Once Asia’s top performer, the Thai baht is now becoming the region’s worst-hit currency

[Isaan sailor]

In the last 24 hours, the Baht has surged up 10 Satang vs. USD.  Perhaps, because of this article.

[sandyf]

7 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

20 years ago it was 20-25 baht. And the tom yum I usually have for lunch has gone up from 30 to 45 in the last 10 years.

Is that in support of the original statement?

"the Thai's will just raise their prices.  they do not understand the concept of supply and demand, "

 

[Acharn]

12 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Nearly all prices within Thailand will remain the same . 

Foreign currencies have risen by 20 % , meaning everything will be 20 % cheaper for those exchanging into Baht

My foreign currency (USD) hasn't risen by 10%, yet. A couple of months ago it was hovering around 31. Today the SCB FX quote for $100 over Teletype is 32.7, an increase of 5.4. Bank of Thailand tries to slow changes as much as they can, but I think the long term trend is toward 20%, just that it's got a way to go, which is good for my blood pressure. I'm delighted whenever the rate goes above 32. If it goes above 34 I'll be in clover. For a while.

[Mac Mickmanus]

3 minutes ago, Acharn said:

My foreign currency (USD) hasn't risen by 10%, yet. A couple of months ago it was hovering around 31. Today the SCB FX quote for $100 over Teletype is 32.7, an increase of 5.4. Bank of Thailand tries to slow changes as much as they can, but I think the long term trend is toward 20%, just that it's got a way to go, which is good for my blood pressure. I'm delighted whenever the rate goes above 32. If it goes above 34 I'll be in clover. For a while.

You didn't leave the E.U which is why your currency hasn't risen by 20 % .

   Does the U.S.A have something similar to the E.U that they could leave ?

[Stargeezr]

I feel sorry for the poor people in Thailand. The rich will survive, and can

travel and live the same, bit the poor, will be even worse off.

  I do agree however that the baht has been held too high, so

I hope it delines to where it used to be, before its artifiial

present status.

Geezer

[spidermike007]

When you combine seven years of sabotage to the tourism industry, with total mismanagement of the Covid crisis, this is what you get. When you shut down your economy several times, to offset the astonishing level of incompetence, malfeasance, unwillingness to cordon off tiny areas (due to rich owners of seafood distribution centers) to stop the spread, unwillingness to close construction sites, pineapple factories and other major Covid clusters (also due to rich owners), then you end up with an uncontrollable spread of this plague.

 

Add on the fact that to date they are not making any kind of tangible effort to prevent people from traveling from Bangkok, to other parts of the nation, and this is the kind of epic failure you end up with. Foreign investors have finally realized Thailand is a sinking ship. And things can only get worse. Think 1997, but far, far worse. At least back then most people still had jobs. 

 

Perhaps the puppet masters will eventually understand why most civilized nations choose someone with talent, intelligence and experience for important positions like PM, tourism minister and health minister. 

Edited July 27, 2021 by spidermike007

[crazykopite]

When I came here 16 years ago it was 74 to the £. I lived like a millionaire in 2009 I remember getting 34 to the £ since the military takeover I have always believed that the baht has been propped up and even the US warned the Thai government of the concerns now it seems that the baht will have to find its level with the rest of the world i for one would be more than happy to see it hit 50 to the £ any thing higher and I could be tempted to go out and buy me a nice new Subaru ????????????

[konaboy]

lots of good ideas here. lets wait and see.

[Skeptic7]

More bang for the buck! ????

[crazykopite]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

I've seen my daily/weekly shop increase a lot this year,almost every commodity has risen by something.

As foreigners who choose to come to Thailand they will be subjected to the local rip-offs by sharks wanting to put long lost money back in their pockets.

They may get a better exchange rate but that won't help in the streets.

When I go to Makro I buy whole meal bread cost 48 baht if I’m lucky and go in at the right time I get it for 25 baht ,this hasn’t changed in the last two years , yogurts are the same as well as many other products . My 1 litre of Bells whiskey in Big C is 499 baht the same as it was 2 years ago having said all that I have seen a big increase in petrol over the past 6 months but those of us who live on the islands always pay more due to transportation costs 

[Berkshire]

The thread title makes it seem like doom and gloom, that Thailand is failing some how.  But a weaker baht is about the best thing that could happen to this country.

[Peterphuket]

People talking about 'Sharks'

In my opinion there is only 1 shark in this country who make the prices, his name is CP

[paul1804]

13 hours ago, placeholder said:

So the lower the baht goes, the more expensive Thailand becomes for tourists? That might make sense if an overwhelming percentage of what tourists are paying for is goods and services imported into Thailand. And that's a very dubious proposition.

Do you therefore believe that as the baht goes up, Thailand becomes cheaper for tourists? 

Not true, global commodities like fuel will increase similar to the decrease in the value of the baht but given Thailand is an exporting positive nation a weaker baht will benefit overall. The guy giving his beer prices then and now is a typical example. When someone in the US or GB looks at buying hotel accommodation or buying a Condo getting more baths for their $$$ will often be the decider.  Its not rocket science!!!

[kg1947]

Can't wait for  CAD = B, 32.00  and  USD = B.40.00  .....or higher

 

 

 

 

[nauseus]

12 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

waiting for it to hit 100 to the pound like 97 .it was a glorious time in the bars

Must have been a good pish up - it only got to 91 for one day and that was in 1998.

Edited July 27, 2021 by nauseus

[nauseus]

15 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

When I go to Makro I buy whole meal bread cost 48 baht if I’m lucky and go in at the right time I get it for 25 baht ,this hasn’t changed in the last two years , yogurts are the same as well as many other products . My 1 litre of Bells whiskey in Big C is 499 baht the same as it was 2 years ago having said all that I have seen a big increase in petrol over the past 6 months but those of us who live on the islands always pay more due to transportation costs 

 

I suppose by living off yoghurt and scotch alone, you may be protected from the price rises in food and many other consumables. The oil price has doubled in the last 12 months.

[howbri]

All I know is my monthly pension sent to Bangkok Bank will show a healthy increase in Baht received and that's a good thing, long overdue. Higher prices will have little effect on me. 

[nauseus]

1 hour ago, placeholder said:

Evidence from the future. What could be more convincing than that?

One or two dire examples from history, too.

[spidermike007]

40 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

When I came here 16 years ago it was 74 to the £. I lived like a millionaire in 2009 I remember getting 34 to the £ since the military takeover I have always believed that the baht has been propped up and even the US warned the Thai government of the concerns now it seems that the baht will have to find its level with the rest of the world i for one would be more than happy to see it hit 50 to the £ any thing higher and I could be tempted to go out and buy me a nice new Subaru ????????????

The car dealer would be very grateful. Been looking at new cars, and when I inquire about the level of sales, the give me this look. They are experiencing very low volume this year. A good time to be shopping for big ticket items. Likely you will not get much of a discount, but you can negotiate a good deal anyway, with alot of extras, accessories, insurance, and more. 

[sitti]

I don't think THB will go much lower than this. Right now we're in strange time with Delta Covid, where everybody is going for Dollar safe-haven. Having vaccines more accessible around the globe as time goes by, eventually this Delta worry will ease down. That's when USD will come down. Looking like Dollar Index is already topping out, it will drop soon enough. Looking at attached chart, I don't think USDTHB will go higher 33.50 THB. Even if it did, I think it will be temporary and will quickly resume it's downtrend and drop to pre-pandemic level.

[khunpa]

Thailand’s economy is down the drain and finally the THB is starting to reflect reality.

 

In the long run this will be good for the country, as it will help boost foreign investment and tourism.

 

The question is how low it will go. I think it will go down A LOT.

[placeholder]

27 minutes ago, nauseus said:

One or two dire examples from history, too.

But are they apt? What's contributing far more to current inflation worldwise is the shortage of various items as economies rev up. Chip shortages have resulted in a shortage of new cars. Prices for used cars have escalated in the US. But these bottlenecks will resolve themselves over the next year.

[Isaan sailor]

I do take issue with the premise of the header, “Top Performer” with the assumption of the Baht regaining its glory as it trounces western currencies.  In truth, six to eight months ago it was vastly overpriced.  Today, it has normalized, but still too high for the conditions here today.

[NoshowJones]

That won't last long, if the "there won't be a coup" unelected PM realises a weaker baht affects his offshore and foreign bank accounts negatively, the Baht will soon get stronger.

Always notice that the Baht has always got stronger since the coup in 2014. Even in todays situation, the Baht is still a lot stronger that it was when he and his soldier boys stole the country.

[Nong Khai Man]

2 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Maybe you over-imbibed in the bars. It was 75, never remotely close to 100 ????. But yes, I agree about the good times.

But It WAS Very Close to the 100,I Remember getting 92 for ONE Day in Pattaya in 1997.....So There !!

[Mac Mickmanus]

1 hour ago, crazykopite said:

When I came here 16 years ago it was 74 to the £. I lived like a millionaire in 2009 I remember getting 34 to the £ since the military takeover I have always believed that the baht has been propped up and even the US warned the Thai government of the concerns now it seems that the baht will have to find its level with the rest of the world i for one would be more than happy to see it hit 50 to the £ any thing higher and I could be tempted to go out and buy me a nice new Subaru ????????????

If the Pound hits 50 Baht , I shall be tempted to go out for a Sizzler steak meal with the free salad bar at lunch time 

[Cake Monster]

3 hours ago, vandeventer said:

Except for imports as I see the prices going up each week at the shops.

Prices for the basics such as Eggs and Cooking Gas Etc are also going up.

All giving the " Its Covid " drivel.

Food stalls are citing these price rises to try and put up their prices, but the public are not wearing it yet,

When and if things return to near normal, the pent up Inflation is going to be very bad.

[Nong Khai Man]

1 hour ago, nauseus said:

Must have been a good pish up - it only got to 91 for one day and that was in 1998.

92 For ONE Day in '97 Also....

[Nong Khai Man]

4 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

If the Pound hits 50 Baht , I shall be tempted to go out for a Sizzler steak meal with the free salad bar at lunch time 

Now Mick, STOP Being Extravagent.....

[nauseus]

38 minutes ago, placeholder said:

But are they apt? What's contributing far more to current inflation worldwise is the shortage of various items as economies rev up. Chip shortages have resulted in a shortage of new cars. Prices for used cars have escalated in the US. But these bottlenecks will resolve themselves over the next year.

I was referring to the comment about the "possibility" of the mentioned  US rate hike in 2023. I agree with the previously posted claim that the Fed cannot hike its rates without causing a huge stock market crash.

 

The Fed has to keep interest rates low, so that they can at least attempt to pay off the interest on their record huge and spiraling debt. Rate rises makes borrowing more expensive for businesses and so slows expansion as well - bad for markets. The tiny rate rises in 2017 had to be quickly reversed after the markets sagged - these small rises show how sensitive businesses can be to them.

 

Inflation in the US is now rising due to continued money-printing on this new epic scale - much of the "developed" world is following suit. I don't see this as a "temporary" thing.

Edited July 27, 2021 by nauseus