Hundreds of food shops in Bangkok to start charging between 25-35 baht a dish on Friday

[webfact]

Hundreds of food shops in Bangkok to start charging between 25-35 baht a dish on Friday

 

BANGKOK, 6 August 2014 (NNT) – The Ministry of Commerce is looking to gain the cooperation of at least 1,000 food shops in Bangkok in selling reasonably-priced dishes at between 25 and 35 baht, in an effort to reduce the cost of living.

Department of Internal Trade Director-general Chintana Chaiyawannakan said on Tuesday the pilot project, which will be expanded to cover other provinces if proven successful, will be launched on Friday. About 300 food shops have already entered into collaboration with the department. The aim is to increase this number to no less than 1,000 by the end of this month.

Under the collaboration, food shops will be supplied with raw materials that are priced lower than those in the market; the shops, in turn, will be able to reduce their selling prices thanks to the lower cost. The shops that partake in the scheme will sell ten dishes at prices between 25 and 35 baht.

The Internal Trade Department is looking to implement this project in areas outside Bangkok next month.

 

[nnt]2014-08-06[/nnt]

[terryp]

these raw materials that they talk of are from government stockpiles which have been paid for by TAXPAYERS.....so it is TAXPAYERS who are subsidising thai food shops etc , it is all smoke and mirrors

[Tycoon]

Good for them, are they reducing the price of materials ?

 

[arthurwait]

 1000's of food businesses will go to the wall as Thailand becomes more of a western like debt ridden eat at home society. 

[Mango Bob]

I wonder if they are using the rice from the stockpile from the rice scheme.

[robblok]

I wonder if they are using the rice from the stockpile from the rice scheme.

 

I hope not.. its the most expensive rice ever and old too. 

 

But as others have said its all smoke and mirrors if the government pays for the raw materials its nothing more as subsidizing food. Just as bad (but cheaper) as the rice program. 

[JesseFrank]

 

I wonder if they are using the rice from the stockpile from the rice scheme.

 

I hope not.. its the most expensive rice ever and old too. 

 

But as others have said its all smoke and mirrors if the government pays for the raw materials its nothing more as subsidizing food. Just as bad (but cheaper) as the rice program. 

 

 

No No, the rice scheme was populism governing, while this is called happiness governing.

[robblok]

 

 

I wonder if they are using the rice from the stockpile from the rice scheme.

 

I hope not.. its the most expensive rice ever and old too. 

 

But as others have said its all smoke and mirrors if the government pays for the raw materials its nothing more as subsidizing food. Just as bad (but cheaper) as the rice program. 

 

 

No No, the rice scheme was populism governing, while this is called happiness governing.

 

Its the same thing.. but i guess this has been budgeted unlike the rice scam. 

[laurentbkk]

easy to reduce the price ..... they will reduce the portion ..... 

[Payboy]

I hope this doesn't reduce the size of the polystyrene box. That's the tastiest part.

[emanphoto]

I feel another case of diarrhea or worse coming on soon….

[lee b]

easy to reduce the price ..... they will reduce the portion ..... 

 

I agree, One spoon or 2 sir? Emm 2 please...Nooo 1 !

[Thai at Heart]

 

 

I wonder if they are using the rice from the stockpile from the rice scheme.

 

I hope not.. its the most expensive rice ever and old too. 

 

But as others have said its all smoke and mirrors if the government pays for the raw materials its nothing more as subsidizing food. Just as bad (but cheaper) as the rice program. 

 

 

No No, the rice scheme was populism governing, while this is called happiness governing.

 

 

 

With not one satang of it getting anywhere near a farmer.  

[GAZZPA]

I assume that means that the government will have to subsidise every single restaurant in the city and beyond. Because if the government is going to sell cheaper raw materials to them they they ALL have to participate or they will disadvantage themselves.

 

As Thai people eat out and generally do not cook at home them that will lead to inevitable subsidising of food for everyone, everyday..

 

Of course, this won't happen,, it's another poorly thought out scheme, probably funded by the tax people themselves.

 

I was really impressed with the early actions of the military but lately some of the things coming out are just plain silly.

[Zatoichi]

Great stuff, so far I've seen allot of good things coming from the new military government. I hope they stick around for awhile and keep it up.

[HUAHIN62]

So they will decrease the size of the portions and make a killing with tax payers money subsidising their input costs. It makes me so happy I will c@$%p for weeks to come.

[Maggusoil]

I hope this doesn't reduce the size of the polystyrene box. That's the tastiest part.

 

Its obviously a long time since you've flavoured a McDonald's bun. Now that's tasty.

[tomacht8]

Whenever the government intervenes in the market mechanism, there will be shifts.
What's with the food sellers who do not get the subsidized raw material?
 

[Maggusoil]

All government interference is government interference . . . 

They get a taste of popularity from doing a few popular things and it goes to their heads

 

You know the rest

[Time Traveller]

This is really stupid. If the military through the various ministries insist on price controls for foods, one of two things will happen.

Either portion sizes will get smaller for the same price making no savings at all for consumers. OR, the vendors will use substandard foods like rotten meat or food tainted with chemicals or products from unnatural farming practices - which is worse.

Let the market decide the prices and the people will decide what they want to consume.

When I hear all of these stupid changes the military are doing it's like roll back to 2006 all over again!

Edited August 6, 2014 by Time Traveller

[garrya]

I believe our eloquent farang friends have never been in need. So what is the problem if tax payers help poorer people to get cheaper food?????????

Some of us are just insane here. 

[penwithcris]

Seem to remember Thaksin Shinawatra introducing a similar 15 baht scheme when in office
I really miss his forward thinking ideas
I'm sure the country would be in a far stronger position in every way if he had not been illegally forced out
OK he was corrupt. Pretty well every politician Worldwide is guilty of some form of corruption
It's whether the net benefits to the country outweigh the cost of the corrupt practices
This scheme looks superficially laudable, but I'm sure operating it will be fraught with difficulties
Let 'the market' determine the cost of a meal.

[garrya]

This is really stupid. If the military through the various ministries insist on price controls for foods, one of two things will happen.

Either portion sizes will get smaller for the same price making no savings at all for consumers. OR, the vendors will use substandard foods like rotten meat or food tainted with chemicals or products from unnatural farming practices - which is worse.

Let the market decide the prices and the people will decide what they want to consume.

When I hear all of these stupid changes the military are doing it's like roll back to 2006 all over again!

You are only making assumptions. What IF you are wrong?? Would you deprive these poor people of getting cheap food? Have you ever been real poor?

This will change nothing. Thai vendors and companies make a huge profit on everything. If you know Thai people, you must know they will still make more than enough. I know a few noodle vendors and they are able to subsist on selling guay tiao and easily feed whole families. 

Nothing is cheap or free here.

[tompix321]

Does it really need to be a government project? Here in Chiang Mai there are already plenty of places to eat a meal for 25 to 35 bath (even 15 and 20 B is possible).

[thhMan]

Hopefully to make ends meat, shop owners will get their meat elsewhere...

Lets hope the soi dog population goes down...

[shaurene]

these raw materials that they talk of are from government stockpiles which have been paid for by TAXPAYERS.....so it is TAXPAYERS who are subsidising thai food shops etc , it is all smoke and mirrors

Give it a rest TerryP looking to stir the shit again. It is a good project that they do it is in a way giving something back to the people.

[Mango Bob]

You would think that the program was here for the farangs to save money.   It's for the poor Thais people not you old grumpy men.  If 5 baht makes a different to you, you got serious problems.   Worry about things that are important like if YL will return on Sunday.    

[robblok]

You would think that the program was here for the farangs to save money.   It's for the poor Thais people not you old grumpy men.  If 5 baht makes a different to you, you got serious problems.   Worry about things that are important like if YL will return on Sunday.    

35 bt a dish.. never ever for me and I even cook at home. Though i like Thai food i prefer healthy meals prepared by myself.

[TimCM]

Does it really need to be a government project? Here in Chiang Mai there are already plenty of places to eat a meal for 25 to 35 bath (even 15 and 20 B is possible).

Yes agreed, in Lampang this will result in price increases

 

I thought there was some rule against populist policies, oh wait. Now I remember, just populist policies from the wrong people

[mok199]

mmmm   xtra msg on mine..