweries also make some good bottled water, as well as varieties owned by Coca-Cola or Pepsi Co.
It's also where locals can go to pay their home electric bills in cash.
You can buy top up credit for your phone in the form of a card, or from an easy to use ATM-like machine where you just enter your phone number, insert cash, and add credit from your phone. Refreshing to not need to talk about contracts or break the bank to get a few gigs of data.
And it wouldn't be 7-11 without Slurpees. Too bad I wasn't there on July 11 to redeem my free one (or over 4,000 if I hit all of them in Bangkok).
And the best bargain of all, which is free once you walk through the door: ice cold air con!
Unlike convenience stores back home, these have decent food and the best prices. When you get to the islands, everything is naturally more expensive. But I was a bit thrown off when I walked by this on Koh Chang, just down the street from my bungalow:
Now there are several real 7-11s elsewhere on the island, but this "7-Day" was clearly a rip-off. It lacked the chilly air con, the staff with standard striped shirts, the well-stocked shelves, and the vast selection. I'd believe it if they bought a little bit of everything from a 7-11 down the street, threw it in a pickup, and dumped it here. Hardly any shelves, just stacks of goods with price stickers--even higher than island 7-11 prices.
Unfortunately 7-11s were nowhere to be found in Vietnam, Cambodia, or Laos. There are some generic mini marts and Circle Ks around, but they just don't compare.
You can buy a "toastie"--just about any kind of sandwich you can imagine--and they will toast in a little panini press for you on the spot. The ham and cheese croissant for not even a dollar never let me down before hopping on a long bus or train ride.
They have plastic wrapped cups with sugar and a coffee tea bag inside, and a hot water dispenser to make hot coffee to go.
You can buy Chang, Leo, or Singah beers, but only during certain odd hours...
They'll even offer to open it for you to enjoy on your walk home. Tap water is not drinkable here, but the breweries also make some good bottled water, as well as varieties owned by Coca-Cola or Pepsi Co.
It's also where locals can go to pay their home electric bills in cash.
You can buy top up credit for your phone in the form of a card, or from an easy to use ATM-like machine where you just enter your phone number, insert cash, and add credit from your phone. Refreshing to not need to talk about contracts or break the bank to get a few gigs of data.
And it wouldn't be 7-11 without Slurpees. Too bad I wasn't there on July 11 to redeem my free one (or over 4,000 if I hit all of them in Bangkok).
And the best bargain of all, which is free once you walk through the door: ice cold air con!
Unlike convenience stores back home, these have decent food and the best prices. When you get to the islands, everything is naturally more expensive. But I was a bit thrown off when I walked by this on Koh Chang, just down the street from my bungalow:
Now there are several real 7-11s elsewhere on the island, but this "7-Day" was clearly a rip-off. It lacked the chilly air con, the staff with standard striped shirts, the well-stocked shelves, and the vast selection. I'd believe it if they bought a little bit of everything from a 7-11 down the street, threw it in a pickup, and dumped it here. Hardly any shelves, just stacks of goods with price stickers--even higher than island 7-11 prices.
Unfortunately 7-11s were nowhere to be found in Vietnam, Cambodia, or Laos. There are some generic mini marts and Circle Ks around, but they just don't compare.