Thai Parents Brace For Higher Student Uniform Costs

[webfact]

Cost of student uniforms likely to rise
PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI
THE NATION

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BANGKOK: -- Parents can expect to face higher costs as the new school term approaches as producers of student uniforms raise their retail prices to compensate for higher labour and production expenses.

Wiboonlasana Raumraksa, director-general of the Internal Trade Department, said yesterday that a producer of student uniforms had recently asked for permission to increase its prices.

"The enterprise said it was facing higher production costs, mainly from the rise in the minimum wage to Bt300 a day. Garment manufacturing is labour-intensive, so rising wages have created higher costs for this industry."

She said the department would next week call a meeting with student-uniform manufacturers to discuss a plan to raise prices and by how much, and seek ways to mitigate the effect on consumers.

The department does not expect the prices to rise enough to create much of a burden for parents.

A student-uniform retailer said sales had not increased much this month as consumers were preoccupied with travel during the Songkran Festival. However, the shop expects more parents to buy student attire early next month before the start of the new school term.

The price of uniforms is expected to increase by 3-5 per cent this year, the source said.

The price of student uniform for a girl is currently Bt140-Bt253 for a shirt and Bt160-Bt457 for a skirt, while for a boy, a shirt is Bt145-Bt342 and a pair of shorts Bt150-Bt580.

Meanwhile, Vatchari Vimooktayon, permanent secretary of the Commerce Ministry, said the ministry would carry on with the Thook Jai low-price shop project to help consumers cope with the rising cost of living.

The Thook Jai project as of the end of March had cost Bt1.32 billion over the past year. Vatchari said the ministry would ask for a budget from the government to keep running the project.


-- The Nation 2013-04-18

[retell]

i thought price agreements between manufactures are illegal also in Thailand

[saltandpepper]

Logical! Increase salary @300 / day makes production costs higher, therefore selling price higher. At the end, the consumer pays for the increased salary, and sadly, the same who got the increased salary has to pay more for the goods. Back to square one.

[Thai at Heart]

Of course, no one dare ask. Why do they wear white shirts? Impossible to clean. White socks ? Even harder.

And why must every shirt be embroidered with a name so they can't be passed on. Would it be to hard to have a badge????

[Locationthailand]

Exactly - another FAIL to the PTP. But the headline of parents 'brace' themselves? What sort of rubbish headline is that - how about parents 'unhappy', I mean, 'brace'? What is this - some form of major collapse? At least now the cost of living is affecting everyone and the continuing mismanagement of the country is being revealed - will these voters voice their dissatisfaction - or will they continue to blindly trust and follow the megalomaniac in Dubai?

[moe666]

Thank you PTP for the wonderful way you have managed the country. I cannot say enough about the leadership of our PM she has been completely and totally in control of all policies

[A Member]

Of course, no one dare ask. Why do they wear white shirts? Impossible to clean. White socks ? Even harder.

And why must every shirt be embroidered with a name so they can't be passed on. Would it be to hard to have a badge????

A neighbour who teaches at a rural school tells me that the school director, she and colleagues have been approached by parents asking if it's absolutely necessary to buy new uniform for the new term. The problem is worrying families with more than one child in school and for new students who have to be kitted out properly.

I have worked at a technical college in a rural area and the school owners were obsessed with proper dress, it didn't matter if the students wanted to learn or not just as long as they looked good especially in public. The assistant director in charge of discipline kept electric hair clippers in his office and it was common for staff members to order boys to report for a haircut

[culicine]

Of course, no one dare ask. Why do they wear white shirts? Impossible to clean. White socks ? Even harder.

And why must every shirt be embroidered with a name so they can't be passed on. Would it be to hard to have a badge????

A neighbour who teaches at a rural school tells me that the school director, she and colleagues have been approached by parents asking if it's absolutely necessary to buy new uniform for the new term. The problem is worrying families with more than one child in school and for new students who have to be kitted out properly.

I have worked at a technical college in a rural area and the school owners were obsessed with proper dress, it didn't matter if the students wanted to learn or not just as long as they looked good especially in public. The assistant director in charge of discipline kept electric hair clippers in his office and it was common for staff members to order boys to report for a haircut

New uniforms don't have to be bought every year, if the child has not outgrown them. Certainly not in my school. My son however, is packing on the kgs, so I will need new uniforms this year. Overall, the cost is not too steep - noone is paying 500 baht for a skirt/shorts, certainly not for the regular government uniforms the kids wear.

[hellodolly]

Thank you PTP for the wonderful way you have managed the country. I cannot say enough about the leadership of our PM she has been completely and totally in control of all policies

Well that pretty well sums up the reason for the problems Thailand is having.

Going to be interesting when her sister takes over the PM office. She might not be so willing to listen to big brother.

Result one party becomes two parties the PTP and the Red Shirt party. One of them being made up of terrorist and militant members. That one being controlled by a man who has the money to buy the needed people for terrorism.

[asiasurfer]

The only point of school uniforms is for the businesses to make money, isn't it? In any company you work for uniforms are provided by the employer. So shouldn't schools provide uniforms free of charge also?

[PoodMaiDai]

Logical! Increase salary @300 / day makes production costs higher, therefore selling price higher. At the end, the consumer pays for the increased salary, and sadly, the same who got the increased salary has to pay more for the goods. Back to square one.

Of course. But not a single person in this country thought any of that through beforehand.

But hey, who cares if the kids are learning or not (they are not), or cheating on their tests (they are), so long as they have new clothes.

Edited April 18, 2013 by PoodMaiDai

[kiniyow]

Make the Skirts shorter should save a Bundle~~~

[waza]

Another win for the Thai public thanks to the PTP mismanagement of the Thai economy.

Yeah Red democracy

[hellodolly]

I was under the impression that Abhist or one of his predecessors had made the uniforms a free item.

Not having kids I had not noticed I just told the wife if they need money for education let me know.

I trust her and do not ask for the details. I am under the belief that no matter what I say on Thai Visa Thailand will change at in it's own way and the best I can do is help the kids of today get a real education.

[Noistar]

Of course, no one dare ask. Why do they wear white shirts? Impossible to clean. White socks ? Even harder.And why must every shirt be embroidered with a name so they can't be passed on. Would it be to hard to have a badge????A neighbour who teaches at a rural school tells me that the school director, she and colleagues have been approached by parents asking if it's absolutely necessary to buy new uniform for the new term. The problem is worrying families with more than one child in school and for new students who have to be kitted out properly.I have worked at a technical college in a rural area and the school owners were obsessed with proper dress, it didn't matter if the students wanted to learn or not just as long as they looked good especially in public. The assistant director in charge of discipline kept electric hair clippers in his office and it was common for staff members to order boys to report for a haircutNew uniforms don't have to be bought every year, if the child has not outgrown them. Certainly not in my school. My son however, is packing on the kgs, so I will need new uniforms this year. Overall, the cost is not too steep - noone is paying 500 baht for a skirt/shorts, certainly not for the regular government uniforms the kids wear.

I read the post as being do New students have to buy New Uniforms for the new term? I thought it was referring to students starting at a school for the first time. Getting second-hand clothes, with the embroidery removed and redone, is often the only practical option for some families.

It would be nice if blue skirts weren't subtle different hues of blue. My daughter is changing schools, but apparently the world will end if she dares to wear her old (almost new) dark blue skirt instead of the almost indistinguishable ones of the students at her new school.

The Thai obsession with uniforms is laughable. Even if my daughter attends school for some minor issue in the holidays, she is expected to keep a uniform ready to be worn. Good job her British father went there in her stead.

You look at the police, government officials, teachers with their stripes and wings and ribbons and it makes you wonder if we're in the playground or not.

Mind you, I'm not complaining at the diligence with which University students continually appear in uniform.

[Tatsujin]

Exactly - another FAIL to the PTP. But the headline of parents 'brace' themselves? What sort of rubbish headline is that - how about parents 'unhappy', I mean, 'brace'? What is this - some form of major collapse? At least now the cost of living is affecting everyone and the continuing mismanagement of the country is being revealed - will these voters voice their dissatisfaction - or will they continue to blindly trust and follow the megalomaniac in Dubai?

Unfortunately we all know the answer to that one . . . they'll follow (what they perceive to be) the money . . .

Edited April 18, 2013 by metisdead
30) Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes, added emoticons, or altered wording.

[Tatsujin]

Logical! Increase salary @300 / day makes production costs higher, therefore selling price higher. At the end, the consumer pays for the increased salary, and sadly, the same who got the increased salary has to pay more for the goods. Back to square one.

Unfortunately, logic never was and never will be taught at any school in Thailand.

[loong]

As far as I understand, if you supply a proper itemised receipt, the cost of the uniform is reimbursed if the child goes to a government school. Obviously there are limits

[Pormax]

The only point of school uniforms is for the businesses to make money, isn't it? In any company you work for uniforms are provided by the employer. So shouldn't schools provide uniforms free of charge also?

Not in Thailand do most companies issue free uniforms. In the Army a deduction each month is taken from their wages. The police have to pay for their own uniforms, guns and motorbikes. The local 'council' workers who help ou on road blocks at Songkran or New Year or are used as local security if there is a big party have to buy their own uniforms. From what I have heard most big companies do as the army, deduct money from the monthly salary until the cost is returned.

I personally agree with school uniforms. Not only does it identify what school they go to but it prevents some from wearing designer clothes and others dressed in rags which could cause all sorts of problems.

I do agree that name tags would be a more sensible approach than the embroidered names. This would make it easier for clothes to be handed down to siblings of the family or other families children. We have just had to throw away 4 good white shirts and one blue shirt because this year the daughter goes to high school, (so has to have a different style white shirt and black instead of blue skirts) and it is impossible to remove the old name without destroying the blouses. I am happy to say the skirts have been given to other children.

The down side of children having to wear a uniform is the poorer families (like many in our village) can only affordto buy one blouse and one skirt so have to be cleaned everyday. Then there is the regulation black shoes, tracksuit bottom for sports days, plimsolls, socks and a few other things they have to purchase.

It is not cheap dressing a child for school.

[Thai at Heart]

The only point of school uniforms is for the businesses to make money, isn't it? In any company you work for uniforms are provided by the employer. So shouldn't schools provide uniforms free of charge also?

Not in Thailand do most companies issue free uniforms. In the Army a deduction each month is taken from their wages. The police have to pay for their own uniforms, guns and motorbikes. The local 'council' workers who help ou on road blocks at Songkran or New Year or are used as local security if there is a big party have to buy their own uniforms. From what I have heard most big companies do as the army, deduct money from the monthly salary until the cost is returned.

I personally agree with school uniforms. Not only does it identify what school they go to but it prevents some from wearing designer clothes and others dressed in rags which could cause all sorts of problems.

I do agree that name tags would be a more sensible approach than the embroidered names. This would make it easier for clothes to be handed down to siblings of the family or other families children. We have just had to throw away 4 good white shirts and one blue shirt because this year the daughter goes to high school, (so has to have a different style white shirt and black instead of blue skirts) and it is impossible to remove the old name without destroying the blouses. I am happy to say the skirts have been given to other children.

The down side of children having to wear a uniform is the poorer families (like many in our village) can only affordto buy one blouse and one skirt so have to be cleaned everyday. Then there is the regulation black shoes, tracksuit bottom for sports days, plimsolls, socks and a few other things they have to purchase.

It is not cheap dressing a child for school.

Well it's not exactly expensive, but hand me down shirts and shorts and skirts are the way forward.

In the UK I don't think they cut the shirts differently for boys or girls either.

[OzMick]

As far as I understand, if you supply a proper itemised receipt, the cost of the uniform is reimbursed if the child goes to a government school. Obviously there are limits

My girls are no longer at school, but i think what you are referring to was the Democrats' textbook and uniform subsidy scheme, which was cancelled by PTP with the excuse that the funds would go towards the tablet purchase. Now it turns out that the tablets are not replacing texts (or uniforms).

Not sure how much the subsidy was, as I did the buying and the wife collected the subsidy, but it was a hot topic around here last year.

[tragickingdom]

As if the uniforms were locally made. The Thai garment/textile industry has all but disappeared since the mid 90's. Most is made in China, Burma or Bangladesh. Higher profit margins would be a better argument and at least more honest.

[theajarn]

I am with the increased salary. It's not that everything is more expensive, it's that these factories are run by greedy Chinese who don't want to pay anything but slave wages. The uneducated bottom-feeding Thais suffer in the end. I've said it before -- Thailand is not run by the Thais. Thais are merely slaves. The Chinese lord over these lands.

I mean, think of it... does Foxconn change its practices? Oh wait, they do. And that's because they actually DO have a reputation to keep.

Thai factories? Just fire everyone and you have a lot more waiting. After all, they're just Thai, right?

[surangw]

just an on going racket

[Johpa]

Logical! Increase salary @300 / day makes production costs higher, therefore selling price higher. At the end, the consumer pays for the increased salary, and sadly, the same who got the increased salary has to pay more for the goods. Back to square one.

No, it is not back to square one. Of course for the poorest of families it will be an additional burden. For the poorest families, buying school uniforms has long been a difficult amount of money to come up with at any one time. For most families, it will mean an increased annual expenditure of about 30-50 baat per child per new uniform. This increase will not make that burden that much more difficult. At the macroeconomic level, the increase in wages represents an increase in spending for a large number of the population, and that increases the aggregate demand for goods and services since most of that money will be spent somewhere. And the only way to grow an economy is to generate an increase in aggregate demand. Of course the increase in wages might slightly reduce the profits of the business owners, but many of them do not spend their money but instead send their capital offshore or invest that capital where the money has very low velocity and thus does little to grow the economy. But of course you are always welcome to continue to drink the American branded Kool-Aid and believe that giving tax breaks to wealthy people and reducing wages stimulates an economy. Heck you can go ahead and believe that entrepreneurs create jobs so go out and give them tax breaks too. But of course none of that does anything for an economy other than concentrating wealth in the hands a few and inevitably leads back to a no-feudalism.

[khaowong1]

I was just doing some number crunching.. allowing for approx. 300 baht per uniform, the 1.3 billion the govt is spending would probably buy every kid in Thailand a uniform. and we know that's not happening.. where does all the money go? ohhh yeah.. forgot.. TIT..

Edited April 25, 2013 by metisdead
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[Thai at Heart]

Would love to know if all the employee making little somchais mandated uniform are actually paid their minimum 300 baht.

[yourauntbob]

So a 5% increase; that's not to far above actual inflation (not the under reported "official" statistic).

[arthurwait]

Logical! Increase salary @300 / day makes production costs higher, therefore selling price higher. At the end, the consumer pays for the increased salary, and sadly, the same who got the increased salary has to pay more for the goods. Back to square one.

Of course. But not a single person in this country thought any of that through beforehand.

But hey, who cares if the kids are learning or not (they are not), or cheating on their tests (they are), so long as they have new clothes.

You think all the business owners didn't ?

[harrry]

As far as I understand, if you supply a proper itemised receipt, the cost of the uniform is reimbursed if the child goes to a government school. Obviously there are limits

I believe that program was scrapped in favor of the tablets for students program.