Snail Mail Benefits From Increased Oil Price Surge

[george]

Postal service 'snail mail' benefits from increased oil price surge

BANGKOK: -- Personal deliveries of greeting cards and presents at the New Year have increased dramatically due to the worldwidfe cost of fuel, depersonaliising the traditional holidays for many, according to Thailand's privatised postal service.

It means more money for the post office and fewer personal visits by people who are less able to afford the time and moeny needed for personal delivery, whether by private automobile, taxi or other public transportation.

It simply costs more to deliver holiday greetings.

More Thais have gone 'back to the basics' by returning to using traditional 'snail mail' --that is, the postal services -- rather than in-person deliveries and the hi-tech e-mail deliveries, which are far less personal and quite inaccessible for much of the population.

Sending letters and parcels the 'old-fashioned' way follows the worldwide trend of continually rising oil prices, a according to Thailand Post Vice President Anusra Chittmittrapap.

"The current oil situation means that the fuel prices continue on a rising trend," she said, "forcing the Thai public to use traditional mail."

Current statistics show that some 2.4 million items were sent daily during the ongoing year-end celebrations, a 12 per cent increase when compared with the same period last year when 2.2 million pieces of mail were sent on a daily average, she said.

Sending letters by traditional mail or 'snail mail' was more personal or sentimental -- for most people -- than communicating via e-mail.

During the Christmas and New Year's festivals, she said, more Thais are now sending greeting cards and presents to their loved ones via the postal service.

"More than 5 million items are sent daily now during the New Year's festival," Ms. Anusra said, "and we expect the high volume of letters and parcels to continue through January 5."

Unfortunately, she indicicated, due to the large volume of letters and parcels, delivery services may be a bit delayed.

--TNA 2005-12-31

[plachon]

Postal service 'snail mail' benefits from increased oil price surge 

BANGKOK: --  Personal deliveries of greeting cards and presents at the New Year have increased dramatically due to the worldwidfe cost of fuel, depersonaliising the traditional holidays for many, according to Thailand's privatised postal service.

It means more money for the post office and fewer personal visits by people who are less able to afford the time and moeny needed for personal delivery, whether by private automobile, taxi or other public transportation.

It simply costs more to deliver holiday greetings.

More Thais have gone 'back to the basics' by returning to using traditional 'snail mail' --that is, the postal services -- rather than in-person deliveries and the hi-tech e-mail deliveries, which are far less personal and quite inaccessible for much of the population.

Sending letters and parcels the 'old-fashioned' way follows the worldwide trend of continually rising oil prices, a according to Thailand Post Vice President Anusra Chittmittrapap.

"The current oil situation means that the fuel prices continue on a rising trend," she said, "forcing the Thai public to use traditional mail."

Current statistics show that some 2.4 million items were sent daily during the ongoing year-end celebrations, a 12 per cent increase when compared with the same period last year when 2.2 million pieces of mail were sent on a daily average, she said.

Sending letters by traditional mail or 'snail mail' was more personal or sentimental -- for most people -- than communicating via e-mail.

During the Christmas and New Year's festivals, she said, more Thais are now sending greeting cards and presents to their loved ones via the postal service.

"More than 5 million items are sent daily now during the New Year's festival," Ms. Anusra said, "and we expect the high volume of letters and parcels to continue through January 5."

Unfortunately, she indicicated, due to the large volume of letters and parcels, delivery services may be a bit delayed.

--TNA 2005-12-31

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As so often with TNA, the "facts" as presented do nothing to back up the arguments. For example, is the Post Office handling 2.4 million items daily, or "5 million" as claimed by Ms Anusara. Or are both figures just a figment of someone's imagination?

And to think that Thais are turning away from email, mobile phones and electronic forms of communication in favour of snail-mail, would seem to be stretching the observant reader's incredulity a bit far. Not that Thais, on the whole, have ever been great letter writers or card senders, the trend is clearly on a downward slide as mobile phones, text messages and email greetings cards replace the traditional card to the boss, close rellies and friends. I've noticed this clearly in my 15 years association with LOS.

But the idea that oil prices are spurring a supposed return to snail-mail, is one of the funniest assumptions, I've heard in a long time. Anyone else notice Thais not using their cars or motorbikes or traveling, because the price of a barrel of oil went up this year. In fact, I never cease to be amazed at just how un-price sensitive Thais are as a nation, when fuel prices have just about doubled in a year. In Britain, we would have been protesting and barricading the petrol stations long ago!!! (with eggs being pelted at John Prescott lookalikes by irate farmers for good measure! )

C'mon Posties, think of a better one to get your names in print this New Year.