Ministry Affirms No Shortages Of Consumer Goods: Thailand

[webfact]

Ministry Affirms No Shortages of Consumer Goods

The Commerce Ministry affirms that consumer product shortages are now on the decline while construction material supply is adequate to meet rising demand.

Commerce Permanent Secretary Yanyong Puangraj said consumer product shortages have been solved.

He noted that the amount of rice, meat, vegetable, drinking water, canned fish and instant noodle available on the market is still less than normal but this is not a shortage situation.

The Internal Trade Department has been sending mobile caravans to sell consumer goods at cheaper prices directly to various communities.

In the meantime, the department has also asked hardware stores and construction material suppliers not to raise prices during this time.

The department noted that the supply of cement and metal in the market is still sufficient and the only construction material that is seeing a shortage is concrete blocks.

Meanwhile, the permanent secretary added that the ministry is ready to accept rice as part of the pledging scheme for this month and next month.

Other 45 rice pledging stations have been added to the 553 rice mills already taking part in the project.

More than one million tons of rice has been accepted in the rice pledging scheme.

More than 40 billion baht of rice pledging budget have been reduced to 30 billion baht due to the flood situation as a total of ten million rai of rice fields have been destroyed by floods which will cut into rice production by about eight million tons.

Since the beginning of this year, a total of ten million tons of rice have been exported with a value of six billion US dollars or 180 billion baht which is an increase by 30 percent from last year.

The Commerce Ministry has set a target of ten million tons of rice export for this year.

However, transportation problems because of flooding have delayed rice export.

The global price of five-percent white rice is at 610 dollars per ton while jasmine rice is sold at 1,200 dollars per ton.

-- Tan Network 2011-11-24

[Pib]

There may not be a shortage of goods waiting to be transported from factories/distribution centers; but there is a shortage of many grocery-store type products. Hopefully once more main highways reopen the shortage will recede quickly.

[jackdawson]

Yeah, let's see him try to buy some Coke Zero or Pepsi Max.

[Jingthing]

What's up with the no paper towels?

[Pib]

Lets just hope the stores don't run out of toilet paper also! While a bum gun is nice to finish off the cleaning job, toilet paper is still a must (IMHO) for the basic cleaning job!

[Felt 35]

Yeah, let's see him try to buy some Coke Zero or Pepsi Max.

I heard that Pepsi have a factory in Surat Thani so why is it so difficult to get some cans or bottles with Pepsi Max then?

[Ricardo]

I must have been imagining the empty-shelves, and limited-range of brands, over the past month ?

[nong38]

At the checkout today I noted that the rubber goods was full, now just need the male tourists

[janverbeem]

Yeah, let's see him try to buy some Coke Zero or Pepsi Max.

I heard that Pepsi have a factory in Surat Thani so why is it so difficult to get some cans or bottles with Pepsi Max then?

Exactly my thoughts, 1 city in this country is partly flooded and the whole country is suffering as nothing can be delivered anymore,going from food over hardware to cars.Unimaginable.

And what is still available rises in price as if it is gold.

[hellodolly]

Yeah, let's see him try to buy some Coke Zero or Pepsi Max.

I scored three cases of coke zero and 36 of the big bottles the other day. I see it in cans in many places. (Not tourist heavy places)

Absolutely no Pepsi max any where. I hope Pepsi takes note of how fast it ran out and increases the supply. Many times stores have been out of it. This is the first time all of them have been out of it.

[givenall]

Lets just hope the stores don't run out of toilet paper also! While a bum gun is nice to finish off the cleaning job, toilet paper is still a must (IMHO) for the basic cleaning job!

just do a good job using the sprayer

Edited November 24, 2011 by givenall

[whybother]

Yeah, let's see him try to buy some Coke Zero or Pepsi Max.

Had a chat to one of the top heineken guys tonight (last night?) and he said that the coke factory got flooded.

[whybother]

At the checkout today I noted that the rubber goods was full, now just need the male tourists

Didn't the early relief packages have condoms?

[craigt3365]

Went to Makro and Tesco yesterday. No potatoes and NO BEER...except Chang Export and Draught.

[Ijustwannateach]

To be slightly optimistic: water imported from Hong Kong, Viet Nam, Malaysia, and China appears to be showing up in the mainstream stores, as well as toilet paper. Coke seems to have found a way to get the main product out, though diet cokes are still in short supply. My local convenience store and pharmacy appear to have some kind of bottled water from other Thai sources that I've never seen before. So some of the basics are returning.

[ignis]

Ha Ha

7/11 reopened yesterday, They have water + lots of water maybe 500 packs, 10 packs of 1.25lt red drink, 5 cases of Chang Export, about 6 toothbrushes, the rest of the shelves are empty. Forgot they had crushed ice in open bags the only thing in the Ice Cream freezer.

[toybits]

I guess the same CANNOT be said of Chiang Rai (Probably because it is too insignificant for the Ministry of Commerce). Plenty of empty shelves at Makro, TOPS and Big C. No instant noodles, margarine, and my favorite brand of bourbon. What could be worse than that?

[ignis]

To be slightly optimistic: water imported from Hong Kong, Viet Nam, Malaysia, and China appears to be showing up in the mainstream stores, So some of the basics are returning.

What do you call basics are returning ? Noticed in Makro there was lots of bottled water from Malaysia but 1.5 lt @ 37 baht !! ... they had some glass bottles, 1 lt @ 93 baht... to me that is far from basic

[Rama]

I wonder if the Thai people that I know in Nong Khaem, southwest part of Bangkok, who have had to live in a school sleeping on the floor for the last month with almost no access to food or water and deep flooding even now, I wonder if they would agree with that?

Meanwhile in Chiang Mai, the 7-11s seem to be turning into detergent stores with filled shelfs of nothing but detergent..keeps the illusion that there is no lack of goods in the stores.........

[Sydebolle]

Ministry of Commerce refers to CONSUMER goods which in this country means Somtam and Sticky Rice. The local firewater (with which you do not even want to wash down your wind shields) and the big Leo bottles are ample in supply. Hence, yep, there is no shortage of consumer goods.

And all those whining Farangs/Aliens out there (incl. me) should shut up or go home. After all, if we guys would not be here then nobody would ask for toilet paper, bottled water and the like 8-)

[moskito]

Yeah, let's see him try to buy some Coke Zero or Pepsi Max.

...and Drinking water in bottles (Nestle) or Beer or....or...or...etc.etc.

it is like always in LoS, you can get nearly everything but often way overpriced, beer became close to 80% more for a karton....water

in small bottles (we have a small restaurant) is not even available except SINGHA....water taste so it is available because

nobody bought it before :jap:

[Nutcracker]

I am in an almost perpetual state of confusion over what is and what is not fact. Members appear to be united in their views on the obvious misinformation about shortages eminating from the Commerce Ministry. To give the impression of being in control of the situation, it seems alternatives to the facts must continually be presented. Thailand is not unique in this but I think change might be possible if the media and others desisted from passing on obvious BS and instead concentrated on the dissemination of observations of actual events. Why interpret these events and go on to say there are no shortages? It is clear to many that this is a lie or ignorance. Did anyone from the Ministry visit a representative number of shops and suppliers? To keep sane, I just want to focus on the funny(?) side ....... inconvenience on a national scale, free boat rides, hoarding blamed for imaginary shortages, offers of help declined, misfortune of the many turned into increased profits for the few, everybody mucking in to help, recreational plundering of neighbours' evacuated homes, snakes and alligators in the streets, record numbers of tourists disregarding the chaos and, last but not least, levels of mismanagement unseen for 50 years. To conclude this mini-rant, I would like to see a boycott on all products and retailers guilty of hiking prices during the flooding.

[Xonax]

Yeah, let's see him try to buy some Coke Zero or Pepsi Max.

Pepsi Max (and other Pepsi products) has been sold out in Bangkok for more than a month now. Why don´t Pepsi Thailand provide supply from other factories in the country, or even from neioghbouring countries? Typically Thailand . If anything goes wrong, people just have to accept it, because nobody is willing to change their procedures!

[DocN]

The Family Marts and 7's in my neighborhood obviously don't know about this.....

[finnomick1]

YP's certainly got his finger on the pulse ! Of course there's no shortage of consumer goods, they're all in the closed factories in Bangkok waiting to be delivered..... ( that's if they're not already contaminated ).

Edited November 25, 2011 by finnomick1

[travelmann]

Yeah, let's see him try to buy some Coke Zero or Pepsi Max.

I know where its available in BKK RIGHT NOW in cases of 24

[moskito]

Yeah, let's see him try to buy some Coke Zero or Pepsi Max.

I know where its available in BKK RIGHT NOW in cases of 24

Boss, I know there is light in the cellar.....but I switched it off already....

[Igor]

A simple mistake. I'm sure the headline was meant to read:

Ministry Affirms No Shortages Of Consumer Goods: BANGKOK

The Thai government is very Bangkok-centric. True there does not seem to be a shortage of instant noodle. Shelves are packed with them. The fact they offer little in the way of nutrition but a huge dose of salt is neyond the point.

Bit more importantly, my neighbor, in Chiang Mai, was unable to get the medicine she needs for her diabetes! She literally had a friend in the UK send her the medicine by FedEx!!! Another person I know had to go the doctor and get a different medicine for his hypertension.

Personally, I think that the inability to supply common medicines is a shameful failure.

[jimbeam1]

Lets just hope the stores don't run out of toilet paper also! While a bum gun is nice to finish off the cleaning job, toilet paper is still a must (IMHO) for the basic cleaning job!

just do a good job using the sprayer

You mean I've got it arse about face? I always do it the other way round. Spray and dry.

jb1

[geezer553]

what a fool - big c no decent food!!!! the smaler 7/11 -no water.....................this thai goverment so much up its arse it dont no left from right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

believe me farrang_thailand only have corrupt police and money orientated people looking 4 a quick fix.................wake up and smell the coffee