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

[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.

U.S. gallons

Tks, one sensible answer, normally people think I am talking rubbish when I ask this question.

[metisdead]

An off topic post has been removed.

[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

Tks, one sensible answer, normally people think I am talking rubbish when I ask this question.

Next time it happens, direct them to this link:

http://www.csgnetwork.com/fuelvolumeconverter.html

If they were the same, there wouldn't be a need for that webpage.

.

[billd766]

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.

Obviously you must live in a city with easy access to all the shops and facilities and never have to carry pigs, cement, building materials, fertiliser and farming stuff.

Pickups are a multi purpose vehicle but SUVs are not. By all means ban SUVs but just try puttin a ton of fertiliser into your micro car along with a couple of pigs.

[smedly]

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

Actually it won't as the proposed minimum wage is well below $16, I'm not even sure where they got that figure from but at a glance it would indicate there are a few very high earners - maybe 0.5% offset by the mid to low earners which is not really a very pretty picture

[spidermike007]

The high fuel prices are partly the fault of the government. In most countries, the price of gasoline fluctuates with the price of oil. Oil has fallen about 8 or 9 percent in the past few weeks. Have we seen gas go down 3-4 baht per liter yet? No. Almost no drop. All of that difference represents profit on the part of the state owned petro company. Either that company of completely out of the control of the central govt. (what a surprise!), or the central government is either too inept, or too indifference to care. When Yingluck mouths off her policies of taking care of the people and bringing down that cost of goods, it would seem like this might be a good place to start.

[blazes]

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.

Not really....cos some schmuck in Norway or Denmark or Sweden or Germany or UK or America or or is sending a monthly subvention to his gf to lessen the pain.

[aussiebebe]

Is the average wage in Thailand really only $16 a day? I wonder what source they used, so few Thais pay tax.

[Nisa]

Is the average wage in Thailand really only $16 a day? I wonder what source they used, so few Thais pay tax.

I don't think in most places people pay too much if any income tax if they are making $16 a day.

But here is an interesting link with some info on deductions ... http://www.worldsalaries.org/thailand.shtml

Edited May 17, 2012 by Nisa

[Buchholz]

Is the average wage in Thailand really only $16 a day? I wonder what source they used, so few Thais pay tax.

Seems fairly close to and consistent with:

Per capita income (2010 prelim.): $4716

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2814.htm

Divide by 16 = 295 work days

.

[Nisa]

Is the average wage in Thailand really only $16 a day? I wonder what source they used, so few Thais pay tax.

Seems fairly close to and consistent with:

Per capita income (2010 prelim.): $4716

http://www.state.gov...ei/bgn/2814.htm

Divide by 16 = 295 work days

My guess is when they say the average Thai makes $16 a day, they are not talking about just days they work but rather what the make on average per day in a year (yearly income divided by 365). In other words, they have $16 (480 baht) a day to spend. Although either could very well be the average income, it certainly doesn't appear to be what the average Thai makes.

Edited May 17, 2012 by Nisa

[smedly]

there is a small percentage of Thais that high earners, I suspect when calculations are done the high earners skew the figure, also I suspect most of the cars you see on the roads are mostly being paid for on a monthly basis - how many of these are in trouble with payments and go without other things to meet the bills - remember in the west most people have a mortgaged property eating up a considerable portion of income - in Thailand most people don't have this expense as housing etc is generally of a very low standard (with the Vigo parked outside)

I generally think falangs tend to make comparisons based on their own homelands but Thailand is vastly different

as far as fuel is concerned you would never see people in the UK selling low grade cheap fuel at the side of the road from whiskey bottles, I think the $16 figure is heavily screwed due too the wide divide between the small amount of very very rich and the vastly very very poor

[Nigel1500]

This article can't be right. Everyone knows Greece only has enough money for HALF a gallon !!!

[JeffreyMcCollum]

PTT just posted their most profitable quarter ever A few months back fuel was at $140 a barrel, now it is at $96 but yeat the price has not gone down to match the 1/3 lower cost making the company even more. The government could do something, but I forgot they are a big owner in PTT

[frankold]

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.

Probably coz they wouldn't think twice about stealing from a westerner. From a well armed Thai boss, that's a different story.

[hellodolly]

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

No, he lives in Washington but is from Chicago. GAO announced to the Obama that the oil shale found in three western States is equal to the total of the known oil reserves in the World, yet he won't allow drilling on public lands. This isn't counting the oil found elsewhere in the US. Yet we'll continue to import more than half our oil removing supply from the rest of the world and keeping prices high not only in the US but in the World.

You sound like a good prospect for this bridge I am selling in Nepal. What has the USA got to do with it. China is the big importer of oil and as said here earlier India is also importing oil. Check the price of gas in the States and you will notice it is one of the cheaper prices in the world.

What the heck is 25p or 80p these are meaningless figures to me.

[hellodolly]

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.

Well you certainly have a good point there GK.

But how many would be here if the employers had to pay them the same wages as the Thai's get?

Also if Burma keeps changing more and more of them will opt to go back home.

[hellodolly]

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.

% means nothing 80% in the states is equal to about 20% in China.

[hellodolly]

Is the average wage in Thailand really only $16 a day? I wonder what source they used, so few Thais pay tax.

$16 US $ works out to roughly 500 baht.

[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.

% means nothing 80% in the states is equal to about 20% in China.

Are the laws of gravity also different in China or just mathematics?

And China actually has 5.8 vehicles per 1,000 compared to the us with 858 and Thailand with 16. The US has 240 Million vehicles compared to China's 78 Million.

In China, like Thailand, the vast majority of people don't own a car and therefore are not going to be feeling "pain the pump" as much as much more car dependent countries.

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".

See also: http://en.wikipedia....cles_per_capita

Edited May 17, 2012 by Nisa

[KeyserSoze01]

Perhaps it's just me, but the Thai media seems to be obsessed with where Thailand ranks against other countries around the world on a variety of matters. It seems like every day a new article is published ranking Thailand against everyone else, as if it really matters in the overall scheme of things.

[louse1953]

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.

Who's gunna plant the rice in 10 years.Everybody around here is 60+ already,and the young don't come home anymore.

[louse1953]

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.

Yanks refuse to look at facts,they still think they are #1.All great empires get too big and fall.The USA is no exception.

[louse1953]

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

No, he lives in Washington but is from Chicago. GAO announced to the Obama that the oil shale found in three western States is equal to the total of the known oil reserves in the World, yet he won't allow drilling on public lands. This isn't counting the oil found elsewhere in the US. Yet we'll continue to import more than half our oil removing supply from the rest of the world and keeping prices high not only in the US but in the World.

Oil shale is a disaster waiting to happen.Our kids will be cursing us for our greed.Every vehicle in the world should be on LPG.The end is nigh.

[louse1953]

Is the average wage in Thailand really only $16 a day? I wonder what source they used, so few Thais pay tax.

Earn a pittance,pay no tax.

[KeyserSoze01]

Oil shale is a disaster waiting to happen.Our kids will be cursing us for our greed.Every vehicle in the world should be on LPG.The end is nigh.

I agree with you on LNG vehicles and cannot understand why developing countries have been on LNG for years while the US government turns a blind eye to this fact.

As far are fracking, do a bit more research and don't listen to the lemmings screaming that the sky is falling.