Valentine's Day to be quietest in 9 years: UTCC

[webfact]

Valentine's Day to be quietest in 9 years: UTCC
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Feb 10 -- The University of Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) has projected that only some Bt3.5 billion would change hands during the upcoming Valentine's Day, up by only 4.52 per cent from the previous year, the slowest growth rate in 9 years.

Thanavath Phonvichai, head of the Thai Chamber of Commerce University's Economic and Business Forecasting Centre, attributed the low spending at this year’s Valentine's Day to public concern about economic uncertainty and the high prices of consumer goods.

He said the public not spend much for this year's Valentine's Day, even though though it will fall on the weekend.

The public is still unsure about their spending, while many still see that prices are still too high.

The Valentine's Day atmosphere for the year will be less lively compared to previous years, he said, citing a survey on spending for this year's Valentine's Day.

Dr Thanavath said 61.7 per cent of the surveyed group of random selection said this year's Valentine's should be as active as last year, and 20.2 per cent said it should be more active than last year.

However, 52 per cent said the Day of Love would not get any livelier, as the domestic economy has yet to recover, while 41.6 per cent expressed that consumer goods are more expensive and a small, but significant segment -- 5.4 per cent -- worried about their safety.

He said the survey also found that 30.8 per cent would choose to buy flowers for their sweethearts and lovers, 30 per cent they would take their significant others out to dinner, and that 19.7 per cent wanted to buy chocolate for their boyfriends or girlfriends.

Dr. Thanavath said the average spending per person on Valentine's Day is projected at Bt1,901, an increase from last year's figure of Bt1,813 per person.

He noted that 55.1 per cent of the public would making purchases at the same level of last year, but 20.7 per cent would spend less and 11.4 per cent planned to spend more. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2015-02-10

[Costas2008]

A lot of projections......somebody has to justify their salaries.

Next they are going to project the teenage pregnancies during Valentines day.

I dread the moment my wife's son will come home and tell us his g/f is pregnant.........and I can see that happening soon.

But there is always TVF to ask help from all the wise members in here.

[ldiablo]

You would never know that by the many new fancy cars being driven around.

[chainarong]

Undoubtedly it will be quite with bedroom inspections by the JUNTA being carried out, everyone will be too busy cleaning up the mess before they arrive, pity they didn't inspect the streets, vacant blocks , road side verges and old water way cannels..

Edited February 10, 2015 by chainarong

[ggt]

Sales will be up almost 5% from previous year and this is bad news?

Consider yourself lucky that it is not down by 5% as the world economies go to hell in a hand-basket...

[outsider]

Maybe the low spending this year IS due to concern about economic uncertainty, but I believe it is also because consumers are wising up to the stupidity of paying THB100 for ONE stalk of rose, as opposed to what... THB20 on 'normal' days? And the restaurants only serve mass-cooked set menus, nothing from the ala carte section, as they aim to cash in on the queue of sheep waiting to be slaufghtered.

[DLock]

Valentines Day is just stupid. A commercial opportunity to sell overpriced roses, overpriced menus and subject men to peer pressure to spend money. It's not as if sex is going to be any better because you paid 500baht for 12 roses.

It's not even a holiday, so it's dumber than Christmas. No one even knows why we celebrate it...then again, ask a Thai why we celebrate Christmas.

...and that whole mascot is creepy. Who wants to celebrate a mascot of a little boy wearing a nappy shooting people with a bow and arrow. I mean if Cupid showed up on the streets of Bangkok for real, he'd either be beaten up or shot.

Wake up men. We are being suckered. Valentines Day is a con job...much like Christmas. There is no Baby Jeebus.

I say rise up and rebel. No roses. No chocolates. Nothing.