Back-to-school spending headache: the cost of parenting

[webfact]

Back-to-school spending headache: the cost of parenting

 

 

As millions of students are going back to school this month, parents are spending billions of baht to get their children ready for the new semester. 

 

Several economic thinktanks have carried out surveys about the parent’s preparations for their children’s education and found that the back-to-school season is one of the biggest spending periods of the year for both high-income earning and low-income earners.

 

The University of Chamber of Commerce estimated that, overall, the parents are expected to spend Bt54.972 billion to get their children ready for back-to-school in 2019, 5.2 percent more from the same period last year.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/back-to-school-spending-headache-the-cost-of-parenting/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-05-20

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[legend49]

Obviously no planning as usual before they became parents.

[PatOngo]

16 hours ago, webfact said:

Back-to-school spending headache: the cost of parenting

Easy, just borrow!

[Orton Rd]

Time they got together and refused to buy several uniforms, start with boycotting the ludicrous and expensive Boy Scout/ Girl Guide nonsense.

[PatOngo]

20 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Time they got together and refused to buy several uniforms, start with boycotting the ludicrous and expensive Boy Scout/ Girl Guide nonsense.

But the uniforms are far more important than the education! They are the start of the indoctrination process.

[Lupatria]

18 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Time they got together and refused to buy several uniforms, start with boycotting the ludicrous and expensive Boy Scout/ Girl Guide nonsense.

But there is no substitute in creating conformists with a pro military mindset 

[peter14]

Pawn shop very happy ...

[stillhereandlovinit]

Why have kids if you cant afford them, if you cant feed em, dont breed em.

Edited May 21, 2019 by stillhereandlovinit

[473geo]

Would be very interested to know if the uniforms are and associated wear are all Thai made?

There is every opportunity to make this happen, internal product requires no marketing, can't fail create continued Thai employment.

[473geo]

1 minute ago, stillhereandlovinit said:

Why have kids if you cant afford them, if you cant feed em, dont breed em.

Feed them no problem - pay for education, uniforms, transport to school, additional school trips/ activities/books, comes rather more expensive for people in subsistence status. Although minor refunds are available, perhaps requires review. Maybe a minimum wage hike?

[thaiguzzi]

1 hour ago, legend49 said:

Obviously no planning as usual before they became parents.

 

9 minutes ago, stillhereandlovinit said:

Why have kids if you cant afford them, if you cant feed em, dont breed em.

Ah, the mind bogging intelligentsia have arrived on the topic.

Morning folks!

Can't find your pair of two left shoes?

[stillhereandlovinit]

6 minutes ago, thaiguzzi said:

 

Ah, the mind bogging intelligentsia have arrived on the topic.

Morning folks!

Can't find your pair of two left shoes?

Not at all mate, but I waited 10 years with my wife to had kids as I wanted to buy and pay off our house and get a comfortable bank balance before bringing a nipper in to the world. I was a little old at 38 to have the first but glad I waited as Im not worried about school fees and uniform etc.

[soalbundy]

Tell me about it. Thankfully my two stepdaughters are through university and I only have my 11 year old son to worry about but that's enough, for a free schooling system the costs are amazingly high.

[owl sees all]

What about the second-hand shops at the markets? Can get that guide/scout stuff for next to nothing. And that white stick they need (can be a red twig); just go to the forest and cut one. Then paint it. Bamboo is everywhere. We farang must be more inventive if we are not to to finish up as Thais in disguise.

 

We didn't get where we are today without initiative. Let's lead the way in this.

Edited May 21, 2019 by owl sees all

[justin case]

school is far from free and government education suxx .. I guess in our "west" is the reason why you lose half of your paycheck for this , descent education, healthcare and a pension after working 40 years and paying taxes

 

how many thais actually pay any social contribution, tax, etc... always find an excuse not too...

[essox essox]

47 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Tell me about it. Thankfully my two stepdaughters are through university and I only have my 11 year old son to worry about but that's enough, for a free schooling system the costs are amazingly high.

IF every body pays taxes then there would be money to help an education system.

How much tax do food vendors pay.....the ones on the beach....how much do jetski operators/speedboat owners pay....people who have a bar/restaurant......etc the list goes on and on.

One more for you.....people who rent out motorbikes or repair them.

HOW MUCH TAX DO THEY PAY????

None in my opinion

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Easy, just borrow!

Wait for next months post as the "sharks" go around kicking in a few doors for non-payments.

[NoshowJones]

6 hours ago, PatOngo said:

But the uniforms are far more important than the education! They are the start of the indoctrination process.

Yes, the schools officialdom like using the children to play at little soldiers with them.

Thailand is a militaristic country from the schools, to the police with their Lt/Cols and Maj/Gens. 

It is probably only a matter of time till the whistle blowing security guards start getting ranks. 

[ocddave]

31 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

It is probably only a matter of time till the whistle blowing security guards start getting ranks. 

I told my wife to ignore whatever those whist-blowing guards tell you to do, as they regularly motion you forward in your car/motorcycle, then don't stop cross traffic.....they are about useless as tits on a bull, except more dangerous.

[sammieuk1]

Nothing is free in this free for all education costs are absurd versus income here 12000bt a term 5000bt plus for uniforms for what would pass stiflingly hot pig sty of a school????   

[metempsychotic]

9 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Time they got together and refused to buy several uniforms, start with boycotting the ludicrous and expensive Boy Scout/ Girl Guide nonsense.

you have any idea how much more expensive it is to buy real clothes rather than school uniforms?

it would be far more expensive to purchase regular clothes as most western parents must.

as an equalizer uniforms are a pretty good thing for lower income parents and children who cant compete with the haves. 

 

[Orton Rd]

Check out the prices in Big C the scout nonsense is not cheap, then there is the sports one, the casual one and the formal one. It's not about being cheap for the parents (it's not anyway) it's about indoctrination and regimentation. if they were bothered about have's competing with have not's why don't they ban iphones and expensive laptops.?

[OJAS]

On 5/20/2019 at 2:37 PM, webfact said:

Several economic thinktanks have carried out surveys about the parent’s preparations for their children’s education and found that the back-to-school season is one of the biggest spending periods of the year for both high-income earning and low-income earners.

Also the biggest spending period of the year for farangs with school-age step-kids - as I can vouch for on the basis of personal experience!????????

Edited May 21, 2019 by OJAS

[billd766]

11 hours ago, legend49 said:

Obviously no planning as usual before they became parents.

Did your parents plan for you?

 

This has to be about the stupid post I have read for a few days.

 

Last week I bought 2 sets of blue shirts and tracksuit bottoms at 470 baht a set. The first 2 have lasted at least 2 years and the bottoms are still OK.

 

The collar of one blue shirt has been worn away with constant scrubbing as my son plays pickup basketball after school.

 

You can find shorts in some second hand markets but the shirts usually have the childs name embroidered on them.

Edited May 21, 2019 by billd766
Edited for bad spelling after I had posted it

[AtoZ]

12 hours ago, essox essox said:

HOW MUCH TAX DO THEY PAY????

Direct? Probably nothing

 

Indirect? A lot - just look around the stores how many items are extremely overpriced in compare with the west

 

Anyway, more tax revenue would just lead to more graft and the 0.01% getting richer

[Isaanbiker]

If you believe that a Bavarian Lederhosen Jodler looks funny, have a look at male and female teachers in scout uniforms....

 

( Of course, are there some female exceptions) 

 

   At least Clowns get paid some money for looking stupid and doing weird things. 

 

  That alone reflects the whole of Thai education.