Talk About Skyrocketing Prices ?

[cmsally]

At the end of the day the statistics don't mean much as we all look at inflation based on our own shopping baskets. All I know is that the average Thai is moaning about prices and I would agree with them.

Its ridiculous to compare according to the West and some items are cheaper there for sure. And rather looking at just prices look at the quality you receive for it, and suddenly the comparison becomes an awful lot more complicated. A lot of Thais look at the price of rice and that has gone up for sure. The price of vegetables can have wild fluctuations. And in the bigger stores it seems anything goes! Nice little trick in Tesco seems to be up the price of something considerably and then display their own brand version. Seen that happen more than a few times.

It would be interesting to hear the views of any of their suppliers, it would give a clearer picture.

[gotlost]

Webfact says no such animal.http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/422097-thai-inflation-stable-in-november/

[IMA_FARANG]

It's called inflation. Happens when economies heat up, as can be seen by the many items in Tesco's and other stores that have been going up as well.

Be happy it is just higher inflation, in contrast to the hyperinflation the US will soon be experiencing, which is completely different.

I know I'm "uneducated" but to my suspicious mind you can call it "inflation" if you want to and say the price of the object is increasing.

If an object cost 100 currency units last moth, and the same object costs 150 currency units today; then you can say it's price has increased.

Or, just as logically, you can say the REAL value of the currency has decreased to where 150 currency units are now required to buy what 100 currency units did last month.

Before you laugh too much, stop and think about it.

[PlanetX]

It's called inflation. Happens when economies heat up, as can be seen by the many items in Tesco's and other stores that have been going up as well.

Be happy it is just higher inflation, in contrast to the hyperinflation the US will soon be experiencing, which is completely different.

I know I'm "uneducated" but to my suspicious mind you can call it "inflation" if you want to and say the price of the object is increasing.

If an object cost 100 currency units last moth, and the same object costs 150 currency units today; then you can say it's price has increased.

Or, just as logically, you can say the REAL value of the currency has decreased to where 150 currency units are now required to buy what 100 currency units did last month.

Before you laugh too much, stop and think about it.

It is very interesting that the REAL purchasing power of the Baht in world markets is increase but prices also continue to rise - you would think, logically, that prices would fall as the Baht continues to grow stronger (you should be able to buy more for your baht not less)

Edited December 1, 2010 by PlanetX

[No1]

still involving yourself in ridiculous and BS threads huh ???......

well there are soup stirrers and there are $hit stirrers, and I am proud of the one all know I stir.

cuz it is MY OPINION that the soup stirrers did not cause the massive Wall St problems

No need to go postal, we agree more than you think. For stirring soups, I definitely trust soup stirrers more than a pen pusher. Cobbler, stick to your last. Should a soup stirrer try to macro economic coherences? Should pen pushers stirr soups? Two times NO. Our world works like that: Soup stirrer doesn't like price in market A and buys his stuff in market B. Pen pusher doesn't like soup in place A and off he goes to B. No need for the soup stirrer to make his own statistics nor for the pen pusher to make up his own restaurant. Btw, cooks and economists are humans and as in any group, there are some black sheep.

No1 also is not aware of the puckish aspect to any food discussion here in town.

Interestingly this discussion is not about the decreasing quality of food. I would understand if people would get a bit puckish in this case. But really here we have a few people who run restaurants complaining about their decreasing margins due to higher market prices of their raw materia. Quality doesn't seem too much of an issue here. The thread's title "Talk About Skyrocketing Prices" gives the impression as if the prices generally have risen drastically and the grand famine has reached our doorstep. As shown before, they have not. Food makes up a smaller percentage of our income and even if we look at the price rises on groceries in Thailand, we'd find out it was a 5.3% according to this source. Prepared food only rose 0.9%.

Here in Thailand I could eat all I need for less than 100 Baht per day from food stalls. No way I could be worried if tomorrow it's 100,9 or even 200 Baht.

No matter how much people whine around, I like this country and will even like it if tomorrow they want to have twice the price (of nearly nothing right now). Maybe it's not the worst thing if a few of the penny peckers are skyrocketing back home. I doubt that they are the ones the Thai economy has been waiting for.

[LJW]

still involving yourself in ridiculous and BS threads huh ???......

well there are soup stirrers and there are $hit stirrers, and I am proud of the one all know I stir.

cuz it is MY OPINION that the soup stirrers did not cause the massive Wall St problems

No need to go postal, we agree more than you think. For stirring soups, I definitely trust soup stirrers more than a pen pusher. Cobbler, stick to your last. Should a soup stirrer try to macro economic coherences? Should pen pushers stirr soups? Two times NO. Our world works like that: Soup stirrer doesn't like price in market A and buys his stuff in market B. Pen pusher doesn't like soup in place A and off he goes to B. No need for the soup stirrer to make his own statistics nor for the pen pusher to make up his own restaurant. Btw, cooks and economists are humans and as in any group, there are some black sheep.

No1 also is not aware of the puckish aspect to any food discussion here in town.

Interestingly this discussion is not about the decreasing quality of food. I would understand if people would get a bit puckish in this case. But really here we have a few people who run restaurants complaining about their decreasing margins due to higher market prices of their raw materia. Quality doesn't seem too much of an issue here. The thread's title "Talk About Skyrocketing Prices" gives the impression as if the prices generally have risen drastically and the grand famine has reached our doorstep. As shown before, they have not. Food makes up a smaller percentage of our income and even if we look at the price rises on groceries in Thailand, we'd find out it was a 5.3% according to this source. Prepared food only rose 0.9%.

Here in Thailand I could eat all I need for less than 100 Baht per day from food stalls. No way I could be worried if tomorrow it's 100,9 or even 200 Baht.

No matter how much people whine around, I like this country and will even like it if tomorrow they want to have twice the price (of nearly nothing right now). Maybe it's not the worst thing if a few of the penny peckers are skyrocketing back home. I doubt that they are the ones the Thai economy has been waiting for.

I agree 100%, and I think you are a smart guy

[PlanetX]

still involving yourself in ridiculous and BS threads huh ???......

well there are soup stirrers and there are $hit stirrers, and I am proud of the one all know I stir.

cuz it is MY OPINION that the soup stirrers did not cause the massive Wall St problems

No need to go postal, we agree more than you think. For stirring soups, I definitely trust soup stirrers more than a pen pusher. Cobbler, stick to your last. Should a soup stirrer try to macro economic coherences? Should pen pushers stirr soups? Two times NO. Our world works like that: Soup stirrer doesn't like price in market A and buys his stuff in market B. Pen pusher doesn't like soup in place A and off he goes to B. No need for the soup stirrer to make his own statistics nor for the pen pusher to make up his own restaurant. Btw, cooks and economists are humans and as in any group, there are some black sheep.

No1 also is not aware of the puckish aspect to any food discussion here in town.

Interestingly this discussion is not about the decreasing quality of food. I would understand if people would get a bit puckish in this case. But really here we have a few people who run restaurants complaining about their decreasing margins due to higher market prices of their raw materia. Quality doesn't seem too much of an issue here. The thread's title "Talk About Skyrocketing Prices" gives the impression as if the prices generally have risen drastically and the grand famine has reached our doorstep. As shown before, they have not. Food makes up a smaller percentage of our income and even if we look at the price rises on groceries in Thailand, we'd find out it was a 5.3% according to this source. Prepared food only rose 0.9%.

Here in Thailand I could eat all I need for less than 100 Baht per day from food stalls. No way I could be worried if tomorrow it's 100,9 or even 200 Baht.

No matter how much people whine around, I like this country and will even like it if tomorrow they want to have twice the price (of nearly nothing right now). Maybe it's not the worst thing if a few of the penny peckers are skyrocketing back home. I doubt that they are the ones the Thai economy has been waiting for.

I agree 100%, and I think you are a smart guy

I agree 99.5 % and thats an official Thai Government Statistic

Edited December 1, 2010 by PlanetX

[LivinLOS]

It's called inflation. Happens when economies heat up, as can be seen by the many items in Tesco's and other stores that have been going up as well.

Be happy it is just higher inflation, in contrast to the hyperinflation the US will soon be experiencing, which is completely different.

I know I'm "uneducated" but to my suspicious mind you can call it "inflation" if you want to and say the price of the object is increasing.

If an object cost 100 currency units last moth, and the same object costs 150 currency units today; then you can say it's price has increased.

Or, just as logically, you can say the REAL value of the currency has decreased to where 150 currency units are now required to buy what 100 currency units did last month.

Before you laugh too much, stop and think about it.

Mentally measure things in the cost of other things (gold / silver is easy.. Tho commodity baskets also not hard to find the numbers on) and you see what fiat money printing and bailout everyone is doing the value of paper currency.

[Gonzo the Face]

Little additional update on this thread.

Cooking Oil , Big Tin, 13.76 litres.....November 27th , Makro, 665Baht

Same Brand cooking Oil, same size 13.75 Litres Jan 5th, approx 5 weeks later, 765 baht.

Thats a 100baht increase in a little more than a month or 15 + % in a month...

The little shops on the street have got to be going crazy. Did not the government have a price control on cooking oil and cooking gas not too long ago?

Not only athe cooking oil, but many many products at Makro and other stores as well have had a big jump in the past couple weeks

Any reason other than GREED ?

Gonzo

[naboo]

Any reason other than GREED ?

Gonzo

Too many crop failures, too many people, simple supply and demand.

If you read the Thai Visa news, there are ongoing problems with palm oil, with the government requiring it to be sold at a price lower than the cost of production, whilst simultaneously saying its illegal to hold onto it and not sell. Quite simply crazy.

It's not only food prices increasing. Fuel is getting higher and higher, 91 gasoline on the verge of 40B/litre. With crude oil at $90/barrel and moving up, its like 2008 all over again.

[PlanetX]

Any reason other than GREED ?

Gonzo

Too many crop failures, too many people, simple supply and demand.

If you read the Thai Visa news, there are ongoing problems with palm oil, with the government requiring it to be sold at a price lower than the cost of production, whilst simultaneously saying its illegal to hold onto it and not sell. Quite simply crazy.

It's not only food prices increasing. Fuel is getting higher and higher, 91 gasoline on the verge of 40B/litre. With crude oil at $90/barrel and moving up, its like 2008 all over again.

Oil is going to $200/ barrel

[Dante99]

Any reason other than GREED ?

Gonzo

Recent articles, the last 2 or 3 days, about very large increases in world food prices in the past month and year. WFP officials and others have been interviewed on recent TV news programs. The data discussed is worldwide but Thailand was a part of that last time I checked. They had some reasons but greed was not discussed if I recall correctly.

It is not unusual here for prices to swing up quickly based on world news. Some of that is greed when prices go up fast before the world price increased costs could possibly be the cost basis for inventory on hand.

Hold on Gonzo, the wild economy ride is not over yet.

[el jefe]

Any reason other than GREED ?

Gonzo

Recent articles, the last 2 or 3 days, about very large increases in world food prices in the past month and year. WFP officials and others have been interviewed on recent TV news programs. The data discussed is worldwide but Thailand was a part of that last time I checked. They had some reasons but greed was not discussed if I recall correctly.

It is not unusual here for prices to swing up quickly based on world news. Some of that is greed when prices go up fast before the world price increased costs could possibly be the cost basis for inventory on hand.

Hold on Gonzo, the wild economy ride is not over yet.

Gonzo, stock up now. The price of oil, both for cooking and as fuel for vehicles, isn't going down anytime soon.

[thaitar]

In times where food is competing with fuel, it is normal that the prices for oil are rising.

Btw, when still in college, I used to run my old Merc 300D on sunflower oil which was quite a bit cheaper than Diesel and it worked well all year 'round.

I've seen a Merc in my city at some eco show where a dude did some conversion and it runs, get this, on processed oil which he collects from KFCs, McDs and the like around town, cleans it up a bit at home and puts it into the tank. Lol! His exhaust must smell like burgers!

[Gonzo the Face]

Get ready to pay more for your hamburgers....

Beef prices at the Muang Mai Mkt.

[just regular kwai, nothing personnal Winnie}

January 2010... 120 p/Kg

August 2010... 130 p/Kg

Today ... 160 p/Kg

I understand that the majority is going to Vietnam.....pretty soon imported beef will be cheaper

G

[phaethon]

My haircuts have gone up from 50 to 60 baht...

[CheGuava]

Beef prices may be driven by the season.. lots of BBQ parties in December and January for which people get beef, even people who normally don't eat the stuff much.

Same applies to shrimp.

[uptheos]

My haircuts have gone up from 50 to 60 baht...

Is that with or without the full service?

[PlanetX]

Favorite buffet went from 49 to 59 baht -- was actually quite embarrased because I did not have enough - hahahahahha

[dave2]

uptheos

re ... Is that with or without the full service?

if you can get me a " full service" and a hair cut @ 60 baht from a nice thai WOMAN p m me her shop details coz i need a ...... hair cut soooon : )

respect ... dave2 : )

ps ... aroon rais lovely chicken and potato curry with steamed rice is going up from 55 baht to 60 baht in a few days ....

im gobsmacked .... and so will all my thai and english bank managers

a 5 baht increase .... wow ..... the heavens are falling ... dave2 : )

[amykat]

Here are a few large price increases I have noticed lately:

Coconuts at Rimping ...used to be 15 baht usually, then maybe this last year went up to 18 baht, then in the last month, 23 baht, and then one week later, meaning a few days ago, 30 baht.

Can of Prego spaghetti sauce ...seems like it was 28-32 baht for a long time, then suddenly this last month, 50 baht a can.

[sunholidaysun1]

Supply and demand. The demand is high , the supply low. Over populated world with shortages coming in every direction in the future. Prices will rise regardless. Oil prices are up and up and when they drop a bht its never noticed as its not dropped long enough as the price rises again . Food is one of the main reasons China hasnt invaded the world YET, they wouldnt have enough to feed the troops or enough gas/oil to keep them moving . The World id doomed

Gold has doubled in price also in 6 years, what a good investment that would have been if I was smart , sadly im not.

[uptheos]

Here are a few large price increases I have noticed lately:

Coconuts at Rimping ...used to be 15 baht usually, then maybe this last year went up to 18 baht, then in the last month, 23 baht, and then one week later, meaning a few days ago, 30 baht.

Can of Prego spaghetti sauce ...seems like it was 28-32 baht for a long time, then suddenly this last month, 50 baht a can.

Use the Thai markets for fresh vegetables - I haven't noticed any significant increase for years. The only difference between say, potatoes at the market for 25 Baht kilo and Rimping at 55 Baht a kilo. The only difference is that Rimping employs a boy to individually wash each potato before putting it on display. Do your own veggie cleaning and you'll pay the same price as Rimping pay their supplier.

The farang restaurants all use Thai markets, I have spoken to their Thai staff early am doing the shopping, but a lot of the restaurants would like you to think they buy their produce at places like Rimping......if they did, they'd go out of business!

Edited January 18, 2011 by uptheos

[softgeorge]

I hope no one minds if point out that I have been listening to expats complain about the "skyrocketing prices" in Thailand for over 20 years, but it is still much cheaper than back home.

The thing is - they're "skyrocketing" back home, too.

Yes you are right. We just sold our 1st born for medical experiments so we could buy lunch.

[uptheos]

uptheos

re ... Is that with or without the full service?

if you can get me a " full service" and a hair cut @ 60 baht from a nice thai WOMAN p m me her shop details coz i need a ...... hair cut soooon : )

respect ... dave2 : )

ps ... aroon rais lovely chicken and potato curry with steamed rice is going up from 55 baht to 60 baht in a few days ....

im gobsmacked .... and so will all my thai and english bank managers

a 5 baht increase .... wow ..... the heavens are falling ... dave2 : )

Dave - only if you promise to post pictures!

[ThaiPauly]

I hope no one minds if point out that I have been listening to expats complain about the "skyrocketing prices" in Thailand for over 20 years, but it is still much cheaper than back home.

The thing is - they're "skyrocketing" back home, too.

Yes you are right. We just sold our 1st born for medical experiments so we could buy lunch.

[PlanetX]

uptheos

re ... Is that with or without the full service?

if you can get me a " full service" and a hair cut @ 60 baht from a nice thai WOMAN p m me her shop details coz i need a ...... hair cut soooon : )

respect ... dave2 : )

ps ... aroon rais lovely chicken and potato curry with steamed rice is going up from 55 baht to 60 baht in a few days ....

im gobsmacked .... and so will all my thai and english bank managers

a 5 baht increase .... wow ..... the heavens are falling ... dave2 : )

Thats also a 9% increase

Combine it with a stronger baht - it becomes almost 15-20%

[jackr]

Mango sticky rice 25 baht in Mae Jo, up from 20. Outrageous!

[Gonzo the Face]

New twist on skyrocketing prices...

Scarcity.... Last night at Makro ...NO COOKING OIL , save for the little small bottles.

and also the selection of rice is very very sparce.....

Strange times ,,,,, they are upon us

G

[backfromouterspace]

Thats what happens when people buy too much biodiesel