I'd like to get the board's feelings on price rises in Thailand.

I hope a few long termers have time to respond to this.

What I'd like to know is based on your monthly spending in Thailand what do you believe the inflation rate is in Thailand AS IT EFFECTS YOU.

I say based on monthly spending because my guess is most of us budget monthly.

If at all possible factor in those big ticket spends such as annual health insurance but leave out capital expenditure such as house purchases.

Its the change in cost of day to day living I'm trying to get at.

Didn't take much thought. Over 10 percent easily. Utility bills have skyrocketed. Basic food commodities way up. Restaurant meals, bar tabs, you name it.

I wish my boss knew about annual inflation rates - i've not had a wage rise in the last 4 years!!

5/6%,actual costs;Not including building,cars,other big expenses.

Only food,utilities,gas,etc.

Same as last year,slightly more as the previous years.

My own estimate,some friends believe it's worse.

Well over 10% as reflected in food, fuel, rents (way way over), drinks, nightlife..

guesthouse, haven't kept track, other than to say to live in BKK now for us costs just about the same as it does back in OZ, all things considered...and OZ is expensive these days.

Rent is the main killer for us.

well car fuel has doubled in 5 years.

That means that anything delivered in a motor vehicle costs more.....and means everything.

The only place I've really noticed a difference, except for fuel, is at Tesco's. In 4 years, a lot of prices have increased by an average of 30%.

Because I have converted the car to LPG I feel I have stayed on a level par.

Food has gone up from 20 Baht to 25 Baht in many places but the vodka price is the same.

A lot depends on where I go and what I have. Tiger beer went up 5 Baht a bottle in many restaurants but, as I am on vodka most of the time I do not feel the increase in beer prices.

White goods seem to have remained about the same.

electric @ 5 baht a unit is more or less the same, as is water

I think being out of the major cities helps too in many ways.

My Thai friends and associates seem to be feeling the pinch a lot more.

Utility bills have skyrocketed.

Do you pay your landlord? I don't think the real cost of water or electricity has gone up at all. Or the telephone. Gas has gone up 20 or 30 baht a bottle (10%), but I haven't bought one in months.

Petrol/diesel is the big one. And so is milk and Liptons Tea!

Around 10 percent seem about right

2 years ago i was living at the in-laws so my spending was minimal. Last year i bought a car and a house nearer the city which means more visits to Tesco. A new baby also increases my expenses considerably.

If i compare over 3 years instead of 2 my spending has plummeted. 3 years ago i was in Bangkok not Issan.

If everything remains constant from now on i would have no idea about spending increases as i almost never look at prices when i shop. I don't buy things i don't need and if i need something then it has to be bought. My payrise this year was nearly 30%, i don't think inflation increased by anywhere near that amount, (not that i have any idea), so i guess i am much better off this year. Fingers crossed that each future year will bring me, (and everyone else), as much luck.

Nidge.

My costs have gone down mainly due to my rent being reduced and the landlord giving us 13 months rental for the price of 12.Oh the joy of a competative rental market.

Thankfully I dont live here permanently yet . Last year 72 odd Thai baht to the pound now 62 thats a near 15% loss on the uk £ but I do have a Thai business which nets 55000 baht per month so currency losses can be ignored for now. I still get my uk salary its just doesnt go so far when I bring cash over. Hoping BOT's interest cuts will increase the £ a little next week as i have some cash to change . Our car uses gasohol so prices in the last 18 months when the car was gas only have stayed almost t he same at 29 odd baht . No rent worries here so its not too bad.

If I calculate in Baht then I see almost no difference.

My rent has not changed in years, neither has the cost of my entertainment.

Food etc. ... Well, not sure about that. I tend to be a compulsive shopper and don't

really pay too much attention to costs. That said I could easily reduce these costs

by shopping at a local place rather than the expensive aircon malls, but tramping

around a hot, smelly fresh market is not my thing.

Local transport, practically no change.

But if I calculate in Dollar/Euro/Pounds ... well, that's another matter.

Naka.

Really don't keep track but electricity, telephone, water seem to be about the same.

Don't pay rent .

Over the last few years petrol gone up of course.

Cooking gas gone up probably 20-30Bt - not sure.

Health insurance seems to have stayed about the same but noticed prices at hospitals increased dramatically. Visiting friend had a minor ear infection and visit to see doctor and get some medication was almost a thousand baht.

Electronic goods down in price so new bits for computer, new TV all relatively cheap as are mobile phones unless of course you need latest model.

Biggest increase has to be food bills and household goods (ie supermarket bills).

Maybe my imagination but seems to be similar cost for a weekly shop as in UK!

I agree with naka. My rent hasnt changed in the three years i've been here. Utility bills are pretty standard. I've got a car now so that makes a difference, but as it's an extra luxury it's not exactly judging like for like.

Supermarket trips always tend to be 3-4000 every fortnight. Internet, UBC etc seem pretty similar. The ten baht sliced fruit and barbecue meat stalls are still 10 baht. The 20 baht nam som sellers still charge 20 baht.

I don't judge it by what i spend. I judge it by what I save. I've managed to put roughly the same amounts away monthly consistently so any extra costs (either caused by inflation or more luxurious spending) are somehow being offset by either extra income or lower spending on other things.

Most restaurant meals increased 20 to 25 baht.

Gas increased to the levels you all know already; now my monthly gas budget is a horrendous 200 baht.

Rent went down 17%.

All else (utilities, etc.) stayed the same.

Loving it in Central Isaan.

I think this is a very difficult one to answer.

Some things have gone up.

Land prices - certainly in baht terms

Building prices - have doubled in the last ten years.

Petrol prices.

Others appear to have gone up but you are getting such a better product that really they havent

UBC

The internet

Cars

And other prices have come down

Beer

mobile phones

TVs

So I think inflation has run below 5% - I do think it is picking up fast though