By Thai News on 9/26/2009 7:15 AM

The few posts made in this blog on the cost of life in Bangkok considered that you do all your shopping in a big department store. In my case, this is usually in Carrefour on Rama 4 or in Lotus, just in front of Carrefour. I find it convenient, like most people I guess, since you'll find everything under one roof.

But talking about finding everything you need under one "roof", if what you require is fresh vegetables, fruits, fishes, seafood, i.e. food, nothing beats the Klong Toey wet market, just a stone throw away from Carrefour, on Rama 4.



...

Read More »

By Thai News on 6/15/2009 7:21 PM

I recently wrote (complained?) about the increase taxation on alcoholic beverages in Thailand that resulted in a substantial increase in the price of beer. The post is here :  Price of beer up steeply in Thailand

But what local beers will you actually find in Thailand? And what is their price and taste (disclaimer: the taste comments are about my taste only)

The order is by taste, the one I like first. And well, unfortunately in reverse order of price.

1. Singha beer



Now baht 31 for...

Read More »

By Thai News on 5/26/2009 7:39 PM

Do you like cheese?

You probably do if you're from continental Europe, especially the French.

But well, the Thais do not really like cheese. Or said differently, Thais never tasted cheese when they were young and hence, are not used to the taste. And the smell. So they do not buy it and no cheese is produced in Thailand.

And  for cheese lovers, the only choice is the imported ones.

And imported means not really cheap. Photo taken in Carrefour Bangkok 2 days ago.



But did I say it is expensive...?...

Read More »

By Thai News on 5/24/2009 11:41 AM

The Thai government, as any other government in the world, needs mre revenues in this time of crisis. More revenues to feed the US$ 41 stimulus package they just approved.

And one way to get more revenues is to raise the taxes on alcoholic beverages and this is exactly what they did 2 weeks ago.

For beer, excise tax went from baht 55 to baht 60 per litre, from baht 110 to baht 120 for white liquor, and from baht 280 to baht 300 for blended liquor.

So how much more are you going to pay?

Let's take the example of the beer. Beer is usually sold in 66 cl bottles in Thailand, so an increase of baht 5 per liter means you're...

Read More »

By Thai News on 4/19/2009 12:16 PM

Food is cheap and good in Thailand. There is something for everybody and a wide variety of flavors and cooking ways. The Thais in general prefer to eat products from the sea, i.e. seafood and fishes. Some pork and chicken but little beef. And in the north and north-east, they like to eat what westerners and Bangkok Thais seldom eat, the Thai bugs. It is more a snack than a main meal and they are usually fried. And not that cheap by Thai standards.

I was recently on the night market in Chiang Mai and tasted a bit of the speciality from that part of Thailand, the bamboo worms. Not too bad actually...

...

Read More »

By Thai News on 3/22/2009 2:01 PM

I did not update the prices for quite some time but there is a reason for that, prices do not change fast in Thailand. Most of the people in the country still live a pretty simple life and are not really affected by the financial economic crisis. What is a financial economic crisis, by the way, when you do not have money?

I updated the price in the French blog: Foodstuff prices and I posted new pictures showing that prices did not change much since last year. But here is one picture taken in the Carrefour Rama4 today that I did not post in the French blog, I kept it for this one. I'm sure the Brits and the Aussies care more about the price of beer than the French do...

...

Read More »

By Thai News on 10/5/2008 12:27 PM

Thailand is the place in South East Asia for cheap clothes, even if not as cheap as it used to be, the competition from China, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia is heating up...

 But well, it still remains pretty cheap by my European standards and a lot of choices, as far as summer clothes are concerned, that is. Governor Palin would have a hard time finding clothes that suit Alaska climate here. But anyway, I do not really think she is into cheap clothes...

So, here are a few pictures I took this morning in a Tesco Lotus in Bangkok. Probably not the cheapest place, I know of a few ones that are cheaper, but how much cheaper can it be?...

Read More »

By Thai News on 9/6/2008 1:09 PM

I actually want to show that there is no revolution in Thailand. The shops still have everything available and are still packed with customers. Pictures have been taken with the phone, so do not expect too much quality...

Let's start with the rice.



The fish section with the fish fillets



 

And some more salmon

...

Read More »

By Thai News on 8/30/2008 11:45 AM

Thailand is experiencing sky high inflation this year. Not the onley country in the world but one that is probably affected more considering the average income of the Thai people is still only a few hundred US$ (barely more than two actually). It has come down a bit lately but anyway, the today prices are still far higher than yesterday prices...

I'm therefore going to give you an updated price list of what you buy everyday in Thailand, updated this morning in the Carrefour supermarket located on Rama 4 in Bangkok (the one you can see the exact location if you click on the small yellow guy on the Farangrakthai pages, if you zoom on him,...

Read More »