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Consumer Cooperatives are formed by consumers in obtaining various
goods at reasonable prices and guarantee standard. It is a legal body,
registered under the Cooperative Act, with its members as its share-holders.
Members voluntarily co-invest in their cooperative stores to fulfil
their purchasing needs in away that will sustain their economic well-being.
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 Backgound
The first cooperative store in Thailand was established in 1937 at a
village in Sena district, Ayuthaya province. Later on, it was spread
all over the country.
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Objective
Consumer cooperatives generally operate according to objectives as
follows:-
 1.
To obtain goods and services in order to serve members
2.
To collect members' produce and products for sale in the cooperative
store
3.
To promote and disseminate cooperative education to members
4.
To promote the practice of savings, self help, and mutual help among
members
5.
To cooperate and collaborate with other cooperative organizations
within and outside the country;
6.
To undertake any other businesses consistent with the above
objectives.
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Business Operation
Following the same concept as other cooperative types, the consumer
cooperative is based on the democratic controlled by members. As it is
impossible for all members to manage the cooperative store,
representatives are elected as Steering Committee to look after the
cooperative business. The number of Steering Committee members depends
on the cooperative's by-laws and what is appropriate to the
cooperative which is normally ranging between 10 to 15 persons. The
Steering Committee represents the members in all matters having to do
with the shop, overseeing all activities according to cooperative laws
and regulations, resolutions of the board of directors, and other
appropriate ways to ensure good results for the cooperative store and
its members.
To effectively manage the cooperative store, the board of directors
could hire a skilled and honest manager to operate the cooperative.
His/her mandate is to effectively serve members and customers.
Depending on the workload and economic need, the manager may recruit
staff with the agreement of the board of directors. Consumer
cooperatives strive to provide services for both members and non-members
according to the principles of the Rochdale leaders as follows:
 Selling goods at
market prices or slightly lower than market prices so as to avoid
conflict with neighboring shops;
Selling high-quality
goods, not low-quality ones, as required by most of the members;
Being accurate in
weighing, scooping, and measuring goods;
Buying a variety of
daily necessities for sale to members; and
Selling goods on cash
basis to ensure a good cash flow for the shop, ability to make
purchases at reasonable cost and prevent delinquency among members.
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