Food prices push inflation to reach its highest in 14 months: Thailand

[webfact]

Food prices push inflation to reach its highest in 14 months

BANGKOK, 2 June 2014 (NNT) - The Commerce Ministry revealed that rising food costs have driven the inflation rate to increase. However, the ministry predicted that the rate for the whole year would be only around 2.0-2.8 percent.

A commercial advisor, Ms. Amphawan Pichalai, said that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has reached 107.90 points, which is 2.62 percent higher compared to the same period last year. This figure represents the highest increase in 14 months.

Inflation has risen due to higher prices of food items such as rice, pork, and cooking gas. Ready-to-eat meals and non-alcoholic beverages have increased by 4.39 percent.

Meanwhile, consumer items have risen by 1.68 percent due to the opening of the school semester, which also led to increased costs in school uniforms and tuition.


-- NNT 2014-06-02

[Prbkk]

Some supply chain difficulties but also profiteering.

[lomatopo]

FCPO: "Free rice for everyone, and we'll throw in a puppy - but you can't cook it, the puppy that is."

[MESmith]

2 - 2.8 % for the year? Seems like prices here keep leaping by much bigger amounts

[ikke]

The real inflation in Thailand is at least 12 % , also for ready cooked meals at food stalls, some even 20%.

The price of rice that the officials use to calculate the inflation is not the price to be payed by the people, the price is about 20% higher.

If you calculate inflation with the price of meat and fish, the inflation would be even 35-50-%, but we all know that numbers given by Thai authorities are useless .

[cloudhopper]

2 - 2.8 % for the year? Seems like prices here keep leaping by much bigger amounts

Government nonsense of course; just like everywhere else in the world central banks are attempting to hide the massive increase in liquidity.

[Asiantravel]

I don't believe any of these figures issued by governments.

I see huge price increases in products all the time.

One non-alcoholic drink that I was buying direct from the manufacturer here in Thailand has been increased from 16 baht to 25 baht in one hit, which they say is solely due to the cost of raw materials

Retailers were previously charging 25 baht for this product and have now increased their prices to 35 baht

2.0-2.8 percent my a**

[lomatopo]

I don't believe any of these figures issued by governments.

Well there really isn't a government, so I guess you're saying the Military Junta, to which the Commerce Ministry reports, is being less than honest? But surely (Shirley) that can't be?

[Pib]

To see the May 13 to May 14 inflation by category of commodities see this Bank of Thailand Inflation Statistics webpage for May 14. Look at the second to last column, May 13 to May 14. Example: meats up 12.3%: meats, poultry and fish 8.0%: energy 6.2%, prepared food 5.5%; etc.

[bigbamboo]

Shame the Commerce Ministry advisor doesn't tell us where his wife does her shopping.

[Sandman77]

The food price rising here in Thailand

Is very little, comparing to the eu with over 40 Procent the last 10 year

Thailand food price still cheaper

Then many other Asian country's! So no need to worry!

[Asiantravel]

I don't believe any of these figures issued by governments.

Well there really isn't a government, so I guess you're saying the Military Junta, to which the Commerce Ministry reports, is being less than honest? But surely (Shirley) that can't be?

I'm not just talking about Thailand. Other governments are doing the same around the world of trying to downplay the effects of increases. In places like America where nearly everything is packaged they get around it by surreptitiously reducing the contents bit by bit.

In India onions are a huge part of the ordinary man's diet and consumers there had to endure a 50% increase in prices over just a two-week period.

[UbonRatch]

I don't believe any of these figures issued by governments.

Well there really isn't a government, so I guess you're saying the Military Junta, to which the Commerce Ministry reports, is being less than honest? But surely (Shirley) that can't be?

In India onions are a huge part of the ordinary man's diet

I never knew it was onions that can make you fat. I'm beefing up on onions, cos I'm a wippet.

[GoodThaiGirl]

I don't believe any of these figures issued by governments.

Well there really isn't a government, so I guess you're saying the Military Junta, to which the Commerce Ministry reports, is being less than honest? But surely (Shirley) that can't be?

In India onions are a huge part of the ordinary man's diet

I never knew it was onions that can make you fat. I'm beefing up on onions, cos I'm a wippet.

i think its the vegetable ghee its cooked in onions are huge business in india ..

[aussiebebe]

The real inflation in Thailand is at least 12 % , also for ready cooked meals at food stalls, some even 20%.

The price of rice that the officials use to calculate the inflation is not the price to be payed by the people, the price is about 20% higher.

If you calculate inflation with the price of meat and fish, the inflation would be even 35-50-%, but we all know that numbers given by Thai authorities are useless .

I'd be interested to learn how Thailand calculates it's CPI figures - the authorities should use accurate numbers. In other countries, the government sends out thousands of expenditure surveys to householders. I can't imagine that a) Thailand does this or many completed surveys are returned.

Likewise, the Thai government should record prices once per month from locations across the country to reflect that, for instance, a cup of coffee at a gas station in Rayong obviously won't cost the same as one from Starbucks in Nana. Even Western countries struggle to amass this data so I shudder to think how the Thais get along. They probably get a uni intern to scan the Makro catalog.

[Lee4Life]

The food price rising here in Thailand

Is very little, comparing to the eu with over 40 Procent the last 10 year

Thailand food price still cheaper

Then many other Asian country's! So no need to worry!

Really? I remember paying what...about 89 baht for a cooked chicken at Tesco seven years ago? I believe that same chicken is now 139 baht, So according to that, chickenflation is pretty high!

[UbonRatch]

The real inflation in Thailand is at least 12 % , also for ready cooked meals at food stalls, some even 20%.

The price of rice that the officials use to calculate the inflation is not the price to be payed by the people, the price is about 20% higher.

If you calculate inflation with the price of meat and fish, the inflation would be even 35-50-%, but we all know that numbers given by Thai authorities are useless .

I'd be interested to learn how Thailand calculates it's CPI figures - They probably get a uni intern to scan the Makro catalog.

...

[VegasVic]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

The food price rising here in Thailand
Is very little, comparing to the eu with over 40 Procent the last 10 year
Thailand food price still cheaper
Then many other Asian country's! So no need to worry!

Very true sandman! Many of these increases are one time increases in the pipeline and not a trend of consistent inflation MOM or YOY The Thai middle class has an amazing control over inflation in Thailand, if something gets too expensive they will just stop buying that item and substitute something else The disposable income that most Thais have will not support any substantial inflation!

[Skywalker69]

Shame the Commerce Ministry advisor doesn't tell us where his wife does her shopping.

And shame on Yingluck for telling us the prizes didn´t go up.

[Thai at Heart]

The propaganda wing is in full swing.

Yay for the coup. Even when it seems that it went up by 10%, you aren't allowed to notice or say so, because that would jeopardise national security.

[JesseFrank]

3 years ago at a small restaurant in Pattaya 3rd road a Khao Pad Khai was 30 Baht and a Pad Kapoa khai with fried egg on top was 35 Baht.

Last week at the same restaurant a Khao Pad was 45 Baht and a Pad Kapao 50 Baht.

How much is that a year ?

[DrTuner]

The food costs in our family jumped about 2 years ago and have stayed somewhat stable after that. Reason quoted at the time of the sudden hike was "expensive gasoline". More likely some one started skimming a bit more and others followed.

[spidermike007]

The real inflation in Thailand is at least 12 % , also for ready cooked meals at food stalls, some even 20%.

The price of rice that the officials use to calculate the inflation is not the price to be payed by the people, the price is about 20% higher.

If you calculate inflation with the price of meat and fish, the inflation would be even 35-50-%, but we all know that numbers given by Thai authorities are useless .

I'd be interested to learn how Thailand calculates it's CPI figures - the authorities should use accurate numbers. In other countries, the government sends out thousands of expenditure surveys to householders. I can't imagine that a) Thailand does this or many completed surveys are returned.

Likewise, the Thai government should record prices once per month from locations across the country to reflect that, for instance, a cup of coffee at a gas station in Rayong obviously won't cost the same as one from Starbucks in Nana. Even Western countries struggle to amass this data so I shudder to think how the Thais get along. They probably get a uni intern to scan the Makro catalog.

You are asking for objectivity, a scientific approach, and honesty. That is a lot to ask from an institution that is infamous for none of the above. A wonderful ideal, but a tall order indeed.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Tokay]

Inflation and greed are pushing up prices on most everything here. That would be fine if it were Singapore or Hong Kong, but Thailand is too dirty and low class to pay such high prices.

[noitom]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I don't believe any of these figures issued by governments.

Well there really isn't a government, so I guess you're saying the Military Junta, to which the Commerce Ministry reports, is being less than honest? But surely (Shirley) that can't be?

I'm not just talking about Thailand. Other governments are doing the same around the world of trying to downplay the effects of increases. In places like America where nearly everything is packaged they get around it by surreptitiously reducing the contents bit by bit. alt=bah.gif>

In India onions are a huge part of the ordinary man's diet and consumers there had to endure a 50% increase in prices over just a two-week period. alt=blink.png>

The candy bar inside the wrapper keeps getting smaller. There is more air now than candy bar.

[Somtamnication]

Alarms went off at our house when the wife complained that she had to pay 20 baht for a lime!

[farang000999]

[chainarong]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I don't believe any of these figures issued by governments.

I see huge price increases in products all the time.

One non-alcoholic drink that I was buying direct from the manufacturer here in Thailand has been increased from 16 baht to 25 baht in one hit, which they say is solely due to the cost of raw materials

Retailers were previously charging 25 baht for this product and have now increased their prices to 35 baht

2.0-2.8 percent my a**

I think U might be right , lets go further and include the rest of the world , In OZ every time I go out for vegies, I come back poorer, so Thailand is no loner, every one is complaining.

[shirtless]

The sad fact is food prices will only continue to rise, There are many factors at play , firstly Thailand has been in drought, rising costs of Gas, , petrol, rents , wages, electricity and the ever increasing world population, I cannot see this trend changing,

[chainarong]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

The real inflation in Thailand is at least 12 % , also for ready cooked meals at food stalls, some even 20%.

The price of rice that the officials use to calculate the inflation is not the price to be payed by the people, the price is about 20% higher.

If you calculate inflation with the price of meat and fish, the inflation would be even 35-50-%, but we all know that numbers given by Thai authorities are useless .

I'd be interested to learn how Thailand calculates it's CPI figures - the authorities should use accurate numbers. In other countries, the government sends out thousands of expenditure surveys to householders. I can't imagine that a) Thailand does this or many completed surveys are returned.
Likewise, the Thai government should record prices once per month from locations across the country to reflect that, for instance, a cup of coffee at a gas station in Rayong obviously won't cost the same as one from Starbucks in Nana. Even Western countries struggle to amass this data so I shudder to think how the Thais get along. They probably get a uni intern to scan the Makro catalog.

They arrive at their figures with the same calculations as any other country , well , same as Australia's.