Thailand is now cheaper than Cambodia

[Asiantravel]

So now it seems that it's official that Thailand is cheaper than Cambodia.

Evidently the Cambodian government has just introduced a 50 to 60% tax on imported goods to Cambodia. The Cambodian government/customs dept has stopped all cross border import operations nationally.

They did this without any prior warning and there are tons of goods sitting in containers at various border points. It even affects foodstuffs

Edited November 15, 2013 by Asiantravel

[Jip99]

I am surprised that this has not been officially reported in the new Thai Visa Cambodia section.

I would like to see something more official and at least a credible link rather than it "evidently" being reported.

I will be seriously miffed if I can longer get my lamb shank meal for $6.95 and the Merlot has increased from $5 a bottle.

[Asiantravel]

I am surprised that this has not been officially reported in the new Thai Visa Cambodia section.

I would like to see something more official and at least a credible link rather than it "evidently" being reported.

I will be seriously miffed if I can longer get my lamb shank meal for $6.95 and the Merlot has increased from $5 a bottle.

Yes it's taken a lot of people by surprise

I read it on a long thread in the khmer 440 forum last night but I am not allowed to post the link here

The thread is entitled “ Massive price increases and inflation to come.”

But you will read about the anxiety of many expat businessman in Cambodia who have been badly hit by this and who still have goods waiting at the border for many days

[Pib]

You mean this "official" announcement (giggle, giggle) in a thread started by someone with a James Bong monkey avatar? Link.

Edited November 15, 2013 by Pib

[bigbamboo]

Is it Hun Sen's birthday?

[hanno]

Cambodia is enforcing laws that have been in place. I checked with my purchasing manager and there is 0 change for us. As for Thailand being cheaper than Cambodia: not even close!

[SantiSuk]

Can someone develop a girls and beer index to track relative prices in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam?

.....No, I thought the first wouldn't get past the mods

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Cambodia is enforcing laws that have been in place. I checked with my purchasing manager and there is 0 change for us. As for Thailand being cheaper than Cambodia: not even close!

I don't know what your post is supposed to mean...

Are you saying, they had a law before with a heavy duty on all imported goods. But before they weren't enforcing it, and now they are???

Or are you saying they've been enforcing the heavy duty law all along, which seems unlikely considering the prices for imported goods there such as alcohol and foodstuffs.

Or they weren't enforcing the law before and still aren't now???

[khunron13]

"Now the only way to import goods is by paying the actual % tax which can be as high as 50 - 60% . "

So they've decided to enforce the existing law? Hmmm...sounds like a conspiracy to me.

[meatboy]

I am surprised that this has not been officially reported in the new Thai Visa Cambodia section.

I would like to see something more official and at least a credible link rather than it "evidently" being reported.

I will be seriously miffed if I can longer get my lamb shank meal for $6.95 and the Merlot has increased from $5 a bottle.

Yes it's taken a lot of people by surprise

I read it on a long thread in the khmer 440 forum last night but I am not allowed to post the link here

The thread is entitled “ Massive price increases and inflation to come.”

But you will read about the anxiety of many expat businessman in Cambodia who have been badly hit by this and who still have goods waiting at the border for many days

i wonder do they manufacture butter in cambodia?we always get it shoved down our throats about "the import tax is to protect thai jobs in the same product manufacturing" well tues 12nov.the wife went to tesco and she picked up 2blocks of allowrie butter,

2weeks ago it was 82bht for 227grm.block,tues the price was 85bht,fri the price advertised reduced from 90bht.to 88bht.this is produced in thailand so why is it so dear?there shouldnt be a shortage of cows,this makes it to us brits.£1.83p per block.i wonder has someone mixed up butter with budda.

[mmh8]

This may be an analyst report speculating on ramifications of bit of land once belonging to someone now belonging to somewhere else?

[mmh8]

This may be an analyst report speculating on ramifications of bit of land once belonging to someone now belonging to somewhere else?

[Duvidl]

I am surprised that this has not been officially reported in the new Thai Visa Cambodia section.

I would like to see something more official and at least a credible link rather than it "evidently" being reported.

I will be seriously miffed if I can longer get my lamb shank meal for $6.95 and the Merlot has increased from $5 a bottle.

Yes it's taken a lot of people by surprise

I read it on a long thread in the khmer 440 forum last night but I am not allowed to post the link here

The thread is entitled “ Massive price increases and inflation to come.”

But you will read about the anxiety of many expat businessman in Cambodia who have been badly hit by this and who still have goods waiting at the border for many days

i wonder do they manufacture butter in cambodia?we always get it shoved down our throats about "the import tax is to protect thai jobs in the same product manufacturing" well tues 12nov.the wife went to tesco and she picked up 2blocks of allowrie butter,

2weeks ago it was 82bht for 227grm.block,tues the price was 85bht,fri the price advertised reduced from 90bht.to 88bht.this is produced in thailand so why is it so dear?there shouldnt be a shortage of cows,this makes it to us brits.£1.83p per block.i wonder has someone mixed up butter with budda.

I was wondering the same thing about cheese. In the Rimping I shop at the Thai-made cheese is as expensive as the imported cheese, which averages 3 times the price I pay in the US. If they are going to tax the hell out of imported cheese, why then not give us the local product at a reasonable price?

[Sheryl]

All that has happened is the government has made some noise about enforcing existing tariffs (as opposed to the old "system" whereby a bribe was negotiated).

And the official tariffs are nowhere near the percentages stated in the OP. Somethings (e.g. medicines, books) =0, and then for those that are taxed it ranges 7 to maximum 35%.

As far as the "stopped all imports and things piling up', I'm just back from the Aran-Poipet border where things looked quite normal to me....

[hanno]

Cambodia is enforcing laws that have been in place. I checked with my purchasing manager and there is 0 change for us. As for Thailand being cheaper than Cambodia: not even close!

I don't know what your post is supposed to mean...

Are you saying, they had a law before with a heavy duty on all imported goods. But before they weren't enforcing it, and now they are???

Or are you saying they've been enforcing the heavy duty law all along, which seems unlikely considering the prices for imported goods there such as alcohol and foodstuffs.

Or they weren't enforcing the law before and still aren't now???

The import duties have been around for years but they were often not paid. The government is now enforcing these laws, though obviously this will end up as a great opportunity for officials to line their pockets. Much noise about nothing.

[meatboy]

Cambodia is enforcing laws that have been in place. I checked with my purchasing manager and there is 0 change for us. As for Thailand being cheaper than Cambodia: not even close!

I don't know what your post is supposed to mean...

Are you saying, they had a law before with a heavy duty on all imported goods. But before they weren't enforcing it, and now they are???

Or are you saying they've been enforcing the heavy duty law all along, which seems unlikely considering the prices for imported goods there such as alcohol and foodstuffs.

Or they weren't enforcing the law before and still aren't now???

The import duties have been around for years but they were often not paid. The government is now enforcing these laws, though obviously this will end up as a great opportunity for officials to line their pockets. Much noise about nothing.

when they get the 2trillion bht.their borrowing there wont be much room to line their pockets with import duties unless they start importing some poacher's jackets[tax exempt.

[Water Buffalo]

No no no no no.

My dad just came back from there. Still less than 25 cents for a glass of beer and food and hotels much cheaper.

My friend was there 3 years ago, the long times in Cambodia were cheaper than the bar fines in Thailand. (sorry to lower the tone of the conversation)

[infinity11]

last post sounds very hopeful

but a lot can happen in three years

[hanno]

I would not know about bar fines but I do know that Cambodia is still a lot cheaper. I go to BKK once a month and a decent meal or a beer costs me a lot more than here in Siem Reap.

[AndersM]

No no no no no.

My dad just came back from there. Still less than 25 cents for a glass of beer and food and hotels much cheaper.

My friend was there 3 years ago, the long times in Cambodia were cheaper than the bar fines in Thailand. (sorry to lower the tone of the conversation)

I don't know about the bar fines but, I just took the wife and kids there the other day to Siem Reap for a change of atmosphere. Beer at the supermarket still 15-30 baht, Mexican restaurant by the old market area dirt cheap. Beer there if I recall correctly 25 baht and everything else also a great price. I think Cambodia is a great deal with nice locals with a good grasp of the English language. Sure it is probably even cheaper if you get away from Siem Reap but we went to go see Angkor Wat again.

[Jip99]

No no no no no.

My dad just came back from there. Still less than 25 cents for a glass of beer and food and hotels much cheaper.

My friend was there 3 years ago, the long times in Cambodia were cheaper than the bar fines in Thailand. (sorry to lower the tone of the conversation)

I don't know about the bar fines but, I just took the wife and kids there the other day to Siem Reap for a change of atmosphere. Beer at the supermarket still 15-30 baht, Mexican restaurant by the old market area dirt cheap. Beer there if I recall correctly 25 baht and everything else also a great price. I think Cambodia is a great deal with nice locals with a good grasp of the English language. Sure it is probably even cheaper if you get away from Siem Reap but we went to go see Angkor Wat again.

I am surprised that a case of cans of LEO beer in Lucky Shopping Mall (and the nearby supermarket) is cheaper than Angkor

[AndersM]

No no no no no.

My dad just came back from there. Still less than 25 cents for a glass of beer and food and hotels much cheaper.

My friend was there 3 years ago, the long times in Cambodia were cheaper than the bar fines in Thailand. (sorry to lower the tone of the conversation)

I don't know about the bar fines but, I just took the wife and kids there the other day to Siem Reap for a change of atmosphere. Beer at the supermarket still 15-30 baht, Mexican restaurant by the old market area dirt cheap. Beer there if I recall correctly 25 baht and everything else also a great price. I think Cambodia is a great deal with nice locals with a good grasp of the English language. Sure it is probably even cheaper if you get away from Siem Reap but we went to go see Angkor Wat again.

I am surprised that a case of cans of LEO beer in Lucky Shopping Mall (and the nearby supermarket) is cheaper than Angkor

Yeah it also surprised me that Leo was about 25 percent cheaper than it is here.

I really noticed a big difference also on hard liquor. I bought a liter of Cuervo gold for about 300 baht

[Asiantravel]

Food-price hike hits workers

The price of food spiked this month, and Cambodia’s low-paid garment workers are feeling the effects.

Meat, vegetables, toothbrushes, beauty accessories and even the plastic bags they get packed in have all seen a sharp bump up in price this month, some items by as much as 30 per cent, workers and traders said yesterday.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/food-price-hike-hits-workers

Edited November 28, 2013 by Asiantravel

[Asiantravel]

All that has happened is the government has made some noise about enforcing existing tariffs (as opposed to the old "system" whereby a bribe was negotiated).

And the official tariffs are nowhere near the percentages stated in the OP. Somethings (e.g. medicines, books) =0, and then for those that are taxed it ranges 7 to maximum 35%.

As far as the "stopped all imports and things piling up', I'm just back from the Aran-Poipet border where things looked quite normal to me....

Since then, importers have been complaining that goods have been stuck on the Vietnam and Thai sides of the borders as the new, more stringent procedures have been applied. Previously, customs officers would usually undercut the legal tax rate and pocket a portion for themselves.

http://penhpal.com/2013/11/are-we-seeing-the-first-green-shoots-of-reform-in-cambodia/

[Asiantravel]

No no no no no.

My dad just came back from there. Still less than 25 cents for a glass of beer and food and hotels much cheaper.

My friend was there 3 years ago, the long times in Cambodia were cheaper than the bar fines in Thailand. (sorry to lower the tone of the conversation)

I don't know about the bar fines but, I just took the wife and kids there the other day to Siem Reap for a change of atmosphere. Beer at the supermarket still 15-30 baht, Mexican restaurant by the old market area dirt cheap. Beer there if I recall correctly 25 baht and everything else also a great price. I think Cambodia is a great deal with nice locals with a good grasp of the English language. Sure it is probably even cheaper if you get away from Siem Reap but we went to go see Angkor Wat again.

I am surprised that a case of cans of LEO beer in Lucky Shopping Mall (and the nearby supermarket) is cheaper than Angkor

the manager of a prominent wholesaler on Wednesday prices for imported drinks are going up substantially across the board and that they will not come back down. Their policy will be to change the prices on each line as they restock.