High living cost causes highest stress among Thai people

[webfact]

High living cost causes highest stress among Thai people

BANGKOK: -- The majority of Thai people feel high cost of living is causing them mental stress, while the military junta's "Returning Happiness to the People" has helped to relieve it.

This is what the latest poll conducted by Bangkok Poll from a total of 1,194 people from all parts of the country revealed today.

The poll was conducted to mark the World Mental Health Day which is to come on October 10.

The poll on “Stress Scaling after the Returning Happiness to the People” scheme revealed that 66.5% of people interviewed listed high cost of living as a major cause of stress, followed by falling farm crop prices (37.3%), drug trafficking ( 36.7%), and social rifts (33.9 %).

However the most cause of worry that is close and has impact on them is rising prices which 47.0% of people said they couldn’t make ends meet.

Other cause of stress are house and car installment payment (14.9%), and working condition ( 8.7%).

The most urgent problem they wanted the government to resolve immediately is high cost of living ( 34.7%), falling crop prices (18.2%), corruption (15.0%), crime and drugs (10.5%), political rift (9.9%),

Asked on the satisfaction of the military junta’s Returning Happiness to the People scheme on tackling the rising prices of goods, 57.3% said they were most satisfied with the work, while 36.3% said they had less to least satisfaction of the matter.

As for the question of how much stress political news and political rifts have affected them, 55.5% said they didn’t feel stressful by the news and rifts as the country has returned peaceful, while 13.5% said they remained stressful, and 31.0% said they were never pressured by this stress.

When asked further on how much stress the military junta’s happiness scheme has pressured on them, 68.6% said they felt more relieved than previously. However 25.9% said their stress remained the same, while only 4.8% said their stress has worsened.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/high-living-cost-causes-highest-stress-among-thai-people/


-- Thai PBS 2014-10-09

[smedly]

More PTP fallout, the Thai people will be living this legacy for years, that's what they get for supporting a billionaire corrupt evil criminal crackpot on the run living abroad to run the country

[chiang mai]

Guess what, high living costs cause stress amongst farangs also.

[Brit_Doggie]

High cost of living stressful nah but my wife's high cost of living was,so now she's my ex no more stress .

[ezzra]

\Living in Thailand for many years now, I have come to learn that Thais are inherently very bad

with managing their funds and are thrift spenders that will buy any thing that shine and has

buttons on it, they will beg, borrow and steal, yes steal, borrow with high interests from just any

one who's willing to land them to get those things, unless they learn

how to me more financially responsible they will continue with their money's woes...

[tullynagardy]

"Being broke makes me sad but Thai military dancing makes me happy and makes up for it."

and the usual name above trying to legitimise this nonsense ^^^^^^

[jethro69]

So why there is this high cost of living? Because someone in the village got a new car, the rest of the village needs a new car too, to "show power".... utter nonsense, and I didn't see it worse than here in Thailand.

However, if they can't serve their debts anymore, you still can save face by moving to another village. A classic.

[NextStationBangkok]

You will see after iPhone6 release in TH. Most people will be stressful until they own it!

[monkeycountry]

\Living in Thailand for many years now, I have come to learn that Thais are inherently very bad

with managing their funds and are thrift spenders that will buy any thing that shine and has

buttons on it, they will beg, borrow and steal, yes steal, borrow with high interests from just any

one who's willing to land them to get those things, unless they learn

how to me more financially responsible they will continue with their money's woes...

It is hard to be financially responsible when you do not even know basic math.

[Nakajima]

More PTP fallout, the Thai people will be living this legacy for years, that's what they get for supporting a billionaire corrupt evil criminal crackpot on the run living abroad to run the country

is a corrupted evil power thirsty dictator better for the country? I don't think so since his kind is who REALLY ruled the country for the past 50 years wiht a short 10 years exception.

[poohy]

Stress !! at least it appears they get plenty of holidays , surely this helps

[wabothai]

Yep, money does not grow on trees. There is no such thing as a free ticket.

At least for most Thais.

[kannot]

It must be hell for the poor sods, I mean u know how much the latest samsung phone/I phone costs now eh?? they all seem to have a big <deleted> off phone though.

[konying]

It's not only Thai people but all people suffer from dress resulted from high costs of living.

Not sure who or what helped who or when but prices have gone up like crazy across the board .

[NoshowJones]

Guess what, high living costs cause stress amongst farangs also.

That's in case they haven't enough money left for their beer.

[laislica]

It's not only Thai people but all people suffer from dress resulted from high costs of living.

Not sure who or what helped who or when but prices have gone up like crazy across the board .

It's the Farang!

They have so much money that the locals up the prices to grab more.

This causes the locals to have to pay more too.

A vicious circle of inflation.

As I have said before, Cuba had the best idea.

Let the locals pay with local dollars and the tourist must pay with American dollars (40 x the price).

[teebe]

At this tropical latitude the sun stay in the northern sky for 120 days per year. From April to August. Our foreigner souls can live in this, but not say I born in Thailand. So, smiles and shots came together, stab and kisses as well, is a gift for all, not only strangers.

[3NUMBAS]

yep build more massive malls to get them sucking up more expensive geegaws they dont need all on credit

[Nuddy]

Its amazing the malls can survive with only the richer percentage of about 10% of the population buying from them.

[ABCer]

quote: The most urgent problem they wanted the government to resolve immediately is high cost of living ( 34.7%), falling crop prices (18.2%), corruption (15.0%), crime and drugs (10.5%), political rift (9.9%),

Gov't does not produce. Gov't cannot regulate prices. The World market dictates prices inside and outside of the country.

Any interference with free market economics will be a disaster one way or another.

It looks like the protests against the climate changes to me.

Climatic changes are exacerbated by pollution.

Market prices are exacerbated by corruption.

Neither of these factors are under Gov't control.

Edited October 9, 2014 by ABCer

[h90]

Its amazing the malls can survive with only the richer percentage of about 10% of the population buying from them.

My staff is going to the malls and they aren't the richest 10 % of the population.

If a couple works, he earns 15K she 10K they have 25.000 Baht per month.

living place 1500 Baht per month

Food say 6000 Baht per month

Leaves a lot left to spend in the malls.....

[cloudhopper]

The World market dictates prices inside and outside of the country.

Any interference with free market economics will be a disaster one way or another.

Not exactly. Thailand has been deficit spending since the 2008 financial crisis and the easy credit and money printed to finance that has resulted in higher prices by stimulating demand and higher imported energy and materials costs at the same time.

I agree entirely with the second sentence; Thais are joining the new global class of debt slaves, and a depth of quiet desperation that not even Thoreau himself could have visualized..

[joebrown]

When someone spends more than they earn it's usually someone else's fault.

Three reasons that I see as part of modern culture are usually one's own fault and in LOS they are easily identifiable........"Show", "Jealousy" and "Face" . If these 3 cultural traits were less prevalent, modern day Thailand would indeed be a happier place for it's citizens.

[ABCer]

 

Its amazing the malls can survive with only the richer percentage of about 10% of the population buying from them.

My staff is going to the malls and they aren't the richest 10 % of the population.

If a couple works, he earns 15K she 10K they have 25.000 Baht per month.

living place 1500 Baht per month

Food say 6000 Baht per month

Leaves a lot left to spend in the malls.....

 

My wife rents out a studio 34sqm on a 4th floor in BKK. Very basic, unfurnished for 3,500 bt/mth. Not near BTS, not near Sukhumvit but close to a Uni.

I am afraid your calculations are a bit off. Unless she is 'cheating' me and gets 1,500 bt and forks out the rest out of her pocket? Doubt it.

[Don Aleman]

That, along with having no money, is a big stress builder

[ThailandGuy]

People wanted higher salaries.... so it is obvious that prices will rise after that. It is a normal sequence all over the world. In the end nobody has won as you can still buy the same amount (or less) with more money. Thai people should visit Europe and their smiles will be back on their faces again when they have to pay over 400 baht for a fish where they can buy 5 or 6 of the same kind in Thailand for that amount of money. The rent people in Europe pay for a small appartment one can hire almost a complete resort in their country. Wow they have more income in Europe, but the government drains you empty by every tax they can impose on you. In the long run even in Europe/ the States, all over the world they get stressed. :-)

Edited October 9, 2014 by ThailandGuy

[ratcatcher]

More PTP fallout, the Thai people will be living this legacy for years, that's what they get for supporting a billionaire corrupt evil criminal crackpot on the run living abroad to run the country

is a corrupted evil power thirsty dictator better for the country? I don't think so since his kind is who REALLY ruled the country for the past 50 years wiht a short 10 years exception.

"....is a corrupted evil power thirsty dictator better for the country?"

Depends on to whom you are referring. The man in Dubai has been sidelined for a while. Or can you clarify?

[Kwic]

Its amazing the malls can survive with only the richer percentage of about 10% of the population buying from them.

My staff is going to the malls and they aren't the richest 10 % of the population.

If a couple works, he earns 15K she 10K they have 25.000 Baht per month.

living place 1500 Baht per month

Food say 6000 Baht per month

Leaves a lot left to spend in the malls.....

Hmmm... did you really mean 1500 bahts per month for a living place? How is that possible? I thought it was more like 10-15k.

[rayw]

More PTP fallout, the Thai people will be living this legacy for years, that's what they get for supporting a billionaire corrupt evil criminal crackpot on the run living abroad to run the country

is a corrupted evil power thirsty dictator better for the country? I don't think so since his kind is who REALLY ruled the country for the past 50 years with a short 10 years exception.

Ahmm, have we got one of those types of dictators then ?? I don;t think so. We certainly had one before with the sham of democracy we had here and the Shinawatra PROVEN corruptions (others too not just him, though he was the most loathsome), As merely a happy guest here in Thailand I think this current Government is the most honest and productive I have experienced here in the past 11 years i have been here. Just my honest observation and seems most Thai folk you speak to agree with that opinion too.

Democracy will return to Thailand for sure but hopefully not until there are regulations in place to clamp down on the worst of the corruptions we have seen here, certainly this century whilst I have known this country, and I believe before too. My wishes are for a prosperous and most importantly happy Thailand for the Thai people whose country it is. The cry for democracy NOW by the arrogant but "exceptional and indispensible" US and other Western US puppet states like the UK and most of Europe, shows how ignorant, uninformed and stupid they really are, as that would spell disaster as most of us here know for sure.

[longtom]

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

\Living in Thailand for many years now, I have come to learn that Thais are inherently very bad

with managing their funds and are thrift spenders that will buy any thing that shine and has

buttons on it, they will beg, borrow and steal, yes steal, borrow with high interests from just any

one who's willing to land them to get those things, unless they learn

how to me more financially responsible they will continue with their money's woes...

Whilst there is some truth in your arguments , are you aware how many Thais have only 200 - 600 Baht income per day (that may be 2 persons working 10 hours or more per day), and even without any shiny toys, it´s rather difficult to pay for rent/food/school for the childrens and that it would be a bit difficult to survive on that pittance?