Vegetable Prices Soar As Chinese Veggie Festival Starts

[george]

Vegetable prices soar as Chinese veggie festival starts

PATHUM THANI: -- Heavy flooding in several central provinces has pushed up prices of vegetables significantly as the Chinese vegetarian festival began Saturday.

Speaking after presiding over the launching of an 11-day Chinese vegetarian festival at a market in this province, Siripol Yodmuangcharoen, director general of Commerce Ministry's Internal Trade Department, said prices of some vegetables this year had more than doubled because several central provinces which grew vegetables were hit by severe floods.

He said that Commerce Minister Krirkkrai Jirapaet had ordered transport for vegetables from other regions to Bangkok and its neighbouring provinces in order to cope with the demand and also to reduce prices during the festival.

Provincial officials of the Internal Trade Department have been ordered to survey prices of vegetables in their provinces, especially in flooded areas, to make sure that traders do not raise prices unrealistically.

Traders who have increased prices of vegetables disproportionately will face a maximum fine of Bt140,000, a seven-year imprisonment, or both, the minister said.

--TNA 2006-10-21

[kmart]

Oh, dear! The Chinese are never happy about increasing the price of anything though, are they? Bless 'em!

[leisurely]

KImart. That wasn't a very helpful post was it? As I understand it, not only chinese people are affected, several of my neighbours are 'going vegetarian' for the 9 or 11 days or however long it is to purify yourself. They are all Thai.

[kmart]

Unfortunately, "helpful" isn't my middle name this morning, as I sit here with a huge bacon sandwich. The vegetarians can go hang. As can you, for intentionally typing my name wrong.

[Jai Dee]

Meatless merit-making: Locals and visitors adorn the sacred pillar of nine Chinese saints to mark the start of the vegetarian festival in Phuket yesterday.

The non-meat diet is said to bring merit to observers wearing white or yellow.

Source: The Nation - 22 October 2006

[Jai Dee]

Pattani City is holding Chinese vegetarian festival at Lengjukiang shrine

Pattani City municipality is holding the 2006 Chinese vegetarian festival jointly with several agencies, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King's accession to the throne and to preserve the vegetarian festival in Pattani.

Pattani provincial governor Phanu Uthairat (ภาณุ อุทัยรัตน์) chaired the opening of the festival. This is the first year the festival is launched at Lengjukiang (เล่งจู่เกียง) shrine in Tambon Ar-noh-ru (อาเนาะรู) in Pattani city. In the fair the Pattani municipality is providing free vegetarian food to participating members of the public.

The Pattani municipality invites people in the province to visit the Chinese vegetarian festival at Lengjukiang shrine in the city during October 22-30.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 22 October 2006

[astral]

Simple supply and demand.

Better than Malaysia where they were limiting sugar purchases to two packs per person, just before Ramadan.

[maxx]

amazingly price fixing, only in Thailand.......eat meat save the trouble

[johng]

This morning I was rudely awakened at 8.15 AM on a Sunday !! , by a bunch of these wako's

( veggies ) playing "LooK Tung" of all things, through a PA system that had to be at least 5,000 Watts, it was so loud it made fixtures and fittings in my home reverberate from across the street.

I went and complained to the owner/organiser of the "event" he apologised and turned the music down by a token amount ( at least my home wasn't shaking anymore )

Not being able to get back to sleep I went and bought some backon and made breakfast

then went to Jomtien beach for a peacfull few hours

Got back home at 6PM,they carried on wailing untill 10.15 PM .. TIT !!!!!

[Jai Dee]

10 million baht spreading in Satun during Chinese Vegetarian Festival

Satun Governor Manit Wattanasen (มานิต วัฒนเสน) said Thai locals with Chinese heritage in Satun and nearby provinces as well as people from Malaysia are continually pouring into the province to worship Kewong (กิวอ๋อง) Holy Spirit at Pohjegeng <โป้เจ้เก้ง> Joss House in Tambon Phiman in Muang District during this year’s Chinese Vegetarian Festival.

The Municipality of Satun and the provincial administration are working together in arranging the Chinese Vegetarian Festival for Thailand and Malaysia. The joss house commissions from Penang (ปีนัง) and Perlis (เปอร์ลิส) have been invited to take part in the parade to respectfully invite the holy spirits to show clemency to their children along the municipal streets. The Municipality of Satun and the provincial administration uthority also organize five tables for people to worship around Satun Thani Rd. In addition, a traditional dessert called bib breast sweets will be displayed on October 28th, as the locals believe that whoever eats it would have a long life like a turtle. Meanwhile, people are still signing their names and writing their blessings for His Majesty the King Bhumibol Adulyadej on a batique fabric, which is 80 yards long.

Satun Mayor Piboon Ratchakitprakarn (พิบูลย์ รัชกิจประการ) said the provincial municipality and administration are organizing the Chinese Vegetarian Festival grandly, along with many local sport competitions and activities. He said about 10 million baht are being transacted in Satun during this period.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 25 October 2006