What is happening with prices, and Thanks to this forum

[amse]

The new Chalong Lotus has their own bakery so I bought some bananna bread cupcakes and a small chocolate cake, the cupcakes must of been at least a week old because you couldn't remove the paper cups and the chocolate cake was so hard it had to be at least 2 weeks old, so they make more than sells, so it just sits to long, bad planning. I also checked out S&P bakery, way over priced and the quality isn't there.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

You don't think that the tripling of the minimum wage might have something to do with price rises??

Most of the small business don't pay wages.

Mom, pop and family do the lot.

[trainman34014]

I live in Chiang Mai and therefore I can support the premise that prices are certainly escalating rapidly. I have found it neccessary to 'divide and rule' so to speak; that is I go to several different places as I find no one place is sufficient for all my families needs. Below is a short list of what I have found to be the best options so far.

Rimping - Very little - only super specialty items that are not available at any of the markets listed below

Local Farmers Market (I live in Hang Dong) - Basic local veggies; Pork (not every cut but basic ones); fish; fruits etc

Macro - The single best market for the best prices bar none; Yes prices higher then a while back but overall the best bang for the buck compared to ANY other local market (except farmers markets in some respects) - Macro seems to be getting better as Rimping gets worse - Imported cold cuts; decent cheese selection (affordable Parmesan; mozzarella; emmental, Romano etc); Lamb; Raviolis, Fish (tolerable but hardly fresh), Milk; Soap; Children's formula; Dog Food etc etc etc

Big C (Home Pro Branch) - decent green japan melons, watermelon etc

Beef - Northern Farms (Doi Suthep Road; might be the wrong name; unsure?) - acceptable quality Charolais beef - cheaper then the KU Cuts at Rimping (however some NZ Cuts at Rimping are not too bad)

Pork - Rimping but I would like to find an alternative; I think too expensive

Real Quality bakery and pastries - such as bagels; danishes and breads (I am from NYC) - NONE! (some minor action at Tops and Rimping but far off the mark really)

Wine - Truffles - Sun Dried Tomatoes etc - some meats too - Buonissimo

Changklan Rd, Pa Daet, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50100

053 275 924

Coffee - Hilkoft (Chiang Mai city) or ALTI COFFEE on Hang Dong Road just before the Big C on the right hand side (heading away from the city)

Hope this list is useful to anyone

cheers

E

I am another Hang Donger and i agree with you about Makro. They have the best selection of fruit and veg' including what's at the markets, and the prices in some cases are cheaper then the markets for better quality. My Mrs also buys most of her meat and fish at Makro.

Don't know if you're aware but the Butchers at Makro will cut you any pork joint you ask for; just means you have to hang around for a while longer than usual, but there is still the rest of the shopping to do eh.

[trainman34014]

Carrefour is a French group. Didn't move with the times and made some bad investments at home, so had to cut down a lot. Sold out to Big C, the Casino group, also French.

If you dig a little deeper you'll see in the many press reports that "Carfoo" refused to pay bribes in SE Asia any longer and left mostly for that reason, that was the publicity angle at least.

It's widely said that Wallmart won't come here for the same reason. Shame; i would like them to come under their British name 'Asda' as they are the market leaders on low prices in the UK.

[BradinAsia]

Also Bread central festival food land müsli Bread few days ago 60bt yesterday 109bt increase of almost 90%

More expensieve Then europe.?

Don't buy food and coffee in silly places.

Coffee, plenty of places selling for 25-40bht.

Bread, who would buy that in a Thai shop, nasty stuff?

Flour is still the same price, so why is bread price going up?

Rolled oats, 60bht for 500gm, that's the main ingredient of muesli.

Specialist foreigner supermarkets are not really the best places to buy cheap household items.

+1 on buying at silly places.

Only buy foods at Rimping that are not available somewhere else. It's a nice place but most items are more expensive.

For laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, paper towels, tissues, you will probably find best prices at Makro. Also, at

Makro the prices of many fruits and vegetables are near fresh market prices. Today, I bought some beautiful mangoes

at Makro for 45 baht per kg. The 20-baht mangoes in the market are often a bit ratty.

By the way, didn't Carrefour stores all shut down several years ago? I see folks talking about Carrefour -- are you referring

to their replacement, Big C Extra?

[charliebru]

Yes, Starbucks is becoming too expensive. A Grande Americano is more here than in the US. Rental prices for condos and apartments seem to have gone well up even though it is the slow season.

[Chiengmaijoe]

Also Bread central festival food land müsli Bread few days ago 60bt yesterday 109bt increase of almost 90%

More expensieve Then europe.?

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

I've only been in Chiang Mai 30 months, and I've never heard of this Carrefour place. where is it?

It closed about 2 years ago.

Not closed - Carrefour sold their Thai chain of stores to Big C. Big C renamed them all to Big C Extra.

Auchan didn't close either, it was taken over by Big C. The Olde Bell didn't close it was taken over by Welcome inn........

[Chiengmaijoe]

Until I came to Chiang Mai I used to think that only housewives and pensioners spent their time worrying about the price of fruit and vegetables, not forgetting eggs, of course. Then I realised.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Until I came to Chiang Mai I used to think that only housewives and pensioners spent their time worrying about the price of fruit and vegetables, not forgetting eggs, of course. Then I realised.

Bit sexist to say housewives, we are all modern liberated new age men.

Proud to do our own shopping.

Edited June 19, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[Chiengmaijoe]

Until I came to Chiang Mai I used to think that only housewives and pensioners spent their time worrying about the price of fruit and vegetables, not forgetting eggs, of course. Then I realised.

Bit sexist to say housewives, we are all modern liberated new age men.

Proud to do our own shopping.

I said pensioners too. Some of them are male. Glad to hear about your liberation. If I give you a list could you do my shopping while you're there?

[bangkapi]

That's paper money for you.

They all lose value over time until they are worth the paper they are printed on.

[JesseFrank]

Free coconuts at my place - there's a catch , you have to go up the tree to get them!

Right, and that is another reason why the price of coconuts has risen, is getting people to collect the coconuts. On a recent trip to Trat where the coconuts are delicious and plentiful, they cost the same as anywhere else - about 40 Baht each. The growers told us that that they can't get the Cambodian workers to pick coconuts for any less than 500 Baht per day.

And of course a Thai wouldn't even do it for 500 Baht/day

[Gillyflower]

Chiang Mai

I don't doubt anything you say. I know nothing about what happened in LOS, but they did have big problems here in France. Old fashioned, out of date, whatever.

[TrueOrNothing]

I still buy fresh and sweet coconuts with a straw for 12 bahts from the same vendor in the same pickup every morning in my area in BKK ..

Price often depends of the number of tourists in the vicinity...

Mango sticky rice range from 25 in secluded places to 70 or 100 bahts in other place.... Ice tea between 11 to 40 bahts

Beside this, the minimun income doubled recently, so expect everything will cost more: not only because workers are paid more, but also because people can pay more (so vendors can ask more) -> we call it inflation.

Welcome in the modern economic era.

[JesseFrank]

I still buy fresh and sweet coconuts with a straw for 12 bahts from the same vendor in the same pickup every morning in my area in BKK ..

Price often depends of the number of tourists in the vicinity...

Mango sticky rice range from 25 in secluded places to 70 or 100 bahts in other place.... Ice tea between 11 to 40 bahts

Beside this, the minimun income doubled recently, so expect everything will cost more: not only because workers are paid more, but also because people can pay more (so vendors can ask more) -> we call it inflation.

Welcome in the modern economic era.

The minimum wage doubled recently ? I must have missed that announcement.

[Thakkar]

Prices rise when idiots keep paying. If some opportunistic greedy little vendor tries raising his or her price then move on. The trouble is all the two week millionaires who think they look big and rich when they pay whatever the asking price is cos it's "cheaper than London" (when in fact it's often a lot more expensive).

If I go to a cafe whee I'm used to paying 30 baht for a cup of tea and one day he said I've increased my price to 50 then I'm not paying, I will move on. That's not because I don't have an extra 20 baht with me. It's because if you give in everyone gives in to inflation then before you know it a little inflation turns into an inflationary spiral and suddenly you become considerably poorer over your lifetime, as everything will rise. The two week millionaires will then scratch their thick heads and wonder why they can't afford to go on holiday.

Now, as individuals we can not be sure that other individuals will behave similarly. But if we just say, what can I do as I'm only one person and give up then the game is all over, it has to start with individuals. So be individually responsible and let everyone you know that you do that. If it was common knowledge that it's acceptable and good to resist price rises then thee would be no price rises.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Thanks. I now finally understand how inflation works.

T

[mizztraveller]

OP welcome to reality. Thailand ain't the cheap place we used to read about in travel books 25 years ago is it?. now, it costs more to live here than in some European cities.

coffee is still cheaper here than anywhere i have ever been; including Central and South America. you must be buying in the wrong places. Duang Dee (for example) if you buy wholesale is dirt cheap. there is plenty of good quality bread around cheap.

oops just noticed you meant "coffee shops". shop around. there are still places that sell very good coffee for 30-40 Baht per cup. avoid Starbucks???? and a place call Tom Tom or something like that that sells coffee that tastes like dirt for 105 Baht per cup!

I'd be interested to learn which European cities are cheaper to live than Chiang Mai. I can't think of any that would match the comfort of Chiang Mai.

There's more to the cost of living than food and dish washing powder. Consider the cost of fuel, both transport and domestic alone.

I can't think of anywhere in Europe where you can use public transport from one side of town to the other for the equivalent of 20 baht either.

Then consider property rental prices ..... I think I'll stick with Chiang Mai thanks.

[uptheos]

Prices rise when idiots keep paying. If some opportunistic greedy little vendor tries raising his or her price then move on. The trouble is all the two week millionaires who think they look big and rich when they pay whatever the asking price is cos it's "cheaper than London" (when in fact it's often a lot more expensive).

If I go to a cafe whee I'm used to paying 30 baht for a cup of tea and one day he said I've increased my price to 50 then I'm not paying, I will move on. That's not because I don't have an extra 20 baht with me. It's because if you give in everyone gives in to inflation then before you know it a little inflation turns into an inflationary spiral and suddenly you become considerably poorer over your lifetime, as everything will rise. The two week millionaires will then scratch their thick heads and wonder why they can't afford to go on holiday.

Your statements are a bit off base.

I'm doing my home (UK) and Europe for 6 weeks, not particularly cheap.

Should I apologise to the citizens of places that I visit?

I can't say that I've really bothered researching in detail, the prices of food & drink in Cambridge, Zurich & Krakow.

I certainly have no intention of wandering around a city on holiday, comparing coffee and cake prices!

If I'm thirsty I buy a drink, if I'm hungry I find a restaurant within my budget and enjoy my meal.

That's what tourist's do, don't they?

Edit: When I'm back 'home' in Chiang Mai, I bargain as hard as anyone to get the best deal, always use local markets where possible and try to do my bit to help keep prices down. But going on holiday is surely a different situation, so I really don't understand your 2 week, big shot millionaire statement.

Edited June 19, 2014 by uptheos

[puukao]

The Philips Curve, in the short-run at least, shows an inverse relationship between inflation and unemployment. More employment, higher inflation. So I am happy Thais are working, and having more money to spend. This could be just what they need to become a world power!!!!

Of course, in the long-run (not sure how "long" is defined), there isn't a proven correlation.

no matter, I have no time to make coffee or search for lower prices. and with many not tipping...still not bad.

if my butler is reading this: get me some durian in the next 10-minutes or no Xmas bonus!!!

[TrueOrNothing]

I still buy fresh and sweet coconuts with a straw for 12 bahts from the same vendor in the same pickup every morning in my area in BKK ..

Price often depends of the number of tourists in the vicinity...

Mango sticky rice range from 25 in secluded places to 70 or 100 bahts in other place.... Ice tea between 11 to 40 bahts

Beside this, the minimun income doubled recently, so expect everything will cost more: not only because workers are paid more, but also because people can pay more (so vendors can ask more) -> we call it inflation.

Welcome in the modern economic era.

The minimum wage doubled recently ? I must have missed that announcement.

A few years ago yet theorically, say recently..

300 bahts per day instead of 150.. for working 12h per day, 6 days per week in t-shirt factories or ananas fields under the sun...

Still a shame that it worth less here than in our countries - thanks to the banksters . I call it post-colonial slavery.

http://asiafoundation.org/in-asia/2013/01/30/thailand-adopts-nationwide-minimum-wage-policy-amid-controversy/

Edited June 20, 2014 by TrueOrNothing

[TrueOrNothing]

I still buy fresh and sweet coconuts with a straw for 12 bahts from the same vendor in the same pickup every morning in my area in BKK ..

Price often depends of the number of tourists in the vicinity...

Mango sticky rice range from 25 in secluded places to 70 or 100 bahts in other place.... Ice tea between 11 to 40 bahts

Beside this, the minimun income doubled recently, so expect everything will cost more: not only because workers are paid more, but also because people can pay more (so vendors can ask more) -> we call it inflation.

Welcome in the modern economic era.

The minimum wage doubled recently ? I must have missed that announcement.

A few years ago yet theorically, say recently..

300 bahts per day instead of 150.. for working 12h per day, 6 days per week in t-shirt factories or ananas fields under the sun...

Still a shame that it worth less here than in our countries - thanks to the banksters . I call it post-colonial slavery.

http://asiafoundation.org/in-asia/2013/01/30/thailand-adopts-nationwide-minimum-wage-policy-amid-controversy/

Oh no !... now despite my skills I only earn in one month (8/24 and 5/7 - no sweat) what basic workers receive there in 3 years instead of 6...

We should invest in coconut plantations before it's too late !

[Rimbuman]

I still buy fresh and sweet coconuts with a straw for 12 bahts from the same vendor in the same pickup every morning in my area in BKK ..

Price often depends of the number of tourists in the vicinity...

Mango sticky rice range from 25 in secluded places to 70 or 100 bahts in other place.... Ice tea between 11 to 40 bahts

Beside this, the minimun income doubled recently, so expect everything will cost more: not only because workers are paid more, but also because people can pay more (so vendors can ask more) -> we call it inflation.

Welcome in the modern economic era.

The minimum wage doubled recently ? I must have missed that announcement.

I guess you did

[Darocm]

Prices are going up but then again it's not a surprise

Maybe it's about time to give up western products, shopping malls and go for Thai food and shopping at regular Thai markets. Their prices will eventually go up too but not to a level where Thais would cry about that on forums

[Greenside]

Also Bread central festival food land müsli Bread few days ago 60bt yesterday 109bt increase of almost 90%

More expensieve Then europe.?

Don't buy food and coffee in silly places.

Coffee, plenty of places selling for 25-40bht.

Bread, who would buy that in a Thai shop, nasty stuff?

Flour is still the same price, so why is bread price going up?

Rolled oats, 60bht for 500gm, that's the main ingredient of muesli.

Specialist foreigner supermarkets are not really the best places to buy cheap household items.

McGarrett Rolled Oats - about 85 baht per kilo at Makro. Excellent for musli.

Aro oats not so good but marginally cheaper.

[Chiengmaijoe]

Prices are going up but then again it's not a surprise

Maybe it's about time to give up western products, shopping malls and go for Thai food and shopping at regular Thai markets. Their prices will eventually go up too but not to a level where Thais would cry about that on forums

Not all of us are scraping by. I don't know if you noticed, but every single supermarket in Chiang Mai, be it Rimping or Big C, has a majority of Thai shoppers. The only people crying on forums are farangs, most of them much better off than the average Thai.

Most of the pensioners here have an unusual negative obsession about Rimping. I wonder if they ever, back home, whinged about equivalent stores. For example, if they are British, did they ever write into forums claiming that shoppers at Waitrose or M&S were being ripped off or were foolish, and that they should buy all their fresh produce at the local wholesalers or fresh veg market. I doubt it. Part of being an expat seems to be being obsessive about prices, as this and so many other Topics testify. How much are eggs these days? There are guys here, who know the answer to that, to two decimal places, God bless 'em!

[Ulysses G.]

I don't think that there was such a huge difference between produce prices at supermarkets and fresh fruit and vegetable markets at home, nor were were fresh fruit and vegetable markets so convenient to find. To me, it is crazy buying a lot of produce continually at a supermarket here, but I don't cook at home, so it does not affect me that much. .

Edited June 20, 2014 by Ulysses G.

[Diplomatico]

Did someone post that list of European cities that are cheaper than living in Chiang Mai and I missed it?

[Ulysses G.]

You missed it, because it was completely blank.

[worgeordie]

Chienmaijoe, Has a view about everything shopping and been so far up the ladder, does

not do his own shopping.I don't see what the problem is about discussing the price of food,

services,where to find the best prices,the best produce,if you use a lot of vegetables buy

at Maung Mai market, it usually works out half the price you would pay at a supermarket and

be of better quality.

Our weekly expenses,food is the biggest percentage,so its wise to make any savings we can,

and i mean buying quality food,not saving by buying crap stuff.but some of us would rather

be playing tennis, everyone to their own.

It seems that food is the only thing that has risen over the last few years,other things have

remained more or less stable,imported food even increasing in price ,even when the Bht was

very strong,One packaged noodle manufacturer said that that they had to put up the price

because the noodles where not selling as well as before!

Anyway whats the price of eggs today ?

regards Worgeordie

[Fiddlesticks]

Also Bread central festival food land müsli Bread few days ago 60bt yesterday 109bt increase of almost 90%

More expensieve Then europe.?

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

I've only been in Chiang Mai 30 months, and I've never heard of this Carrefour place. where is it?

Among other places, it's in France. It used to be in Thailand but Carrefour retreated from SE Asia at least a couple of years ago.

I'm pretty sure he is referring to Tops at Central Festival since he says "central festival".

The Big C on the superhighway used to be Carrefour before they left Thailand. Perhaps he was referring to this place. Some still refer to it as Carrefour to differentiate it from the other Big C on superhighway that is closer to Hang Dong.