inflation is killing me

[zeichen]

I was abroad for about 4 months now that I am back, I am in shock how much things have gone up in price since March. Most things are over 30-40% more. Even local ingredients at the market are up a few baht. Sugar now is at 25 baht was 22. butter that I normally bought was 45 baht 500 gms now 72. The sad thing is for most jobs locally the wages haven't gone up in years and some are actually lower.

I know inflation happens everywhere but there was a pretty substantial price increase 3 years back now again.

I wonder how pensioners and people living on a fixed income are dealing with it.

[jvs]

I hope your prescription has stayed the same price,Most things 30/40% up? in four months?No not really.

Some things have gone up but nothing like you are saying.

[BKResort]

30% Up?....Only if you shop where farangs usually do.

[impulse]

There's been times when a few memorable items took a big jump in a short time, and it seemed like inflation was running rampant.

One of my meds went up 100% between one refill and the next, coffee goes up and down with the weather in Colombia, shrimp skyrocketed when the farms were hit with some virus, fruits and vegetables go up when they're out of season, and on and on.

But when you average it all out, inflation never looks so bad in the short run.

But making 0.3% interest for decades at a time when prices are going up 10x as fast- truly sucks in the long view.

Edited July 16, 2016 by impulse

[Sparkles]

If you want to experience inflation take a holiday in Sydney.Start off taking the airport link to the main railway terminal,used to be 65 baht now 442 baht.A small bottle of water costs nearly 200 baht,here 10 baht.Inflation is everywhere but at the moment here its minimal despite drought and the political situation

[Sparkles]

Take into account the weak baht anything imported is obviously going to rise in price inc medication

[impulse]

Take into account the weak baht anything imported is obviously going to rise in price inc medication

You actually buy that? Baht weakens by 5-10% and my script doubles?

Reminds me of years ago when the price of corn went up by 20% and Kelloggs raised their Corn Flakes by 20%, claiming it was due to the price of corn. Some alert reporter figured out that a box of Corn Flakes still contained about $0.02 worth of corn, and Kelloggs' price of a box went up by about $0.30.

Also reminds me of the current headlines shouting out that a holiday in the UK is dirt cheap since Brexit and the decline in the pound. Yeah, right. Costs only $450 a day instead of $500. Dirt cheap indeed. Hotels and airlines swing their prices more than that when seat sales and occupancy rates change.

Edited July 16, 2016 by impulse

[MissAndry]

You don't need butter, buy the fruit that's cheap.

Limes are at a very low price at the moment, 10bht for 5 large.

Pancakes with lime and sugar.

Cold water with ice and a squeeze of lime.

And a new coffee shop opened last week near me.

Everything is 30bht a cup (or glass).

https://www.facebook.com/banpongcoffee

Edited July 16, 2016 by MissAndry

[NickJ]

I cook alot. Last week I was at Tesco and the prices for pprk and chicken were lower than they have been for a long time. The pork tenderloins were 60 b each.....Big C had them for 115 b each.......

[Mark123456]

You don't need butter, buy the fruit that's cheap.

Limes are at a very low price at the moment, 10bht for 5 large.

Pancakes with lime and sugar.

Cold water with ice and a squeeze of lime.

And a new coffee shop opened last week near me.

Everything is 30bht a cup (or glass).

https://www.facebook.com/banpongcoffee

I need butter: I'm not fond of dry toast.

[chiang mai]

FWIW our spending on groceries at Makro/Rimping/local markets remains constant at an average of 8k per month (past six months) for two people and we eat/live well on that.

[moe666]

If you donot likethe prices here go homeand see how you will likethem. Iam going back to the states in august I can imaginehow much they have went up

[elgordo38]

There's been times when a few memorable items took a big jump in a short time, and it seemed like inflation was running rampant.

One of my meds went up 100% between one refill and the next, coffee goes up and down with the weather in Colombia, shrimp skyrocketed when the farms were hit with some virus, fruits and vegetables go up when they're out of season, and on and on.

But when you average it all out, inflation never looks so bad in the short run.

But making 0.3% interest for decades at a time when prices are going up 10x as fast- truly sucks in the long view.

They are robbing you Peter to pay Paul. The fat cats are getting fatter while we the wee folk get skinnier. Welcome to the new world order and the pecking order.

[Mark123456]

If you donot likethe prices here go homeand see how you will likethem. Iam going back to the states in august I can imaginehow much they have went up

The only things I find cheaper here than in the UK are eating out, property, electricity, and water (and probably Internet). Admittedly those are all very important, especially property as we all need somewhere to live, but a lot of the food (in supermarkets), alcohol, good quality electrical equipment, reasonable quality clothing, and anything else I buy on a regular basis all seems to be cheaper back home. Basically if you want quality it's usually imported and therefore costs a fortune.

EDIT: There are probably loads of other things that are much cheaper here I just don't happen to buy them or do them.

Edited July 16, 2016 by Mark123456

[MyFrenU]

Anyone who thinks Thailand is still cheap to live in is kidding themselves!

[chiang mai]

Anyone who thinks Thailand is still cheap to live in is kidding themselves!

I don't agree. I've not lived in another country where I can live comfortably on 1k Pounds a month. There's no taxes apart from sales tax, no community charges, utility costs are exceptionally low (monthly: water - 100 baht/gas - 70 baht/electric - 1,000), diesel is half the price of the West, food is exceptionally cheap in markets and the like (40 pounds a week feeds two people more than comfortably) plus the quality is usually extremely high plus entertainment costs are inexpensive (have you bought a movie ticket in the UK recently). It all depends on lifestyle and how you want to live.

[colinneil]

OP you should find stronger meds.

Things have gone up 30/40% rubbish.

Pork is cheaper now than it was 2 years ago/ chicken cheaper/ veg much the same.

Electric has not increased in price, water same price, bottled gas cheaper, fuel cheaper.

[anto]

When things go up here they usually take a big jump .Where i swim went from B50 a time to B80 .The annual maintenance charge at our moobaan went from B3000 to B4300 a year .Still Thailand gives you the option to live cheap if you avoid certain things .

[evenstevens]

Anyone who thinks Thailand is still cheap to live in is kidding themselves!

kidding myself ???? no way!!!!!

the joke is on you

[Chapelroad]

Transport is extremely cheap in Thailand.

[MissAndry]

Anyone who thinks Thailand is still cheap to live in is kidding themselves!

I don't agree. I've not lived in another country where I can live comfortably on 1k Pounds a month. There's no taxes apart from sales tax, no community charges, utility costs are exceptionally low (monthly: water - 100 baht/gas - 70 baht/electric - 1,000), diesel is half the price of the West, food is exceptionally cheap in markets and the like (40 pounds a week feeds two people more than comfortably) plus the quality is usually extremely high plus entertainment costs are inexpensive (have you bought a movie ticket in the UK recently). It all depends on lifestyle and how you want to live.

I have absolutely no problem living in Central London on 1,000 pounds a month. What I miss is the large and varied range of food I had there. The eating in Thailand is very restricted. And fruit here, why is it so expensive? Fruit and fruit juice in London is so much cheaper. No need for a car, and I don't have a space to park it in London anyway.

Edited July 17, 2016 by MissAndry

[worgeordie]

One thing for sure inflation is higher than than the interest rates

we are been offered for our savings.

Sugar is a controlled price item,and price is 23.50 Thb,and has

been for a very long time,the prices of imported farang goods,

seem to rise more that Thai produced goods,Why,with a strong

THB,it must all be about increased profits.

This time of year is the most expensive for fruits and vegetables,

with Potatoes ,Onions a good example,but that's just because of

the seasons,Eggs are also more expensive.less eggs,high demand.

The OP's claim the prices have risen 30-40% in last few months

is a complete exaggeration,

regards worgeordie

[NancyL]

There's a reason this time of year is called "Buddhist Lent". It's because we're just coming off Hot Season where many crops were more difficult to produce, chickens weren't laying as many eggs, cows aren't producing as much milk, etc. Now that the rains have started more fruits and veg will start to come into season and prices will fall.

[poohy]

prices will fall.

I admire your optimism

[muzmurray]

There's a reason this time of year is called "Buddhist Lent". It's because we're just coming off Hot Season where many crops were more difficult to produce, chickens weren't laying as many eggs, cows aren't producing as much milk, etc. Now that the rains have started more fruits and veg will start to come into season and prices will fall.

Not as far as I can find;

"The day following the Asalha full moon is called "Lent Commencement Day" or "Vassupanayika" in Pali. In Thailand 2 words are used for Lent (the Rainy Season Retreat), either Vassa or Phansa, both meaning "rain, season of rain". The Rains Residence (Retreat), is one of the monastic observances having its origin in the time of the Lord Buddha. Buddhist Lent, however, bears no similarity to the Christian Lent. Originally monks did not stay at any particular place, but were most of the time on the move in their mission to spread the Buddha's teachings. During the rainy season, when the country experienced heavy and frequent rainfalls, things were quite difficult for them and their travels were often impeded or interrupted. Both Thailand and India are subject to monsoon winds bearing torrential rains which make travel difficult in regions where there are swamps and swollen streams and no adequate roads. The season is also the time for farmers to cultivate their land and grow crops, so wandering monks could easily unintentionally damage the new-planted rice. So it was, naturally, the time for most ascetics to stop wandering and remain stationed in a specific place. This custom was in fact practised in India long before the time of the Buddha, and from considerations of health and comfort there is much to recommend this custom."

[HooHaa]

If you donot likethe prices here go homeand see how you will likethem. Iam going back to ithe states in august I can imaginehow much they have went up

Oh come off it, he stares clearly that he was home for a few months, hence the entire premise of his post.

What is up with the need of people on this board to have an opinion registered for posterity when they havent even read the post?

[NancyL]

There's a reason this time of year is called "Buddhist Lent". It's because we're just coming off Hot Season where many crops were more difficult to produce, chickens weren't laying as many eggs, cows aren't producing as much milk, etc. Now that the rains have started more fruits and veg will start to come into season and prices will fall.

Not as far as I can find;

"The day following the Asalha full moon is called "Lent Commencement Day" or "Vassupanayika" in Pali. In Thailand 2 words are used for Lent (the Rainy Season Retreat), either Vassa or Phansa, both meaning "rain, season of rain". The Rains Residence (Retreat), is one of the monastic observances having its origin in the time of the Lord Buddha. Buddhist Lent, however, bears no similarity to the Christian Lent. Originally monks did not stay at any particular place, but were most of the time on the move in their mission to spread the Buddha's teachings. During the rainy season, when the country experienced heavy and frequent rainfalls, things were quite difficult for them and their travels were often impeded or interrupted. Both Thailand and India are subject to monsoon winds bearing torrential rains which make travel difficult in regions where there are swamps and swollen streams and no adequate roads. The season is also the time for farmers to cultivate their land and grow crops, so wandering monks could easily unintentionally damage the new-planted rice. So it was, naturally, the time for most ascetics to stop wandering and remain stationed in a specific place. This custom was in fact practised in India long before the time of the Buddha, and from considerations of health and comfort there is much to recommend this custom."

Oh, I guess all that hot weather in March, April, May was simply a figment of my imagination and also that of the cows, chickens, fruit trees, and vegetable gardens that weren't producing their normal yields.

Yes, of course, the rainy weather makes it difficult for the monks to move around and it's not a good idea to trample newly planted rice, either.

I love the way people quote sources on ThaiVisa without any reference as if that makes it "gospel".

I'll stand by my original assertion that this is also a time of year when historically food was in short supply because crops hadn't yet "come in". To say otherwise is to deny the interdependence of agricultural output and weather.

[Suradit69]

You don't need butter, buy the fruit that's cheap.

Limes are at a very low price at the moment, 10bht for 5 large.

Pancakes with lime and sugar.

Cold water with ice and a squeeze of lime.

And a new coffee shop opened last week near me.

Everything is 30bht a cup (or glass).

https://www.facebook.com/banpongcoffee

"..buy the fruit that's cheap."

I've found lately, presumably because of the drought, that fruit has risen in price considerably, whether in the market, street vendors or places like Big C. I like, among other things, durian, but now one segment can run Baht 200 or more and a small bunch of bananas that cost Baht 20 to 25 before is not Baht 50 to 60, for example.

[cmsally]

One thing that seems to have increased dramatically is papaya. Even if you go to the wholesale market it is difficult to get reasonably priced papaya. They used to be dirt cheap and now you pay average 50-60 Bt for a smallish papaya.

Bananas you need to shop around and pineapple go the big market on the street near the tennis courts. 3 large pineapples about 60 Bt

[Oscar2]

indeed there is inflation but not 30-40% in less than 6 months. prices are going up like everywhere in the world.

yes fruit has gone way up. prices at Muang Mai Market are silly. i think they've raised the price so much because almost every time i pass by there is either a tour bus or a procession of tuk tuks bringing Chinese tourists to Muang Mai for the sole purpose of buying fruit. we never buy fruit there anymore, or at Rimping, Big C, etc. instead whoever in our house is out in a small village will buy fruit from some granny out in front of her house, and bring that home. saves a LOT of money.

i haven't noticed a jump in utilities too much. our water bill has been 400-800 per month for 9 years or so. i have noticed a little bump in the cost of electricity starting in April. what has gone up considerably - almost double over the last few years is the cost of healthcare including insurance. i have not noticed anything more than a 10% increase in the cost of pharmaceuticals, however.

butter? you can buy a huge block of butter 500 grams? (not sure) at YOK for 72 Baht and a lower grade for 60 Baht. both taste like crap - to be perfectly honest. we buy imported butter at Rimping but don't use a terrible lot of it.

some things have not gone up much, while some things have gone up a lot.

as far as comparing costs here vs. overseas......we found Japan and Korea to be frighteningly expensive compared to here, but on a recent trip to the USA we found costs in the USA to be much cheaper than here.