Prices Of Food And Essential Goods Not Soaring: PM Yingluck

[webfact]

COST OF LIVING

Prices of essential goods not soaring: PM

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Prices of food and essential goods are within an acceptable range and not soaring as many have alleged, the prime minister said yesterday.

"People complain about rising prices because around this time of the year they feel they have the least money in their purse due to expenses for the new school term and holiday trips," Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday after inspecting a market in Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi.

While walking around the market, Yingluck instructed her aides to record prices of key items like cooked food, pork, hen eggs, beef, vegetable and groceries.

A vendor, wearing a red shirt, told her the price of eggs remained unchanged, contrary to what many claimed.

Several vendors shouted words of support as the prime minister walked past their stalls.

In April and May of every year, people had to face a number of big expenses while their income remained the same. That fuelled a feeling that things were expensive in the face of their tight budget, the prime minister said.

She said sentiment was different to December when many would receive a year-end bonus.

But she conceded that the price of fuel-related products and seasonal crops had increased.

She said she expected the price of crops to drop in the third quarter of this year after completion of the harvesting season.

She said she didn't blame people for having price rises on their mind but said hikes on some items could be attributed to several factors.

The Commerce Ministry would launch a sale campaign, known as the Blue Flag project, to try to keep prices in check until prices are expected to fall in the next two months due to seasonal adjustment, she said.

The price of vegetables remained high, she said, because of the hot weather. The government would continue to subsidise the price of cooking gas in order to alleviate its impact on the cost of living, she added.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the opposition did not want to waste time bickering with the government on the reality of price increases.

"If the government is certain that price have not risen, then all subsidised spending should be cancelled," he said.

Abhisit said the government was too stubborn to admit it had erred on its energy policy.

Lifting of price cap at Bt30 per litre of diesel had pushed transport costs up, which, in turn, hit prices, but the government refused to acknowledge the consequences.

He said a reshuffle of ministers responsible for prices and energy would not change the situation if the erroneous policy was not rectified.

-- The Nation 2012-05-08

[Buchholz]

The Commerce Ministry would launch a sale campaign, known as the Blue Flag project

It'll be interesting to see how this past-its-scheduled-opening program operates in regards to under-cutting the prices that normal vendors charge for their similar prepared food items, raw meat, and consumer goods.

It'll also be interesting to see the government's grand plans for implementation as they intend to have one in every sub-district in the whole country (8,000 in all).

Lastly, AFAIK, no budget has been announced for what this subsidizing of a nation-wide system will cost, so that too would be nice to know.

.

Edited May 7, 2012 by Buchholz

[GentlemanJim]

Let them eat egg and rice. Cake would be nicer, but...egg and rice it will have to be.

[SomTumTiger]

Yes they are - she's either naive, a liar, or both. Sock Puppet.

[animatic]

The Commerce Ministry would launch a sale campaign, known as the Blue Flag project

It'll be interesting to see how this past-its-scheduled-opening program operates in regards to under-cutting the prices that normal vendors charge for their similar prepared food items, raw meat, and consumer goods.

It'll also be interesting to see the government's grand plans for implementation as they intend to have one in every sub-district in the whole country (8,000 in all).

Lastly, AFAIK, no budget has been announced for what this subsidizing of a nation-wide system will cost, so that too would be nice to know.

.

I am waiting for them to raise the White Flag,

since surrendering to reality is the first sign of recovery..

[Valentine]

Does anyone remember the price of rice a few years back. Seems to me it has virtually doubled since then which is way more than inflation & most likely due to price pledging schemes, fertilizer/pesticide costs which benefit the middlemen rather than the farmers.

[whybother]

Is there a deliberate difference between saying "rising" and "soaring"?

[Pib]

Is there a deliberate difference between saying "rising" and "soaring"?

It's a verbal way of back-peddling.

[FOODLOVER]

I wish i were an egg.

[hellodolly]

Yes they are - she's either naive, a liar, or both. Sock Puppet.

How about flawed clone of a convicted criminal?

Edited May 8, 2012 by hellodolly

[sparebox2]

I wish i were an egg.

Why? You want your eggs to be squashed by the PM?

[ginjag]

Ironic isn't it, "a vender wearing a red shirt said eggs had not increased in price" Ha Ha.

The P.M. said people had not the spending power because of shortage of pocket money-due to new school term  ???  and .........wait for it .............Holiday trips Ha Ha  in my village area a host of people had never ever been to the city of Udon, young and old. I spoke to an old lady 78years of age-living 65 kilometers from Udon and she had never been there.  Trips ??? from village people  GET REAL Yingluck You live in Disney world.

[Thai at Heart]

http://www.nationmul...a-30181105.html

The ministry's inflation calculation was based on data from 417 consumer goods and 60,000 respondents nationwide. Its survey found that the retail prices for 161 products had remained steady, for 69 products had decreased and for 187 products had increased last month.

Although there were more products with price increases than price decreases, the average increase was smaller that the average decrease.

The food and beverage price index rose 4.51 per cent year on year, mainly because of expensive fresh fruit and rice. The index for components, excluding food and beverages, and mainly fuel and electricity costs, edged up only 1.18 per cent from 1.23 per cent in March.

Last month, core inflation, which excludes volatile food and fuel prices, was measured at 2.13 per cent year on year and 0.10 per cent month on month.

In the first four months, core inflation was 2.58 per cent year on year - well within the Bank of Thailand's annual policy target range of 0.5-3 per cent, Yanyong said.

Do they really survey 60,000 people every month? I would hazard that considering how big the readership of Thaivisa is, there must be at least one person with one relative who has been surveyed. Anyone EVER heard of this taking place?

Aside from anything, measuring "core" inflation which excludes fuel and food has to produce completely irrelevant data anyway.

Edited May 8, 2012 by Thai at Heart

[1bbcd5]

Let them eat egg and rice.

[whybother]

Govt to hold ready-to-eat food fairs

BANGKOK, 8 May 2012 (NNT) – To help alleviate the people’s rising expenses, the Commerce Ministry has announced that it will organize the ready-to-eat food fairs in Bangkok and other major provinces across Thailand.

Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom admitted food prices have risen continuously, making people suffer from high living costs. He said the ministry will therefore hold fairs to sell reasonably priced ready-to-eat food in several provinces.

The ministry will ask for cooperation from food entrepreneurs to sell food at no more than 35 baht per dish in line with the ministry’s guidelines.

-- NNT 2012-05-08

[whybother]

"Ex-Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom admitted food prices have risen continuously"

I can't see that he'll last long. He mustn't have read the memo.

Edited May 8, 2012 by whybother

[Thai at Heart]

"Ex-Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom admitted food prices have risen continuously"

I can't see that he'll last long. He mustn't have read the memo.

As I said, this goobledeegook would get them into trouble eventually, just like the management of announcements during the flood.

"You can fool some of the people some of the time", but essentially bare faced lying to the people doesn't go down too well in politics. I expect Khun Boonsong to receive his marching orders forthwith, but to see Yingluck squirming cradling a couple of eggs in both hands has to be one of the pictures of the year. Why didn't they just admit the reality and take it from there?

Inflation happens, sometimes the causes are in your hands, and other times not, but denying its existence to a population who forensically know the price of their daily shop is political lunacy. Isn't part of the issue backing PTP continuously that the poor Somchai on the street has essentially had his fill of being patronised?

Once again the propensity to tell a lie to get away from a problem raises its ugly head in Thai politics. Funny how Abhisit has been relatively quiet about this issue, because he should be making hay right now, while Yingluck squelches her way through the wet markets trying to find her change in her pocket. I wonder if she tried to pay with 1000 baht notes?

Edited May 8, 2012 by Thai at Heart

[trainman34014]

No matter how many photo-calls Wonder Woman, or her god knows how many deputy's make, they cannot change the fact that the cost of living for most working Thai's has risen and is continuing to rise week on week. Oh, they will Blah Blah about how it's this season or that or the 300 Baht wage scheme(where it's been applied) takes away hardship etc etc but I know from my own neighbours that they are feeling the pinch and cutting back on the amount they eat because of price rises over the last year in particular. Old School clothes are being patched up for re-use and many parents are taking their kids to school on Motorbikes instead of paying for the bus. Nevertheless; in the area around where I live you won't hear a bad word for Yingluck and her merry band of thieves because they hate the Democrats with a passion and would rather have the current lot stealing their money (yes they do know) than have the others doing it.

[marquess]

Yingluck the PM who lives in a bubble!

[Buchholz]

http://www.nationmul...a-30181105.html

The food and beverage price index rose 4.51 per cent year on year, mainly because of expensive fresh fruit and rice.

Let them eat egg and rice.

Can't afford that expensive rice nor that luxury-item pineapple, so it's down to just egg.

.

[transam]

Of course prices aren't rising, there was also nobody killed on the roads during Songran and all the drug dealers have been locked up, she is doing a great job.

PS. Perhaps she could have a word with Tesco's regarding the cost of my H.P. sauce eh.

[MEL1]

I can see two bad eggs in that pic, and one of them is just above the sign that says 30 Baht an egg!

-mel.

[Thai at Heart]

Love the picture.

'Please sir, can I have some more?"

[Buchholz]

The Commerce Ministry would launch a sale campaign, known as the Blue Flag project

It'll be interesting to see how this past-its-scheduled-opening program operates in regards to under-cutting the prices that normal vendors charge for their similar prepared food items, raw meat, and consumer goods.

It'll also be interesting to see the government's grand plans for implementation as they intend to have one in every sub-district in the whole country (8,000 in all).

Lastly, AFAIK, no budget has been announced for what this subsidizing of a nation-wide system will cost, so that too would be nice to know.

Well it seems the Blue Flag project doesn't even get mentioned by name in this article.... which is about it... or at least a morphing of it from when the government talked about the project earlier

Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom admitted food prices have risen continuously, making people suffer from high living costs. He said the ministry will therefore hold fairs to sell reasonably priced ready-to-eat food in several provinces.

The ministry will ask for cooperation from food entrepreneurs to sell food at no more than 35 baht per dish in line with the ministry’s guidelines.

but it's also evident that the Pheu Thai is not living up to its plans for the already overdue nation-wide project when they would subsidize the price down to 25-30 baht for these prepared dishes.

The latest report still does not have any information on the impact on other sellers of the same product, when this project will all actually start, and what the cost will be to the taxpayers.

.

Edited May 8, 2012 by Buchholz

[Thaddeus]

Love the picture.

'Please sir, can I have some more?"

"Please, please stop asking questions, I can't take it any more"

(not that she could hack it in the first place)

[moe666]

One reason people have less money is due to the PTP cancelling the free uniforms and school books for students. These haveing been cancelled because democratic programs and to pay for the pads which it seems will never arrive. I guess the money for the pads will now be diverted to someones hip pocket.

[GeorgeO]

Does anyone remember the price of rice a few years back. Seems to me it has virtually doubled since then which is way more than inflation & most likely due to price pledging schemes, fertilizer/pesticide costs which benefit the middlemen rather than the farmers.

A loaf of bread has almost doubled in price over the past three years, along with a significant increase in the price of raw chicken, and other essential food items. If these are not representative of soaring prices, then I clearly do not have any understanding of basic economics.

[h90]

Does anyone remember the price of rice a few years back. Seems to me it has virtually doubled since then which is way more than inflation & most likely due to price pledging schemes, fertilizer/pesticide costs which benefit the middlemen rather than the farmers.

A loaf of bread has almost doubled in price over the past three years, along with a significant increase in the price of raw chicken, and other essential food items. If these are not representative of soaring prices, then I clearly do not have any understanding of basic economics.

But IPhones and Italy made Handbags and clothes got cheaper.....

[gand]

So the trick is, to ask for the PM price for eggs?

[AleG]

She should ease a little on the face whitening creams, they seems to be affecting here perception of reality.