Comments on: Thailand is Expensive! http://www.thailandmusings.com/thailand-is-expensive/ Thoughts of Thailand - the Land of Smiles Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:32:13 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Jim http://www.thailandmusings.com/thailand-is-expensive/comment-page-1/#comment-52483 Jim Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:48:39 +0000 http://www.thailandmusings.com/?p=503#comment-52483 Your correct in the value of the dollar when I was there at the end of Oct. it was around 34 BAHT to the dollar, when I left it was 33 BAHT to the dollar. Six years ago I was getting around 45 to 48 BAHT to the dollar but relatively speaking it's still cheap to vacation there, as long as you don't have to eat western food each meal. We do most of cooking at home Thai for the most part. Try and grill out 3 or 4 times a week and it's usually Sea Food which as you know is a bargain there. The Thai government is saying that it will get down to around 32 to the dollar. I'm hoping that our government will do something about the drop in the dollar before it's to late. I'm hoping that when I get there in Feb/Mar that it's on the way back up at least to 33 to 34 range but only time will tell. Your correct in the value of the dollar when I was there at the end of Oct. it was around 34 BAHT to the dollar, when I left it was 33 BAHT to the dollar. Six years ago I was getting around 45 to 48 BAHT to the dollar but relatively speaking it’s still cheap to vacation there, as long as you don’t have to eat western food each meal. We do most of cooking at home Thai for the most part. Try and grill out 3 or 4 times a week and it’s usually Sea Food which as you know is a bargain there. The Thai government is saying that it will get down to around 32 to the dollar. I’m hoping that our government will do something about the drop in the dollar before it’s to late. I’m hoping that when I get there in Feb/Mar that it’s on the way back up at least to 33 to 34 range but only time will tell.

]]> By: Steve http://www.thailandmusings.com/thailand-is-expensive/comment-page-1/#comment-52448 Steve Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:10:07 +0000 http://www.thailandmusings.com/?p=503#comment-52448 I think it's actually a combination of the strong baht and weak dollar. Your Euro is strong now and the weakening has been happening since April when a Euro would get you 1.26. At the current level of 1.50 the Euro is nearing a 5 year high...will it keep going straight through 1.58 (high from July 2008) or will it stall there amidst resistance and come back to more normal levels? What I was really getting at was the difficult task of budgeting based on an ever changing exchange rate. Even when looking at the EUR/THB over the past 5 years it has been as high as 53.68 and as low as 41.15. If you were living in Thailand and expecting 48 baht per Euro you would have been in quite a bind for most of 2007. I think it’s actually a combination of the strong baht and weak dollar. Your Euro is strong now and the weakening has been happening since April when a Euro would get you 1.26. At the current level of 1.50 the Euro is nearing a 5 year high…will it keep going straight through 1.58 (high from July 2008) or will it stall there amidst resistance and come back to more normal levels?

What I was really getting at was the difficult task of budgeting based on an ever changing exchange rate. Even when looking at the EUR/THB over the past 5 years it has been as high as 53.68 and as low as 41.15. If you were living in Thailand and expecting 48 baht per Euro you would have been in quite a bind for most of 2007.

]]> By: Jacco http://www.thailandmusings.com/thailand-is-expensive/comment-page-1/#comment-52444 Jacco Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:31:55 +0000 http://www.thailandmusings.com/?p=503#comment-52444 It's not the strong baht, it's just your dollar that is so crappy ;) the same goes for the pound sterling. The euro is strong, the dollar has also weakenend versus the euro significantly. I now get almost 50 baht for my euro, a year ago this was around 46. I now get 1.50 USD for my euro, a year ago this was around 1.30. It’s not the strong baht, it’s just your dollar that is so crappy ;) the same goes for the pound sterling. The euro is strong, the dollar has also weakenend versus the euro significantly.

I now get almost 50 baht for my euro, a year ago this was around 46.
I now get 1.50 USD for my euro, a year ago this was around 1.30.

]]> By: Steve http://www.thailandmusings.com/thailand-is-expensive/comment-page-1/#comment-52425 Steve Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:35:49 +0000 http://www.thailandmusings.com/?p=503#comment-52425 I should have added the chart. It was around 41 for most of the summer of 2005 and I remember coming in March/April 2006 and getting a bit over 38. Worst of all I remember being there in December 1997 and getting almost 60! Would have been a nice time to be living in Thailand on USD for sure! I should have added the chart. It was around 41 for most of the summer of 2005 and I remember coming in March/April 2006 and getting a bit over 38. Worst of all I remember being there in December 1997 and getting almost 60! Would have been a nice time to be living in Thailand on USD for sure!

]]> By: Vern at ThaiPulse http://www.thailandmusings.com/thailand-is-expensive/comment-page-1/#comment-52424 Vern at ThaiPulse Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:15:45 +0000 http://www.thailandmusings.com/?p=503#comment-52424 Hi Steve, In 5 years I don't remember it being worse than 28 THB per dollar. Usually it's right around 31. Right now - 32 - as of couple days ago anyway. It hasn't gone over 33, 34 for years either. So -the range is more like 28-34. I usually exchange cash if it's higher than 33-34. Otherwise, I hold off. It's good to keep most savings in usd obviously! Hi Steve,

In 5 years I don’t remember it being worse than 28 THB per dollar. Usually it’s right around 31. Right now – 32 – as of couple days ago anyway. It hasn’t gone over 33, 34 for years either. So -the range is more like 28-34. I usually exchange cash if it’s higher than 33-34. Otherwise, I hold off.

It’s good to keep most savings in usd obviously!

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