Survey reveals rise in consumer spending during start of new school semester



BANGKOK, 10 May 2016 (NNT) - The Center for Economic and Business Forecasting of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce expects domestic spending during the start of the new school semester to reach almost 50 billion Baht.

The university conducted a poll on the spending habits of consumers at the start of the new school semester, with results forecasting up to 49 billion Baht in spending, a 2.3 percent increase on the same period last year. The figure is the largest forecast in 3 years, with costs mostly associated with tuition, school fees, supplies, books and uniforms, all of which have risen in price.

Meanwhile the survey revealed that most parents have household debts averaging over 200,000 Baht, an increase of 24 percent compared to last year. Most families have indicated costs associated with the new semester are beyond their income capacity and many have had to resort to pawning personal items instead of taking out loans.

The survey said that most families want the government to place greater importance on education, level the quality standards between rural and urban schools, raise the standards of educational personnel, revise course material to suit the country’s development and increase the salaries of educational personnel to incentivize quality work.

-- NNT 2016-05-10

Land of stupid surveys.

"The university conducted a poll on the spending habits of consumers at the start of the new school semester, with results forecasting up to 49 billion Baht in spending, a 2.3 percent increase on the same period last year."

It's call "Inflation". Nice way to sugar coat something Thailand can't afford to have right now. Don't get too excited. Probably no increase in the amount of school clothes and supplies sold. Only an increase in price.

Edited May 10, 201610 yr by jaltsc

Gee this is the same as last year and the year before that. Did they dig out the old article and change the dates?

Next we will be told that the government will ask the money lenders to be nice to the borrowers.

D'oh.

School uniforms, scout uniform, supplies, tuition.

The survey said that most families want the government to place greater importance on education

Yeah, so let's do away with M4-6 with the new, improved Charter.

The Center for Economic and Business Forecasting of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce justifying their existence by coming out with loopy statistics that don't mean anything except the cost of education has risen. Does this also mean there has been a rise in brown envelope "commissions" to departmental heads for the employment of new foreign contract staff?

Yea, gotta buy that PE uniform that your kid never does PE in.

End of term show? You're gonna need an overpriced costume.

We're gonna wear a different uniform on Thursdays - you're gonna need one of those.

And English classes. We'll supply you with the best Filipino that 20% of what you paid can buy!

Schools here absolutely rip the parents off. No one ever complains. They get greedier and greedier every year.