Thai households' monthly bills high despite falling fuel prices: TPSO

The average household expenditure dropped in line with the country’s headline inflation in May. Inflation dropped sharply to 0.53% in May, the lowest in 21 months, from 2.67% in the previous month.

The key contributor to this trend was the drop in fuel prices, TPSO said this week.

However, it said, despite the drop, Thai families’ household bills are still quite high, above the 18,000 baht range.

Average expenditure in January stood at 18,190 baht per month, which dropped slightly to 18,153 baht in April, it added.

Household expenditure was divided into seven categories, namely food and non-alcoholic beverages; clothing; residential expenses; medical and personal services; transport and communication; education and entertainment; tobacco and alcoholic beverages.

In May, the biggest expense for Thai families was in the transport and communication category (public transport, fuel and mobile phone fees), which came in at 4,170 baht.

Residence-related expenses like rent, power bills, cooking gas and household items, came in second at 3,922 baht.

Monthly food bills, meanwhile, were divided into 1,704 for meat, 1,065 for fruits and vegetables and about 1,254 for meals outside.

TPSO reckoned about 41.97% of household spending lies in the food and non-alcoholic beverages category.

Expenses that drop slightly in May include fuel prices, power bills and the price of electrical appliances. Costs that rose were cooking gas, public transportation, tuition fees and personal services like haircuts and other grooming services.

The office believes the average household expenditure in June will continue to drop in line with the downward trend of inflation.

The Commerce Ministry, meanwhile, maintains its headline inflation rate of between 1.7% and 2.7% this year.