Ministry of Commerce confident in govt efforts of lowering living costs

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Ministry of Commerce confident in govt efforts of lowering living costs

 

BANGKOK, 25 July 2017 (NNT) - The Ministry of Commerce has expressed confidence in the government's economic policy of ensuring a better cost of living for the public. 

Permanent Secretary for Commerce Wiboonlak Ruamrak said over the past three years, the government has continued enact measures to lower living costs. They include the 35 baht-per-dish program at over 10,000 stores across the country, which has saved consumers up to 86 billion baht, as well as the Pracharat Blue Flag program, which offers household commodities at discount prices. 

Measures to increase revenue include workshops on cooking and opening restaurants as well as development programs at over 100 markets across the country, with a goal of reaching 140 by the end of the year. 

The ministry has also conducted price inspections throughout the country to safeguard against consumer exploitation and has launched a program to encourage price comparison.

 

-- nnt 2017-07-25

[Grubster]

Who are they trying to fool here, all the local restaurants around where I live sell dishes for 30 baht, so this rule is only helping those more affluent people in cities and hurting poor shop owners in cities.

[trainman34014]

Load of rubbish; prices have gone up heaps in the last 3 years on almost everything in Supermarkets etc.

 

Not very clever are they when they base all their efforts on a ''35 Baht per dish '' program of market food.   What about the rising costs of electricity for example, or the high price of rice when millions of tons has to be thrown away.   They should be working on lowering peoples home living costs and not bowls of noodles....but of course that would mean less in the pockets of the already mega-rich !

[the guest]

Impossible, given the Government informed the banks and other financial institutions to lend out to Thais, so much in fact, this is the reason we had 300 baht per say salaries, which then caused inflation to rocket. 

[connda]

Translated: Look for populist policies to hide the rise in the cost of living in other sectors of the economy.  Think like the Roman Emperors: Bread and circuses.  Cheap food and entertainment, and the little people will forget about their woes as you sweep them off the streets and destroy the micro-entrepreneurial underpinnings of the economy, and prices rise unabated. 

Then you wonder why there is a massive undercurrent of support from the poorer segment of society for the likes of the Thaksins.  At least the Thaksins and their political parties throw the underclasses a significant portion of their table scraps as well as allowing them to earn a living from micro-businesses.   This segment of society is simply simmering and waiting.  The fact that underclass entrepreneurs are being destroyed and pushed out of the economy is probably not lost on the poorer segment of Thai society which is growing larger by the day.  
But for now: Bread and Circuses.  And don't drink whiskey or take any substance to make you feel better...go to temple instead.   Otherwise you'll be thrown into jail.  

Edited July 26, 2017 by connda

[williamgeorgeallen]

well beers on jomtien beach have remained at 60thb over the last years and barfines are still at 300thb so i want to thank him for his good efforts. keep it up.

[ratcatcher]

16 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

well beers on jomtien beach have remained at 60thb over the last years and barfines are still at 300thb so i want to thank him for his good efforts. keep it up.

Fortunately, the average Thai man is not lying on a Jomtien beach guzzling cheap beer and worrying about the cost of his next bargirl's attentions and neither are you, I'm sure. But keep it up..

[williamgeorgeallen]

1 minute ago, ratcatcher said:

Fortunately, the average Thai man is not lying on a Jomtien beach guzzling cheap beer and worrying about the cost of his next bargirl's attentions and neither are you, I'm sure. But keep it up..

the boys report prices remain stable since i left 6 months ago, and i will be back in a month to verify ferang living costs remain stable.

[YetAnother]

40 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

well beers on jomtien beach have remained at 60thb over the last years and barfines are still at 300thb so i want to thank him for his good efforts. keep it up.

i believe the new alcohol tax goes into effect in october; some say expect up to 25% increase in prices

[maewang99]

sure, a stronger Baht will do that.... and a stronger economy.

and the best signal yet... the Bank of Thailand tightening rules on consumer debt... instead of raising rates.... because.......

drum roll please......

the central bank sees the economy getting stronger.



 

[williamgeorgeallen]

20 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

i believe the new alcohol tax goes into effect in october; some say expect up to 25% increase in prices

ouch.  some one needs to tell the minister of commerce about that.

Edited July 26, 2017 by williamgeorgeallen

[just.a.thought]

The electric bill seems to be,the one living cost,increasing the most over the years. Not the street food or the beers......the government and big corporations are the ones increasing living costs......

Edited July 26, 2017 by just.a.thought

[Chris Lawrence]

Didn't Mr T bring in the 30 Baht meal some time back? The General is seeing his 30 baht and raising it by 5 to 35 Baht? I would have left that one alone.