Is Thailand Getting Too Expensive?

[ThaiEye]

I agree with this but not many farang do this: I went to the Mayo Clinic in Phaholyothin yesterday for the post exposure to rabies jabs. First jab of five 1196 Baht, I had to see a doctor (250)and pay to listen to a lot of bullshit about some dogs bthe jabs (647)eing carriers, about how important it was to have the full set of jabs, have a nurse dress the scratch (104) antibiotics and paracetamol(145!) International cost of six of these jabs $40. (BULLSH*T!) hospital services made up a few baht more. My next jab is Tuesday for which I will need to pay again and not just for a jab, doctor fee etc as well : the whole deal if I did it all would be over 7000baht. Now that is expensive. I am sure that Thais with as much money as me do not pay that. It is the offense as much as the money; the knowledge that I am only tolerated for my money I find deeply offensive, they don't even know me these Thais, but they all think it is perfectly fair to rip me off. To some extent it can hurt them too as it does with the baht busses in Pattaya where they get kicked off if a farang is a better fare. Now I have to shop around to get the next few jabs until I find that the dog hasn't died which I am 90% sure will be the case. This is an extreem case; the place is expensive but they should be honest, normal Thais go there and wouldn't if they were overcharged, in fact I was the only farang.

From the establishments point of view the more a farang pays the better it makes the deal that the Thais are getting, keeps them grateful and in their place, so that is an added benefit that we provide unrealized by many including the Thais. On the other hand the public trasport is fair value, we even benefit from the free busses.

I can handle it normally anything in the street I can't put up with or walk away from, it is these semi-official rip-offs that get to me.

Last year i got bit by a dog. The first rabies jab and tetanus cost about 650baht. The next three follow-up jabs cost about 450baht each. Total 2,000 baht (owner of dog paid).

Government hospital. The international Uk/US cost of such jabs is virtually 10 times the price!

You reckon Thailand's expensive? In England a Rabies vaccination is almost 100 Pound! In Thailand it's 500 baht.

You have to be kidding if you are complaining that it costs 250 to see a doctor at one of Bangkok's top hospitals! Go home man...

Edited January 11, 2009 by ThaiEye

[Zombienation]

Anyway, as a summary, Thailand is more expensive. It is still great value, but less than it was. Can't see this trend changing anytime soon, inflation is high and the Baht is strong.

I've heard talk of a possible devaluation of the Baht but does anyone see this happening in the near to long term? Most of my money is in the UK. Transferring some over is a definite no-no at the moment (I live in Bangkok).

[grahamhc]

HEALTHCARE:

Two Years ago (so not subject to current exchange rates situation), a friend needed 2 Stents for coronary artery problems. He got a quote from a large Private Hospital in Pattaya and his son got a quote as a "Private Medicine Patient" (ie: not state patient) in the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. He flew home for the work and it SAVED HIM 1,500 GBP !!!

[henryalleman]

Agreed, I'm never sure what to say to people who brag about paying people awful wages, just because it's cheap. People reply that it's the going rate. Well how about compensating your employees well if you are so well off? Exploiting people is, I would've thought, a rather lame thing to be proud of, but what do I know?

I don't think he brag about it, he just compare. So by writing like that, I think you are in favour of double pricing.

If you pay the usual rate its not exploiting at all IMHO. Doing what you are suggesting is ruin the market, this is happening already in places like Pattaya and other tourist places already more than enough.

I pay the normal rate and treat the staff with respect and don't cheat them, and that's already much more than the Thai employers usualy do.

[phuketrichard]

Nickbk: Firstly, the currency here in Thailand is called the "Baht" not bath.

Secondly, Bberg stated; "The currency I represent is the Norwegian Kroner and like the pund it has fallen dramaticlly" so he is obviously aware that the decline in these currencies is the primary reason for the recent changes in exchange rate.

Anyway. For me (having my base currency as the UK Sterling) Thailand has become dramatically more expensive in recent years. I now pay a similar amount in going out i.e. drinking and eating here as I do in my home town in the UK. Also buying decent clothes here is now far more expensive than the UK.

Out of interest Britmaveric, to what are you referring when you say;

Still cheap as chips!!!!!

Thailand uses the thai baht and all locals use the thai baht. Just because your currency goes up or down its stil the thai baht and most prices, (excluding hotels and tourist things) have gone up less than 10% in the past 8 years or so for most items.

Thailand is still inexpensive.. ( I hate the word "cheap")

Edited January 11, 2009 by phuketrichard

[rubik101]

from page 6, Yes it is getting Expensive, a 10klo of Rice just 18 months ago was Bt275 now it is Bt345 at all the shop in my little town.

I have just been shopping this week and 10kg of Thai saffron rice from an Asian supermarket here in the UK costs between £13 and £18 depending on the grade and quality.

By my calculation, 345 baht is around £7 so we are looking at a minimum of 100% more expensive in UK than Thailand.

I ate a meal on Friday night in an Indian restaurant in Bristol and the price was £16 for a two course dinner with two beers.

In Bangsean in December I ate a similar meal in local restaurant for 200 baht.

I had three procedures done on my teeth while in Thailand in Decemeber. Here in UK I am unable to get on a local dentist's waiting list so the price is not an issue. However, the price I paid for three crowns was half of what I would have to pay for just one here in UK.

Thailand is certainly more expensive than it was a year ago, five years ago and twenty years ago, when I first visited. However, it is still less expensive then most countries outside of Asia.

[lannaman]

I suggest you "do in Rome" while you here and eat as the Thais do. A lot cheaper, tastier and healthier.

[henryalleman]

HEALTHCARE:

Two Years ago (so not subject to current exchange rates situation), a friend needed 2 Stents for coronary artery problems. He got a quote from a large Private Hospital in Pattaya and his son got a quote as a "Private Medicine Patient" (ie: not state patient) in the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. He flew home for the work and it SAVED HIM 1,500 GBP !!!

Can you give me the quote from Pattaya and the name of the hospital, just like to know because I'm planning to subscribe an international Hospital insurance and therefore I must calculate for how much I must cover myself;

thanks in advance;

[mrbojangles]

You reckon Thailand's expensive? In England a Rabies vaccination is almost 100 Pound! In Thailand it's 500 baht.

You have to be kidding if you are complaining that it costs 250 to see a doctor at one of Bangkok's top hospitals! Go home man...[/b]

I'm not 100% but i'd have thought a Rabies Vaccination after being bit, would be free in the UK.

My wife is coming out and joining me in Saudi. To get her visa she had to have injections for Diptheria, Tetanus, Polio, Meningitis ACWY, Hepatitis A and Typhoid, Total cost £37. A chest x-ray was £12 and hearing and eye sight tests together cost £20. Quite cheap i thought.

[brahmburgers]

Maid and nanny's payday coming up on the 15th. 10,500 Baht. In the US that would be more like 90,000-110,000, and that's for illegals.

wages for a "cleaning lady" in one of Germany's big cities = 600 Baht / hour.

Frankly, I would far prefer to live in a country where menial workers get paid a decent wage. Maybe that's just me.

A caretaker (for an old Chinese woman) lady here in northern Thailand, with a nurses aid certificate, gets Bt.3,500 month - for 12 hour days, 7 days/week. I know of a couple of Burmese sisters who are getting Bt.2,700/month each for 24 hour live-in nursing for elderly rich couple. Both girls have to stay within arm's reach of their charges. They aren't allowed to go off the property, as their bosses (the old peoples' middle aged children) are afraid the Burmese girls will be caught and deported. As you can imagine, the sisters are bummed, but take the work - as it's better than wages in Burma. They're cute too - what a waste of pulchritude.

[mancon]

One thing Bberg. It's not the Thai bath that has increased, it's the pound and the krone that have decreased. Which means that your problem is not exclusively related to Thailand. It is exactly the same for every country. Everywhere you will go beside your home country will be a lot more expensive to you than it was last year. In this case, it's your currency, not the Thai baht, that is to blame. The value you have lost is at home not here.

Yes the bath is (too?) strong but this is not new. It was even a lot stronger a year and a half ago if you compare with the Euro by example.

This make no sense at all! I have two diplomas in International economy, one in Asian politics and another in international trade and there is nothing so far in my years of education that explains why the Thai bath is still so strong.

To start with so is England as well as Norway standing outside EMU so their currencies will not be saved by a strong US Dollar or a strong Euro. Thailand is also not bound strong to any currency officially so if the Norse Krona and the British pound should fall to the Euro and the Dollar so should the Thai bath equally, (plus/minus some percent), but so have not happened?

When you value a lands currency you use a couple of established international models that take different key figures into account. Things like trade deposits, international debt, political stability, national levels of education, low percentage of poverty, modern industry, natural infrastructure, industrial infrastructure, import/export numbers, key export values, natural resources and so on.

Norway and England both have natural resources like oil, gas, lumber, minerals/mines, water, and so on Thailand do not.

Norway and England both have a fairly good trade deposit, international dept, national levels of education, low percentage of poverty, Thailand do not.

Norway and England both have a fairly modern industry, a good natural infrastructure, a good industrial infrastructure, good import/export numbers, key export values, Thailand do not.

Thailand's main BNP incomes comes from rice and tourism and the rice harvest have not been the best during the last 5 years time and the truism have gone down with 40% the last 2 years and are believed to decrease a lot more in the next couple of years world wide.

One thing that have always happens when a land have had big domestic political problems are that their currencies have dropped in values like a rock, (Argentina and Japan fairly recently, Spain, Italy and Portugal further back as good examples), but by unknown reasons this do not happened in Thailand?

During the last 4 month I have talked to international traders, old University professors, banking people as well as people high up in the current administration working international finance, and so far NO ONE can come up with a good answer to why those rules and models do not apply to the Thai bath.

I would love to hear someone come up with a strong and probable explanation to this!

[ClaytonSeymour]

I'm not 100% but i'd have thought a Rabies Vaccination after being bit, would be free in the UK.

The Wife was bitten whilst we were in Buriram & she's going for her fourth injection tomorrow; we're now back in the UK. When I phoned the GP, the nurse could only say that the remaining two jabs would have to be ordered on prescription & we'd have to collect from the pharmacy prior to the appointments - she wasn't sure whether it will be the same price as a normal prescription, or, more expensive.

Talk of £100 shots, both here & in other threads has angered me. As an afterthought, I'm wondering whether we'd have been better off seeing if the hospital in Thailand would have sold us the last two shots along with any necessary documentation for customs/GP back home etc.

I will advise tomorrow on the true UK cost of a post-exposure rabies shot.

Edited January 11, 2009 by ClaytonSeymour

[brahmburgers]

This make no sense at all! I have two diplomas in International economy, one in Asian politics and another in international trade and there is nothing so far in my years of education that explains why the Thai bath is still so strong.

Thanks mancon. I don't have any economic degrees, but have been wondering for many moons why the Baht continues to be strong. All indications would seem to point at a weakening baht: political strife, active insurgents in the south, flagging tourism, etc. ....yet it hangs tough.

[geeky]

One thing Bberg. It's not the Thai bath that has increased, it's the pound and the krone that have decreased. Which means that your problem is not exclusively related to Thailand. It is exactly the same for every country. Everywhere you will go beside your home country will be a lot more expensive to you than it was last year. In this case, it's your currency, not the Thai baht, that is to blame. The value you have lost is at home not here.

Yes the bath is (too?) strong but this is not new. It was even a lot stronger a year and a half ago if you compare with the Euro by example.

This make no sense at all! I have two diplomas in International economy, one in Asian politics and another in international trade and there is nothing so far in my years of education that explains why the Thai bath is still so strong.

To start with so is England as well as Norway standing outside EMU so their currencies will not be saved by a strong US Dollar or a strong Euro. Thailand is also not bound strong to any currency officially so if the Norse Krona and the British pound should fall to the Euro and the Dollar so should the Thai bath equally, (plus/minus some percent), but so have not happened?

When you value a lands currency you use a couple of established international models that take different key figures into account. Things like trade deposits, international debt, political stability, national levels of education, low percentage of poverty, modern industry, natural infrastructure, industrial infrastructure, import/export numbers, key export values, natural resources and so on.

Norway and England both have natural resources like oil, gas, lumber, minerals/mines, water, and so on Thailand do not.

Norway and England both have a fairly good trade deposit, international dept, national levels of education, low percentage of poverty, Thailand do not.

Norway and England both have a fairly modern industry, a good natural infrastructure, a good industrial infrastructure, good import/export numbers, key export values, Thailand do not.

Thailand's main BNP incomes comes from rice and tourism and the rice harvest have not been the best during the last 5 years time and the truism have gone down with 40% the last 2 years and are believed to decrease a lot more in the next couple of years world wide.

One thing that have always happens when a land have had big domestic political problems are that their currencies have dropped in values like a rock, (Argentina and Japan fairly recently, Spain, Italy and Portugal further back as good examples), but by unknown reasons this do not happened in Thailand?

During the last 4 month I have talked to international traders, old University professors, banking people as well as people high up in the current administration working international finance, and so far NO ONE can come up with a good answer to why those rules and models do not apply to the Thai bath.

I would love to hear someone come up with a strong and probable explanation to this!

during the military coup, they gave themselves a raise of more then 100.000.000.000 Baht (which is 1.000 more than what Thaksin took and why the PAD is so ridiculous) ... they're still smuggling their share of this out of the country ... once it's out, they will allow the baht to fall deeply, so they can bring it back in with huge profits and pay whatever they had to promise to the Democrats for it ... it has nothing to do with economics, it's corruption, nothing more, nothing less.

[LennyW]

One thing Bberg. It's not the Thai bath that has increased, it's the pound and the krone that have decreased. Which means that your problem is not exclusively related to Thailand. It is exactly the same for every country. Everywhere you will go beside your home country will be a lot more expensive to you than it was last year. In this case, it's your currency, not the Thai baht, that is to blame. The value you have lost is at home not here.

Yes the bath is (too?) strong but this is not new. It was even a lot stronger a year and a half ago if you compare with the Euro by example.

This make no sense at all! I have two diplomas in International economy, one in Asian politics and another in international trade and there is nothing so far in my years of education that explains why the Thai bath is still so strong.

To start with so is England as well as Norway standing outside EMU so their currencies will not be saved by a strong US Dollar or a strong Euro. Thailand is also not bound strong to any currency officially so if the Norse Krona and the British pound should fall to the Euro and the Dollar so should the Thai bath equally, (plus/minus some percent), but so have not happened?

When you value a lands currency you use a couple of established international models that take different key figures into account. Things like trade deposits, international debt, political stability, national levels of education, low percentage of poverty, modern industry, natural infrastructure, industrial infrastructure, import/export numbers, key export values, natural resources and so on.

Norway and England both have natural resources like oil, gas, lumber, minerals/mines, water, and so on Thailand do not.

Norway and England both have a fairly good trade deposit, international dept, national levels of education, low percentage of poverty, Thailand do not.

Norway and England both have a fairly modern industry, a good natural infrastructure, a good industrial infrastructure, good import/export numbers, key export values, Thailand do not.

Thailand's main BNP incomes comes from rice and tourism and the rice harvest have not been the best during the last 5 years time and the truism have gone down with 40% the last 2 years and are believed to decrease a lot more in the next couple of years world wide.

One thing that have always happens when a land have had big domestic political problems are that their currencies have dropped in values like a rock, (Argentina and Japan fairly recently, Spain, Italy and Portugal further back as good examples), but by unknown reasons this do not happened in Thailand?

During the last 4 month I have talked to international traders, old University professors, banking people as well as people high up in the current administration working international finance, and so far NO ONE can come up with a good answer to why those rules and models do not apply to the Thai bath.

I would love to hear someone come up with a strong and probable explanation to this!

Mancon, were they dishing out diplomas for attendance??? you story is so full of holes i cannot even be bothered to correct it!!! For someone allegedly with a diploma in international economy - i thought you would have known it is Thai Baht not bath!!!

[teacup]

If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job in the US, wait until you need to hire a “professional” in Thailand - it could be costly.

I have lost 2 aircons already!!!

Just me here

[bkkjames]

If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job in the US, wait until you need to hire a “professional” in Thailand - it could be costly.

I have lost 2 aircons already!!!

Just me here

How did you lose two aircons? I mean did they get up one day go out for a walk in the fresh air and got lost? Couldn't they take the heat of TC's house?

[teacup]

If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job in the US, wait until you need to hire a “professional” in Thailand - it could be costly.

I have lost 2 aircons already!!!

Just me here

How did you lose two aircons? I mean did they get up one day go out for a walk in the fresh air and got lost? Couldn't they take the heat of TC's house?

Spark spark...., shhhhhhhhhhhhh...., black fume!!! -----then cheapy smilesssss from the so called “professional”

First hand eyewitness - from mom tho - she got him near our WAT

When I get back to thailand in October, I will learn how to fix "everything" by myself.....haha

[bkkjames]

If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job in the US, wait until you need to hire a “professional” in Thailand - it could be costly.

I have lost 2 aircons already!!!

Just me here

How did you lose two aircons? I mean did they get up one day go out for a walk in the fresh air and got lost? Couldn't they take the heat of TC's house?

Spark spark...., shhhhhhhhhhhhh...., black fume!!! -----then cheapy smilesssss from the so called “professional”

First hand eyewitness - from mom tho - she got him near our WAT

When I get back to thailand in October, I will learn how to fix "everything" by myself.....haha

as long as you don't learn from the same "professionals" you speak of...

[tgeezer]

I'm not 100% but i'd have thought a Rabies Vaccination after being bit, would be free in the UK.

The Wife was bitten whilst we were in Buriram & she's going for her fourth injection tomorrow; we're now back in the UK. When I phoned the GP, the nurse could only say that the remaining two jabs would have to be ordered on prescription & we'd have to collect from the pharmacy prior to the appointments - she wasn't sure whether it will be the same price as a normal prescription, or, more expensive.

Talk of £100 shots, both here & in other threads has angered me. As an afterthought, I'm wondering whether we'd have been better off seeing if the hospital in Thailand would have sold us the last two shots along with any necessary documentation for customs/GP back home etc.

I will advise tomorrow on the true UK cost of a post-exposure rabies shot.

Don't worry ; for example The Fleet Street Clinic in London priced subsequent rabies shots at 24GBP each The whole series at 90 something pounds, I assume they are a money making concern unlike the NHS which probably charge a flat rate prescription charge.

[Ijustwannateach]

Are we seriously comparing costs of living based on rabies injections and aircon repair costs?

I would suggest comparing the cost of a typical LOCAL food dish locally- with the cost of a similar LOCAL food dish in the foreign country- to be comparing oranges with oranges. For example, compare kao manh gai here to the cost of a not-so-fancy chicken sandwich in the UK. Otherwise you're really just stacking the odds.

For example, the cost of THAI books in Thailand is super-cheap compared to the cost of ENGLISH books in the U.S.

If the question is, is it more expensive to live EXACTLY LIKE BACK HOME, here- the answer should be pretty bleedin' obvious!

[teacup]

For example, the cost of THAI books in Thailand is super-cheap compared to the cost of ENGLISH books in the U.S.

Not always correct,.....Depending on what subject you're talking about.

If they are about the subject of "design and architecture" in my case, they are just the same same price as in the U.S

Edited January 12, 2009 by teacup

[bkkjames]

Are we seriously comparing costs of living based on rabies injections and aircon repair costs?

I would suggest comparing the cost of a typical LOCAL food dish locally- with the cost of a similar LOCAL food dish in the foreign country- to be comparing oranges with oranges. For example, compare kao manh gai here to the cost of a not-so-fancy chicken sandwich in the UK. Otherwise you're really just stacking the odds.

For example, the cost of THAI books in Thailand is super-cheap compared to the cost of ENGLISH books in the U.S.

If the question is, is it more expensive to live EXACTLY LIKE BACK HOME, here- the answer should be pretty bleedin' obvious!

Yes perhaps but have you compared the cost of English Books in Thailand?, seeing as this is primarily a farang site with the majority reading English and not Thai. I don't care what the cost of a book is in the USA cause I ain't buying them there, I am buying them here. A bit more relative considering the topic of this thread than buying Thai books with perhaps less than 1% of TV actually do.

[mrbojangles]

Are we seriously comparing costs of living based on rabies injections and aircon repair costs?

In evaluating whether Thailand is expensive, I'd have thought the cost of healthcare and repairing aircon was just as important as using your example of a chicken sandwich

[meom]

Are we seriously comparing costs of living based on rabies injections and aircon repair costs?

I would suggest comparing the cost of a typical LOCAL food dish locally- with the cost of a similar LOCAL food dish in the foreign country- to be comparing oranges with oranges.

7 pages and nobody has talked about women.

short time with local lass in BKK: 500 - 1000 baht

similar local lass in Bahrain goes for 5000 - 10000 baht.

[ClaytonSeymour]

I'm not 100% but i'd have thought a Rabies Vaccination after being bit, would be free in the UK.

The Wife was bitten whilst we were in Buriram & she's going for her fourth injection tomorrow; we're now back in the UK. When I phoned the GP, the nurse could only say that the remaining two jabs would have to be ordered on prescription & we'd have to collect from the pharmacy prior to the appointments - she wasn't sure whether it will be the same price as a normal prescription, or, more expensive.

Talk of £100 shots, both here & in other threads has angered me. As an afterthought, I'm wondering whether we'd have been better off seeing if the hospital in Thailand would have sold us the last two shots along with any necessary documentation for customs/GP back home etc.

I will advise tomorrow on the true UK cost of a post-exposure rabies shot.

The true cost of a post exposure-rabies shot in the UK? The price of a prescription - £7.10. It's not only the price of one shot either as the prescription covers the cost of the treatment so, in the Wife's case, it works out at £3.55 a shot & if my maths are correct the full course of five shots would be £1.42 - far cheaper than Thailand.

[JimsKnight]

OT. Are the post rabies shots the ones you have to have directly into your stomach!?

[ClaytonSeymour]

OT. Are the post rabies shots the ones you have to have directly into your stomach!?

No, she's been receiving Verorab which is administered in alternate arms on days zero, three, seven, fourteen & thirty following the 'incident'.

However, the nephew is also being treated (separate incident) at the local government hospital & he has had the shots in the stomach.

[brahmburgers]

Are we seriously comparing costs of living based on rabies injections and aircon repair costs?

I would suggest comparing the cost of a typical LOCAL food dish locally- with the cost of a similar LOCAL food dish in the foreign country- to be comparing oranges with oranges.

7 pages and nobody has talked about women.

short time with local lass in BKK: 500 - 1000 baht

similar local lass in Bahrain goes for 5000 - 10000 baht.

I mentioned women earlier on - in relation to underground costs of dowries, and supporting a Thai woman's extended family = as being requisite for a serious man/woman relationship here in Thailand. I also mentioned 'ladies of the night' and the comparative lower costs here - as long as it's kept casual.

I doubt there are many 'local lasses' hooking in Bahrain. Methunk their callgirls came from elsewhere, notably Russia and former soviet bloc countries.

[F1fanatic]

Are we seriously comparing costs of living based on rabies injections and aircon repair costs?

I would suggest comparing the cost of a typical LOCAL food dish locally- with the cost of a similar LOCAL food dish in the foreign country- to be comparing oranges with oranges.

7 pages and nobody has talked about women.

short time with local lass in BKK: 500 - 1000 baht

similar local lass in Bahrain goes for 5000 - 10000 baht.

I mentioned women earlier on - in relation to underground costs of dowries, and supporting a Thai woman's extended family = as being requisite for a serious man/woman relationship here in Thailand. I also mentioned 'ladies of the night' and the comparative lower costs here - as long as it's kept casual.

I doubt there are many 'local lasses' hooking in Bahrain. Methunk their callgirls came from elsewhere, notably Russia and former soviet bloc countries.

And, let's be honest, no-one wants to admit that they're here because the 'local women' are readily and cheaply available!