Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said that the dumping of cheap Chinese-made elephant pants in the Thai market is a normal and opportunistic trade practice that should serve a lesson for Thai businesses to work faster to protect their interests.

 

The prime minister was responding to a reporter’s question about the flooding of Thai market with the cheap Chinese-made garments, which start at about 30 baht (6 yuan) wholesale price.

 

Thai retailers are selling them at 65 baht apiece for shorts, 75 baht for longs or two pairs for 150 baht.

 

“This is nothing new in doing business. Where there is an opportunity, there are opportunists. If we do not act fast, we will lose the opportunity, like have done before on several other things,” said the prime minister.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2024-02-05

 

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1 hour ago, Enoon said:

 

****hole.

 

 

 

Exactly. Stock up on yer elephant pants before the price rises!

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said that the dumping of cheap Chinese-made elephant pants in the Thai market is a normal and opportunistic trade practice that should serve a lesson for Thai businesses to work faster to protect their interests.

Is this guy the prime minister of Thailand?  Or the PM of China?

PM Srettha said in the original article:  "There is no way that the Thai producers can compete with the Chinese products as far as production cost is concerned. "

What a this is exactly why we had to close our business. We were importing products from Thailand and could not compete with the cheap "government-subsidized" products from China.

This article makes me want to vomit.  The PM can protect Thai businesses by imposing stiff tariffs on goods from China so that Thai companies can be competitive.  That's how it works Mr. PM.   He obviously doesn't want to help the country or the small Thai businesses. Please tell me that this article was an early April Fools Day article.

As with all clothing with Thai emblems I like to ensure they are made in Thailand.

6 minutes ago, BigStar said:

 

****hole.

Took the words right out of my mouth

 

And the costs of having China as your "Big Brother" are just beginning.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said that the dumping of cheap Chinese-made elephant pants in the Thai market is a normal and opportunistic trade practice that should serve a lesson for Thai businesses to work faster to protect their interests.

What does that even mean?

"It is normal" "trade practice  "so no problem then unless one desires a abnormal trade  relationship. 

I am sure he did not make that statement in English, and it might be a poor translation.  I know he is not the brightest light in the Christmas tree, but even he, I dont think is that stupid. 

But if he did , in essence the is telling his manufacturers to suck it up and either work  more or more cheap.  In essence chase the bottom.  

Which is a strange policy if he is to do what he said he wants to do, which is to get Thailand out of the low wage trap. 

 

Just an amuse bouche of what's to come......but the people in power don't care....they will ride the wave and be on the make.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said that the dumping of cheap Chinese-made elephant pants in the Thai market is a normal and opportunistic trade practice that should serve a lesson for Thai businesses to work faster to protect their interests

This is exactly why Thais don't like competition.. 

32 minutes ago, LivingNThailand said:

The PM can protect Thai businesses by imposing stiff tariffs on goods from China so that Thai companies can be competitive.  That's how it works Mr. PM.   He obviously doesn't want to help the country or the small Thai businesses. Please tell me that this article was an early April Fools Day article.

Thailand wants free trade agreements but Thais don't want foreign competition... so price them out with tariffs??

it doesn't work like that... get smart or get out.

The guys at p.m. for Thailand, correct you couldn’t tell by his response somebody up there is pulling his strings for sure. TIT.

Quote

The salary of factory workers in China can vary depending on factors such as their location, industry, experience, and skill level. According to data from 2021, the average monthly wage for a manufacturing worker in China is around 5,900 yuan (approximately $920 USD) per month.

Why can't Thailand compete? I doubt there are many factory jobs in Thailand's textile industry paying $900usd a month.

52 minutes ago, LivingNThailand said:

Is this guy the prime minister of Thailand?  Or the PM of China?

PM Srettha said in the original article:  "There is no way that the Thai producers can compete with the Chinese products as far as production cost is concerned. "

What a this is exactly why we had to close our business. We were importing products from Thailand and could not compete with the cheap "government-subsidized" products from China.

This article makes me want to vomit.  The PM can protect Thai businesses by imposing stiff tariffs on goods from China so that Thai companies can be competitive.  That's how it works Mr. PM.   He obviously doesn't want to help the country or the small Thai businesses. Please tell me that this article was an early April Fools Day article.

Thailand can surpass on quality

I wish it was just the elephant pants!

 

Give the Thai people a wake-up call, the political narrative made them think they are exporting to China instead it is China that is endangering local production and SME (even here).

Could it be that some Thai government officials get "benefits" by allowing all this China-made produce into Thailand?

 

Could certain Chinese-Thai business families be encouraging this practice so they can make more money in China?

Once the new railways are fully operational it will be the end of the line for many Thai Businesses.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai retailers are selling them at 65 baht apiece for shorts, 75 baht for longs or two pairs for 150 baht.

I can't believe that is the price on Lower Sukhumvit for tourists.

 

Good to see Srettha sticking up for Thailand against the Chinese.

 

...  ... yep, indeed, who exactly needs enemies with this bunch of instant vomit inducers readily on hand, 555 ...

 

 

Edited February 5, 20242 yr by jollyhangmon

51 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Thailand can surpass on quality

Yes, and that is why we were importing from Thailand and not China.  In my original post, I said that we could not compete with the lower priced China government-subsidized products.  The mass wholesale market wants cheap, not quality.  It's very hard to explain unless you lived it.  The constant battle of "it's cheaper at XYZ company" and trying to explain to your customer that our product was better quality than XYZ and XYZ was cheaper because the Chinese Communist government was paying factories to produce products and flood the other markets.   If a product costs $3 to produce, the Chinese government was giving the factories $1-$1.50 so they could undersell the other markets.  i.e. Thailand.  I'm not certain how wide spread the practice is now because I'm not in the market, but I would bet it is going strong.  Sorry if I sound bitter, but if Thailand wants to compete they need to make sure that the products are similar in price, which means putting tarrifs on products coming in from other companies, like China, to be competitive...but I don't think it will happen.

All Thailand could think about was how much timber, chicken, durian, and pork it was going to export to China. It never factored in that China would dump a tsunami of cheap manufactured goods on Thailand. Exporting raw goods while receiving manufactured goods in return is what happens with colonies.

7 minutes ago, LivingNThailand said:

Yes, and that is why we were importing from Thailand and not China.  In my original post, I said that we could not compete with the lower priced China government-subsidized products.  The mass wholesale market wants cheap, not quality.  It's very hard to explain unless you lived it.  The constant battle of "it's cheaper at XYZ company" and trying to explain to your customer that our product was better quality than XYZ and XYZ was cheaper because the Chinese Communist government was paying factories to produce products and flood the other markets.   If a product costs $3 to produce, the Chinese government was giving the factories $1-$1.50 so they could undersell the other markets.  i.e. Thailand.  I'm not certain how wide spread the practice is now because I'm not in the market, but I would bet it is going strong.  Sorry if I sound bitter, but if Thailand wants to compete they need to make sure that the products are similar in price, which means putting tarrifs on products coming in from other companies, like China, to be competitive...but I don't think it will happen.

 

Thai made tat is just as 💩as Chinese made tat.

 

Can anyone explain why these ridiculous 'garments' are needed in such high volumes? I thought they were the go to attire for backpackers exclusively.

Nothing new here...

 

 

3 hours ago, LivingNThailand said:

Took the words right out of my mouth

 

Cake?

16 minutes ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

Cake?

huh?

when the PM endorses cut price imports from China retailers in Thailand cannot compete with the slave labour  prices of imports flooding the market place

6 hours ago, John Drake said:

And the costs of having China as your "Big Brother" are just beginning.

They [Thais] ain't seen nothin' yet. 

 

35 THB pants is just the beginning. 

The laughing cow... or the laughing stock... Maybe something was lost in translation. 

18 hours ago, LivingNThailand said:

Took the words right out of my mouth

 

The person you refer to sued me for defamation for much more polite commentary than that. Be careful. 

13 hours ago, djayz said:

They [Thais] ain't seen nothin' yet. 

 

35 THB pants is just the beginning. 

 

I seem to remember that the last year or so ago a Thai shopping mall came under scrutiny and complaints from Thai manufacturers of consumer goods because the shelves of all the stores were stocked with low quality goods from China. Never did see a follow up.

20 hours ago, Brickleberry said:

Can anyone explain why these ridiculous 'garments' are needed in such high volumes? I thought they were the go to attire for backpackers exclusively.

 

They used to be. But Korean tourists started wearing them.

 

So now a lot of Thais are wearing them to try to look like the Korean tourists.