School uniform prices stay ‘fair’ as ministry keeps watch

[webfact]

School uniform prices stay ‘fair’ as ministry keeps watch

By The Nation

 

 

Parents and their kids were out shopping on Monday for school uniforms and stationery ahead of the new term beginning next week, with shops across the country offering discounts on the gear and on embroidering students’ and school names on shirts.

 

Supply shops in Muang Phichit were buzzing with crowds of people buying uniforms, priced at Bt220-Bt270 for a primary level outfit.

 

Retailer Sukanya Ongworawuth, 70, said there weren’t as many parents and children as she had last year because the big malls are also discounting uniform prices now.

 

In Bangkok, shops in Pahurat and Banglamphu districts were busy.

 

The Commerce Ministry’s Department of Internal Trade last month added student uniforms to a list of around 200 “sensitive” items that should be monitored to ensure fair pricing.

 

It’s been common in the past for uniform prices to jump just ahead of new semesters. So far this year, the prices have matched those of last year.

 

The ministry has also joined 13,000 malls and stand-alone stores selling uniforms and stationery at 30-70-per-cent discounts through May 10.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30344778

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-07

[sammieuk1]

This must be a struggle for low paid Thais and farangs having just shelled out 16,000tb for a first time 4 year olds first term.

[BEVUP]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Supply shops in Muang Phichit were buzzing with crowds of people buying uniforms, priced at Bt220-Bt270 for a primary level outfit.

What do they mean by outfit 

I was paying that per piece 

[AsiaHand]

While up country most of the uniform sales in the rural areas are controlled by the school principal or his wife.

[JAG]

45 minutes ago, AsiaHand said:

While up country most of the uniform sales in the rural areas are controlled by the school principal or his wife.

The real money is in the supply of textbooks. M1 works out at ThB 2500 per pupil. Multiply 10% of that by 30% or so and you're looking at ThB7000 per class. If you assume that each year group in an average school has 4 classes that is ThB 28000, for each year. Add up M1 to M6 and that's over ThB 150,000 a year. New Fortuna's all round...

 

I ought to be a Maths teacher.

 

Also may explain why some of the textbooks chosen are so banal. Certainly I would be embarrassed to be one of the obligatory western "Ajarns" who have their names on the covers. But that is another story...

[Bullie]

My son was forced to buy 3 (three!!) different outfits, including a military-style boyscout outfit, which he is forced to wear once a week. I personally strongly disapprove of this, but my wife decides and she does not "want any trouble". Thing is, it's 6 pieces of clothing, one new belt, 3 (three!!) differently coloured pairs of shoes and a hat. All in all it set me back 2,500 baht and at the end of the year he will have outgrown the clothing. Why not ONE airy, sensible COTTON pair of schoolclothes in stead of this amalgam of thick cotton and polyester, making my boy sweat profusifely all day?

 

All clothes AND shoes were sold through the school. I smell something rotten here....

[JAG]

12 minutes ago, Bullie said:

My son was forced to buy 3 (three!!) different outfits, including a military-style boyscout outfit, which he is forced to wear once a week. I personally strongly disapprove of this, but my wife decides and she does not "want any trouble". Thing is, it's 6 pieces of clothing, one new belt, 3 (three!!) differently coloured pairs of shoes and a hat. All in all it set me back 2,500 baht and at the end of the year he will have outgrown the clothing. Why not ONE airy, sensible COTTON pair of schoolclothes in stead of this amalgam of thick cotton and polyester, making my boy sweat profusifely all day?

 

All clothes AND shoes were sold through the school. I smell something rotten here....

Be thankful he is a boy! My daughter is fastidious about her "turnout" (and bless her she is of course the prettiest girl in M1); that means three skirts, three white shirts, a Guides outfit, a set of PT kit, a Lanna shirt for Fridays, black shoes, white daps, a jacket and a school rucksack.

That's why daddy is having his shirt collars turned before school starts!

Edited May 7, 2018 by JAG

[BEVUP]

41 minutes ago, Bullie said:

My son was forced to buy 3 (three!!) different outfits, including a military-style boyscout outfit, which he is forced to wear once a week. I personally strongly disapprove of this, but my wife decides and she does not "want any trouble". Thing is, it's 6 pieces of clothing, one new belt, 3 (three!!) differently coloured pairs of shoes and a hat. All in all it set me back 2,500 baht and at the end of the year he will have outgrown the clothing. Why not ONE airy, sensible COTTON pair of schoolclothes in stead of this amalgam of thick cotton and polyester, making my boy sweat profusifely all day?

 

All clothes AND shoes were sold through the school. I smell something rotten here....

Same here, it starts at M4 which my son is starting

 

Scouts uniform - belt/scarf/hat/ shirt/shorts/ badges/ embroidery / ect

Shoes - black/white/brown

 

Bought out of school & cost 3000 bht

 

In School

 

Shirts - 3 x 420 bht (quality not that good )

Shorts - 3 x 380 bht 

Spots shirt (polo) - 320 bht

Another Polo ? - 320 bht

Track suit pants - 280 bht

 

Then add socks ect + bag (500 bht )

 

I'm glad his school books are included (to what extent i not know ) in the fees along with lunch / local excursions / insurance / ect

 

So when you think things a covered these schools always have something else that comes up along the way

I knew there was something - The Thai Traditional clothing (but a cheap set )

Edited May 7, 2018 by BEVUP

[Basil B]

Could save money by making skirts shorter... 

[holy cow cm]

And the ministry and other top dogs as in people get a kick back? Probably at some particular stage. 

[AsiaHand]

3 hours ago, JAG said:

The real money is in the supply of textbooks. M1 works out at ThB 2500 per pupil. Multiply 10% of that by 30% or so and you're looking at ThB7000 per class. If you assume that each year group in an average school has 4 classes that is ThB 28000, for each year. Add up M1 to M6 and that's over ThB 150,000 a year. New Fortuna's all round...

 

I ought to be a Maths teacher.

 

Also may explain why some of the textbooks chosen are so banal. Certainly I would be embarrassed to be one of the obligatory western "Ajarns" who have their names on the covers. But that is another story...

A true math teacher would explain the relativity of math to the everyday usage in the world as it relates to the students. You were just adding and multiplying as any third grater can do. But then again here in LOS there are many Farangs that do just that and are called "Teachers".

[metisdead]

A troll post has been removed.

[JAG]

7 hours ago, AsiaHand said:

A true math teacher would explain the relativity of math to the everyday usage in the world as it relates to the students. You were just adding and multiplying as any third grater can do. But then again here in LOS there are many Farangs that do just that and are called "Teachers".

Perhaps so. 

But "there again" I can spell "grade"!

Edited May 7, 2018 by JAG

[DrH]

On 5/7/2018 at 8:01 PM, BEVUP said:

Same here, it starts at M4 which my son is starting

 

Scouts uniform - belt/scarf/hat/ shirt/shorts/ badges/ embroidery / ect

Shoes - black/white/brown

 

Bought out of school & cost 3000 bht

 

In School

 

Shirts - 3 x 420 bht (quality not that good )

Shorts - 3 x 380 bht 

Spots shirt (polo) - 320 bht

Another Polo ? - 320 bht

Track suit pants - 280 bht

 

Then add socks ect + bag (500 bht )

 

I'm glad his school books are included (to what extent i not know ) in the fees along with lunch / local excursions / insurance / ect

 

So when you think things a covered these schools always have something else that comes up along the way

I knew there was something - The Thai Traditional clothing (but a cheap set )

A friend sells polo shirts to companies and schools (https://www.poloapparel-th.com/) and from what I understand from her about the prices, even at 320 bht that you mention there would probably be some margin (10-20%) for schools or an employee who orders clothes for the school (and some schools maybe even don't know about it)... Probably same situation for other products.  

[observer90210]

This is where the Chinese should step in. Why not to take pictures of the uniforms and get them made some place else ?

[BEVUP]

7 hours ago, observer90210 said:

This is where the Chinese should step in. Why not to take pictures of the uniforms and get them made some place else ?

I'm sure they have

Lad just swapped schools & this time wife noticed the white school shirts were not the same quality & didn't have a tag on the collar 

[kaorop]

ad in the nice deal of making hand me downs or trade in second hand clothes much less common , i speak of embroidering names on shirts..

 

in everyway on every day they scam a little and big too

[marko kok prong]

Jeez,plenty of posters whinging about paying a few thousand baht for school uniforms,if your that skint maybe you should not be here,also do you think the uniforms would be cheaper in your own country [the only exception would be USA as they don't seem to wear uniforms. I know in Australia the back to school cost's were horrendous.

  Also children actually GROW  surprise ,surprise.

[BEVUP]

7 minutes ago, marko kok prong said:

Jeez,plenty of posters whinging about paying a few thousand baht for school uniforms,if your that skint maybe you should not be here,also do you think the uniforms would be cheaper in your own country [the only exception would be USA as they don't seem to wear uniforms. I know in Australia the back to school cost's were horrendous.

  Also children actually GROW  surprise ,surprise.

Well I'm not complaining, just stating (& finding out it's all pretty much the same )

I'm an Aussie as well