Kiosks to sell Bt10 meals

BANGKOK: -- The Commerce Ministry is launching a caravan of 1,000 vendors of cheap meals to ease the public’s suffering from higher food prices.

Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, also a deputy prime minister, said the vendors, scheduled to hit Bangkok next month, would offer popular dishes such as egg fried rice and curry rice at an affordable price of Bt10.

Speaking after a meeting with senior officials from the Internal Trade Department, Somkid said the ministry would collaborate on the project with PTT Plc and MCOT Plc. It will decide after one month’s operation whether the project is working.

The vendors of cheap food will sell their wares at locations such as PTT gas stations. Their kiosks will have blue flag signs to show that the project is ministry-sponsored.

Somkid said the Commerce Ministry had also organised a series of trade fairs to offer cheap products to consumers.

On Saturday, he will preside over the Unilever Grand Sale at Big C’s Tiwanont branch in Nonthaburi, offering consumer products at prices 7-10 per cent lower than regular markets.

Somkid said the ministry would also set up Friday markets in the deep South to boost public confidence after a recent leaflet campaign by militants scared many shop-owners into closing down on Fridays. The Friday markets will feature Bt10 dishes.

Somkid said he would bring producers from provinces in the deep South to participate in the Commerce Ministry projects.

He added that cheap-meal kiosks would participate in an exhibition of low-cost products at Sanam Luang from August 26 to 30. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will preside over the event on August 27.

The exhibition will feature more than 120 categories of consumer products at prices 20 per cent lower than normal.

--The Nation 2005-08-18

How on earth will anybody make any profit selling a meal for 10 baht?

I would think that the cost of the food, gas for cooking, shelter, labour and getting to and from some of the locations will cost more than 10 baht, unless the "Ministry" is supplying all the materials and not taking any cut down the line.

It would be possible to make a profit with a high turnover.

Meals would be smaller than the norm for 20 Baht meals I guess

Can get noodle meals for 10 Baht now anyway

MAybe its going to be Rice and Fried Eggs....

Does that price include a bottle of beer?

MAybe its going to be Rice and Fried Eggs....

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from Television ... its rice and curry , kaprao Gai , and something else

Bambi

It's yet more government paternalism. They're using the population's own money to feed it and buying favour into the bargain.

It's yet more government paternalism. They're using the population's own money to feed it and buying favour into the bargain.

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That is . after all, the governments job. It's a stupid government that tries to alienate the people.

There are a lot of low paid jobs and if the rank and file have to spend more than half their wages on food, rather defeats the object of moving to the city.

You take a look at the average low paid Thai's accomodation, no cooking facilities. They are forced to eat out and I applaud any effort to make it affordable

Edited August 18, 200520 yr by loong

Direct quote from my wife:

"10 baht. Too Much. We never give more than 3- 5 baht in Suwankolok."

Direct quote from my wife:

"10 baht. Too Much. We never give more than 3- 5 baht in Suwankolok."

Amazing

In our village can get Kanom Jin (Thai Spaghetti) for 3 Baht and noodles for 10, everything else 15 or 20 Baht.

What's for 3-5 Baht in Suwankolok?

Edited August 18, 200520 yr by loong

It's yet more government paternalism. They're using the population's own money to feed it and buying favour into the bargain.

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That is . after all, the governments job. It's a stupid government that tries to alienate the people.

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It's the job of any half competent government to run the economy such that people are able to afford food out of their own earnings rather than having to be subsidised with their own money.

Soup Kitchen!

It's the job of any half competent government to run the economy such that people are able to afford food out of their own earnings rather than having to be subsidised with their own money.

Can you name any government in the world that actually meets your ideals?

For certain, there will be chicken on the menu, there's all that dead (from non-bird-flu of course) meat unacceptable to the usual customers.

More competition for the current cheap (non-supported!) vendors doing an honest business and still making a profit, they will have to give up their biz, leaving only the gov supported, artificially low priced vendors in that range.

This will be followed by gov stopping the program after some months (realising it costs them too much), thereby having whiped out most meals below 20 Baht. Cheers!

For certain, there will be chicken on the menu, there's all that dead (from non-bird-flu of course) meat unacceptable to the usual customers.   

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I can just see it "Chicken in longan sauce" - the latest in Thai cusine.

Edited August 19, 200520 yr by WhiteShiva

How on earth will anybody make any profit selling a meal for 10 baht?

I would think that the cost of the food, gas for cooking, shelter, labour and getting to and from some of the locations will cost more than 10 baht, unless the "Ministry" is supplying all the materials and not taking any cut down the line.

You forgot 2 baht for the mafia..........................