Thailand Number 6 In The World To Suffer From High Fuel Price

[webfact]

Thailand number 6 in the world to suffer from high fuel price

BANGKOK, 16 May 2012 (NNT) - With the unproportional relation between fuel price and average daily income, Thailand has been ranked as the sixth country in the world where people are suffering from "pain at the pump".

Leading business and financial news provider Bloomberg has recently released a list ranking 55 countries by their average fuel price and by "pain at the pump," which is measured by the percentage of average daily income needed to buy a gallon of fuel.

Norwegians pay the highest amount of money for fuel, at 9.69 dollars/gallon, followed by Denmark (9.37 dollars/gallon), Italy (9.35 dollars/gallon), Netherlands (9.35 dollars/gallon) and Greece (9.23 dollars/gallon). However, the countries which tops the fuel price list are not those suffering most from the soaring rate given the high income per capita.

The number one country on Bloomberg's "pain at the pump" list is India, where the fuel price is deemed slightly high at 6.06 dollars/gallon in comparison with the average daily income of only 4.50 dollars. The low income combined with the pricey fuel has resulted in the country's energy poverty and the people's limited access to electricity and clean energy.

Meanwhile, Thailand ranks sixth on the "pain at the pump" list, with fuel priced at 4.96 dollars/gallon in relation to an average daily income of 16 dollars.

-- NNT 2012-05-16

[Buchholz]

Thailand

Pain at the pump ranking: #6

Most expensive gas ranking: #43

Price per gallon of premium gasoline: $4.96

Thailand has cheap gas relative to most nations ranked here, but it's a steep price for many Thais.

The average daily income is $16.

The share of a day's wages needed to buy a gallon of gas is 31 percent.

Bloomberg News

http://www.bloomberg.com/slideshow/2012-05-12/highest-cheapest-gas-prices-by-country.html#slide43

.

[tommytitfull]

All done on the thought average,well most Thai"s do not earn that much money so it hurts more to the less paid.

[ratcatcher]

I would never have guessed, judging by the huge numbers of Thais I see driving around in brand new big SUVs and pickup trucks.

But then again, I'm in suburban Bangkok, I guess the hardest hit are farmers and up-country folk driving around in brand new pickups.

[Orac]

The increased minimum wage should have an impact on this and push Thailand down the list.

[sparebox2]

The increased minimum wage should have an impact on this and push Thailand down the list.

+1

[OzMick]

The increased minimum wage should have an impact on this and push Thailand down the list.

.........unless the inflationary spiral it causes leads to devaluation of the baht.

[bigbamboo]

No surprise here.

When I first lived in Thailand ten years ago petrol cost less than 25p a litre. Now it's close to 75p a litre.

Of all the necessary expenses petrol is the one that has risen the most.

Edited May 16, 2012 by bigbamboo

[OzMick]

Many many years ago I was staying at a resort in Goa that had a woman crawling around the gardens mowing the lawn with a large pair of scissors. A literally manicured lawn.

I passed a comment (as I tend to do) that she would be cheaper than a lawnmower, and another observer replied that she would be cheaper than the fuel for a lawnmower. Maybe not then.......................

[OzMick]

No surprise here.

When I first lived in Thailand ten years ago petrol cost 25p a litre. Now it's 80p a litre.

Of all the necessary expenses petrol is the one that has risen the most.

I blame that bastard in Dubai

[Katipo]

The increased minimum wage should have an impact on this and push Thailand down the list.

But it won't... because most companies are looking at ways to offset the increased labour cost....... staff reductions, over-time reductions etc

[SaNim]

No surprise here.

When I first lived in Thailand ten years ago petrol cost 25p a litre. Now it's 80p a litre.

Of all the necessary expenses petrol is the one that has risen the most.

I blame that bastard in Dubai

I believe the bastard is in Texas

[TommoPhysicist]

Thailand

Pain at the pump ranking: #6

Most expensive gas ranking: #43

Price per gallon of premium gasoline: $4.96

Thailand has cheap gas relative to most nations ranked here, but it's a steep price for many Thais.

The average daily income is $16.

The share of a day's wages needed to buy a gallon of gas is 31 percent.

Bloomberg News

http://www.bloomberg...ry.html#slide43

.

But if you compare how far the Thais Honda Wave travels on that gallon, compared to an Americans Chevy ...... then the price seems much more reasonable.

Edited May 16, 2012 by TommoPhysicist

[Thai at Heart]

Roll on micro-cars and get rid of the SUVs and pick ups.

Oh, woops, of course, the Japanese manufacturers run the car taxation system in Thailand.

[davehowden]

The sooner the idiots cannot afford the fuel to drive like "clowns" the better.

[LuckyLew]

"Pain at the pump"

Don't they have antibiotics for that?

[geriatrickid]

The increased minimum wage should have an impact on this and push Thailand down the list.

But it won't... because most companies are looking at ways to offset the increased labour cost....... staff reductions, over-time reductions etc

Unfortunately, Thailand is coping with a labour shortage. I don't know if you have looked at the demographics or been reading the news over the past few years, but falling birth rates and a shrinking 25-40 year old population segment is going to cause problems. There is a reason why Thailland has so many Burmese workers and they are not here for the Thai hospitality.

[Mosha]

The increased minimum wage should have an impact on this and push Thailand down the list.

But it won't... because most companies are looking at ways to offset the increased labour cost....... staff reductions, over-time reductions etc

Unfortunately, Thailand is coping with a labour shortage. I don't know if you have looked at the demographics or been reading the news over the past few years, but falling birth rates and a shrinking 25-40 year old population segment is going to cause problems. There is a reason why Thailland has so many Burmese workers and they are not here for the Thai hospitality.

You are right. My wife (Thai) wouldn't trust a Thai near our rubber.

[geriatrickid]

The number one country on Bloomberg's "pain at the pump" list is India, where the fuel price is deemed slightly high at 6.06 dollars/gallon in comparison with the average daily income of only 4.50 dollars. The low income combined with the pricey fuel has resulted in the country's energy poverty and the people's limited access to electricity and clean energy.

On the threads lamenting Thailand's rice policy, where many where claiming India was going to clean up in the rice markets, I repeatedly pointed out India's energy predicament. The reality is that once India loses access to Iran's very cheap energy supply, the Indian agriculture sector is in for a realignment. Indian rice production & export is very energy dependent. Thailand's is too. The difference is that Thailand does not have temprary access to cheap energy to allow for the dumping of rice on the market. India will be paying much more for oil once Iran can access it's former western markets and drops the Indians (and Koreans) who have really taken advantage of Iran's desperate need to obtain income from oil. Watch for Thailand to go full out with love and friendship as it competes with China and India for access to Myanamar's energy assets. Thai economic stability depends upon access to Myanamar's energy and so far, Thailand is lagging behind the Chinese who are working hard to get as much as they can. Thailand caught a break when the world economy slumped because it forced down energy costs.

[geriatrickid]

Thailand

Pain at the pump ranking: #6

Most expensive gas ranking: #43

Price per gallon of premium gasoline: $4.96

Thailand has cheap gas relative to most nations ranked here, but it's a steep price for many Thais.

The average daily income is $16.

The share of a day's wages needed to buy a gallon of gas is 31 percent.

Bloomberg News

http://www.bloomberg...ry.html#slide43

.

But if you compare how far the Thais Honda Wave travels on that gallon, compared to an Americans Chevy ...... then the price seems much more reasonable.

American automakers have been churning out fuel efficient vehicles for decades. They do sell in the international markets. The problem is that western consumers were not interested. As long as there is relatively cheap fuel available in North America, consumers will remain with their fuel guzzlers. This is one time the Europeans and Japanese policy makers had it right.

[Mosha]

Heck I'm getting nervous, I actually agree with GK

[Nisa]

The methodology of this report is questionable as the average person in Thailand doesn't own a car.

One thing to consider is that the number of automobiles in Thailand is only 16% of the population. This is compared to the US at 80%, Australia at 73%, Italy at 69%, France at 58%, Germany 53% and the UK at 53% http://en.wikipedia..../Motor_vehicles

Of course if you added motorbikes to the above number the percentage would more than double for Thailand but motorbikes are used for short distance travel and get excellent gas mileage.

Edited May 16, 2012 by Nisa

[thaicbr]

Thailand

Pain at the pump ranking: #6

Most expensive gas ranking: #43

Price per gallon of premium gasoline: $4.96

Thailand has cheap gas relative to most nations ranked here, but it's a steep price for many Thais.

The average daily income is $16.

The share of a day's wages needed to buy a gallon of gas is 31 percent.

Bloomberg News

http://www.bloomberg...ry.html#slide43

.

But if you compare how far the Thais Honda Wave travels on that gallon, compared to an Americans Chevy ...... then the price seems much more reasonable.

American automakers have been churning out fuel efficient vehicles for decades. They do sell in the international markets. The problem is that western consumers were not interested. As long as there is relatively cheap fuel available in North America, consumers will remain with their fuel guzzlers. This is one time the Europeans and Japanese policy makers had it right.

Unfortunately you really need to change 'western consumers" to American consumers. And "American auto makers" to European divisions of American auto makers. They are the true facts.

I have been driving fuel efficient vehicles for years...being from the UK.

Edited May 16, 2012 by thaicbr

[hellodolly]

Heck I'm getting nervous, I actually agree with GK

Take two aspirin and call me in the morning.

[Buchholz]

Thailand

Pain at the pump ranking: #6

Most expensive gas ranking: #43

Price per gallon of premium gasoline: $4.96

Thailand has cheap gas relative to most nations ranked here, but it's a steep price for many Thais.

The average daily income is $16.

The share of a day's wages needed to buy a gallon of gas is 31 percent.

Bloomberg News

http://www.bloomberg...ry.html#slide43

But if you compare how far the Thais Honda Wave travels on that gallon, compared to an Americans Chevy ...... then the price seems much more reasonable.

Why not compare the scooter Thai Honda Wave with the scooter American Honda Metropolitan?

Or an American Chevy automobile with a Thai Chevy automobile?

Not sure what your comparing a scooter with a car shows? Both countries have both vehicles.

Whatever the point attempted, it doesn't change Thailand's ranking at # 6.

.

Edited May 16, 2012 by Buchholz

[belg]

that is what you get in socialist countries... in the US, the oil is still much cheaper than any european country, that likes to tax it with 100% or more luxery charges, doubling the price

money they can then use to fuel (haha) a lot of other people's pockets (putting illegal people in hotels and paying them a nice lump sum each month to do nothing)

[KeyserSoze01]

No surprise here.

When I first lived in Thailand ten years ago petrol cost 25p a litre. Now it's 80p a litre.

Of all the necessary expenses petrol is the one that has risen the most.

I blame that bastard in Dubai

I believe the bastard is in Texas

You need to blame prosperity, because that is the culprit. With the ever expanding growth of China and India, they are consuming more and more oil to fuel that growth. China last year added 30x more new vehicles to their roads than the US. There ain't but so much black gold in the ground. Finding it, drilling, pumping it out of the ground, transporting it to refiners and finally to retail distributors all costs money. Right now, today, the world consumes 80 million barrels of oil. Guess how much we are producing.

[DGS1244]

Are they talikjg in US gallons or Imperial gallons, there is a significant difference and people making a conversion to litres need to know if they want to be accurate.

[baboon]

I would never have guessed, judging by the huge numbers of Thais I see driving around in brand new big SUVs and pickup trucks.

But then again, I'm in suburban Bangkok, I guess the hardest hit are farmers and up-country folk driving around in brand new pickups.

It is the same where I live. Don`t complain about the price of petrol when you drive a vehicle that could transport a division of marines accross the Mekong Delta and gets about one and a half metres to the gallon.

[Buchholz]

Are they talikjg in US gallons or Imperial gallons, there is a significant difference and people making a conversion to litres need to know if they want to be accurate.

U.S. gallons