Ministers To Check Markets For Rising Prices Of Goods

[allan michaud]

Thai Rak Thai has been in control for nine months

Finger on the pulse there mate.

They've been banned and reincarnated so many times that I can't keep track of what they call themselves or how long their mandates last.

I always assumed TRT stood for Thaksin Rak Thaksin

[webfact]

Cabinet members conduct price check

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Cabinet members yesterday inspected wet markets as per the instruction of the prime minister in order to see for themselves about rising prices in Bangkok and surrounding areas.

PM Yingluck Shinawatra took time herself to shop at an OTOP market in Rayong following her hospital visit to victims of an industrial accident at Map Ta Phut.

Yingluck bought several local delicacies, including fresh durian, which is in season, and fried durian.

She said the price fluctuations could be attributed to several factors such as supply and demand, fuel costs and the weather, all of which were beyond the government's control.

She said she expected vegetable prices to normalise after the summer, and that flood-hit areas would suffer a higher price increase than flood-free zones.

Deputy Transport Minister Chatt Kuldiloke checked food prices in Samut Prakan.

Information and Communications Technology Minister Anudith Nakornthap did his shopping at the popular Ying Charoen market in Bang Khen district. Vice Labour Minister Anusorn Krawatsussorn went to markets in Nakhon Pathom.

Anudith said the seasonal fluctuation in prices of food and essential goods was the same as last year's. He attributed the soaring price of vegetables to the heat wave.

National Institute for Development Administration rector Sombat Thamrongthanyawong said the government needed to explain the factors behind the price increases.

Agencies should review whether price increases are in conformity with the market mechanism or a result of hoarding or other market manipulations, he said.

"The government should not just say the price increase was a matter of perception or misperception, because it will lose credibility if the people see that the cost of living is actually rising, and not just a matter of their imagination," he said.

Democrat MP Sansern Samalapa said he found the price index rose 20.5 per cent, and not 10 per cent as claimed by the government.

Sansern said the 2.47-per-cent inflation did not reflect the actual price rises for food. The Commerce Ministry computed the inflation rate by claiming the price of string bean was Bt30 per kilogram, when the actual price was Bt60, he said.

He urged the government to tackle the fuel price, which was a major transport cost pushing up wholesale and retail prices, instead of trying to manipulate the economic indicators.

He said he did not detect a trend for lowering fuel costs, hence he saw no possibility of prices coming down as the government hoped.

-- The Nation 2012-05-07

[MaiChai]

Mismanaged economy, expensive populist policies and heyho we now have high inflation. No surprises there?

Why does the government waste time in this charade? Instead they should accept the situation and try and do something about it?

[sparebox2]

Last check yesterday at Tesco, Palm oil (cooking) is still 42 Baht/ltr, and some hyper store are selling as low as 39 Baht/ltr.

During Mark govt, you can't even buy it in the supermarket, and the black market are selling as high as 79 Baht/ltr in cheap plastic bags.

[GentlemanJim]

Last check yesterday at Tesco, Palm oil (cooking) is still 42 Baht/ltr, and some hyper store are selling as low as 39 Baht/ltr.

During Mark govt, you can't even buy it in the supermarket, and the black market are selling as high as 79 Baht/ltr in cheap plastic bags.

Tesco and the Hyper stores have bought Palm oil in the millions of liters and can afford to sell it for what they like, because they break the backs of the farmers in negotiating prices down so low. What you are buying in Tesco in terms of staple foods is NOT a true reflection on what is going on in society. The small palm oil producer cannot afford to sell its produce to Tesco or a Hyper Market because the farmers would never cover their costs, it happened in the UK and it is what caused many lovcal stores and small farms to co bankrupt. Tesco can afford to sell staple foods at 10% less because they are going to sell 1 million times more produce than the small store. Whilst that is great for the consumer because you can all shop at Tesco, what you dont see is the backbone of the company breaking. Small scale producers, small stores, market traders all struggling to make ends meet.

I see after Yinglucks 'trip to the market'

Yingluck bought several local delicacies, including fresh durian, which is in season, and fried durian.

She said the price fluctuations could be attributed to several factors such as supply and demand, fuel costs and the weather, all of which were beyond the government's control.

That's convenient then, the Government can't do anything about any of it! Time to abandon ship.

[sparebox2]

Last check yesterday at Tesco, Palm oil (cooking) is still 42 Baht/ltr, and some hyper store are selling as low as 39 Baht/ltr.

During Mark govt, you can't even buy it in the supermarket, and the black market are selling as high as 79 Baht/ltr in cheap plastic bags.

Tesco and the Hyper stores have bought Palm oil in the millions of liters and can afford to sell it for what they like, because they break the backs of the farmers in negotiating prices down so low. What you are buying in Tesco in terms of staple foods is NOT a true reflection on what is going on in society. The small palm oil producer cannot afford to sell its produce to Tesco or a Hyper Market because the farmers would never cover their costs, it happened in the UK and it is what caused many lovcal stores and small farms to co bankrupt. Tesco can afford to sell staple foods at 10% less because they are going to sell 1 million times more produce than the small store. Whilst that is great for the consumer because you can all shop at Tesco, what you dont see is the backbone of the company breaking. Small scale producers, small stores, market traders all struggling to make ends meet.

I see after Yinglucks 'trip to the market'

Yingluck bought several local delicacies, including fresh durian, which is in season, and fried durian.

She said the price fluctuations could be attributed to several factors such as supply and demand, fuel costs and the weather, all of which were beyond the government's control.

That's convenient then, the Government can't do anything about any of it! Time to abandon ship.

One is never far away from a Tesco Hypermarket, Market or thousand of convenient store dotted the country side. And they ALL sell at the same price, i.e. 42 baht or LESS. Unlike Mark time, which is almost double, in wet market, and filled in plastic bags.

[ratcatcher]

And to think just yesterday I thought it was all just a misconception.

I thought a condom was misconception

No, actually, this is Miss Concepcion.

Have a nice day at the wet market folks.

[JeffreyMcCollum]

OMG I am just dizzy !

First there is no inflation.

Then we need the wage increase because of inflation

Then the government goes out with Tax payers money to buy surplus Pineapples to increase the cost and help inflation.

Then were told it's all in our minds and were just hot and not thinking right

Then they say they will do something about it

Then they go to the market and say there isn't much inflation.

Then they say they won't control market prices. but then say they will control cooking gas prices

They say much of inflation is bacause of oil cost, however OIl is down 1/3 to just below $100 where months ago it had been $140 yet fuel prices keep going up ?

I just can't keep up any more with what's going on . . .

[Buchholz]

I see after Yinglucks 'trip to the market'

Yingluck bought several local delicacies, including fresh durian, which is in season, and fried durian.

She said the price fluctuations could be attributed to several factors such as supply and demand, fuel costs and the weather, all of which were beyond the government's control.

That's convenient then, the Government can't do anything about any of it! Time to abandon ship.

Yingluck's trip to the fresh market

Khaosod newspaper (article in Thai)

http://www.khaosod.co.th/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNek5qTTJNVFEzTUE9PQ==&subcatid=

.

[TAWP]

The whole idea of sending actual ministers to get accurate prices is the best sign that this government has no clue what they are doing.

[ginjag]

Tell me please, have ministers got time to be going to markets to check prices, if so what are their staff doing ????  admin officers should have this in hand, and report to them. All the big wigs in government are looking for is an outlet for a trip abroad, some set up to get out of attending important meetings, P.M. a prime example. What a shambles this is, pure joke nothing more.

[hellodolly]

Last check yesterday at Tesco, Palm oil (cooking) is still 42 Baht/ltr, and some hyper store are selling as low as 39 Baht/ltr.

During Mark govt, you can't even buy it in the supermarket, and the black market are selling as high as 79 Baht/ltr in cheap plastic bags.

Hate to burst your bubble (actually that is a lie) but Thailand now has more than one palm oil tree and it's entire out put is no longer going into making gas.

It is called the law of supply and demand. It took time to convert rubber tree plantations into Palm oil plantations. Maybe we should blame Thaksin for not foreseeing it and getting the supply ready for when the demand arose.