The Thai Weinerschnitzel COLA Index in Thailand...

[Lancelot]

I love Weinerschnitzel (even if I can't spell it...)

However, when I first deplaned in Thailand around January 2003, I could get an EXCELLENT Weinerschitnzel meal including fried potatos, salad and small Beer Chang for B130 or $3.25 USD @ B40/USD. Today I enjoyed my same beloved WS meal at the same restaurant but the price had increased to B190 and in USD terms -gulp- $5.43 @ B35/USD.

Yeah, I know it's still cheap compared to USA or other developed nation prices, but that does not matter to me, I live in Thailand and it is a whopping 67% increase for old Lance.

My personal budget in USD terms is now about $15k per year, up $3k from when I first arived. Of course on a month to month basis I have spent as little as $750 / month to over $2,000, depending on how much travel and/or night life I had partaken in and who was visiting me.

Don't get me wrong, I love living abroad, but the cost of doing so is increasingly on the rise :

Lance (Happily stuffed full of WS...)

 

[MasterBlaster]

Only about 30% or so of the price increase can be attributed to the weak dollar. In 2003 the exchange rate was around ~43 TBhat per dollar. Today it's around 33 Thbhat per dollar for a drop of around 30 percent or so.

So part of your junk food pain is exchange rate and part is der InflationSchnitzel

 

[modhatter]

Lancelot,

You should see what's happening here (US) This 3% inflation rate here is a joke. I am constantly remodeling my rental properties and I can tell you that materials are up 50 to 75% on most things. Prices are increasing here daily, so though I agree that is a big jump (your restaurant meal) - You are still way ahead of the game there. $15,000 a year here would only buy a family health insurance and maybe gas for the year.

 

[Lancelot]

So part of your junk food pain is exchange rate and part is der InflationSchnitzel

No argument there

Lancelot,You should see what's happening here (US) This 3% inflation rate here is a joke. I am constantly remodeling my rental properties and I can tell you that materials are up 50 to 75% on most things. Prices are increasing here daily, so though I agree that is a big jump (your restaurant meal) - You are still way ahead of the game there. $15,000 a year here would only buy a family health insurance and maybe gas for the year.

Yes but...

OK, I hear what you are saying.

But why couldn't the Weinerschitznel Index track the McDonalds Index?!? A regular hamburger is still B19, same as when I first arrived :

 

[Nords]

But why couldn't the Weinerschitznel Index track the McDonalds Index?!? A regular hamburger is still B19, same as when I first arrived :

Are you sure you want to know what "meat" is in either of those higher-priced items?

I think I'll stick to pad thai...

 

[PPT]

2 hour oil massage for 800THB.

That would cost me at least $160USD and some very dirty looks.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Are you sure you want to know what "meat" is in either of those higher-priced items?

I think I'll stick to pad thai...

Be careful of what you ask for !

Along those lines I post the following news item from Korea...


SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA -- Fans attending World Cup soccer matches in South Korea this summer will be offered free hot dogs, but there's a catch.

The franks will be made with real dog meat.

The National Dog Meat Restaurant Association said it wants to take the world stage to "promote dog meat as a food and end the prejudice against it," spokesman Choi Han-kwon told Reuters news service.

Choi said the group also would be handing out free samples of spicy dog stew and a dog-meat tonic juice.

I guess they would call that a Jindo-Dog. Mmmmm

 

[Lancelot]

2 hour oil massage for 800THB.

That would cost me at least $160USD and some very dirty looks.

Hmmmmm, I last paid B200 for a two hour traditional Thai massage in Bangkok.

Are you sure you want to know what "meat" is in either of those higher-priced items?

I think I'll stick to pad thai...

The price or Pad Thai has remained at B25 per dish at my local plastic chair restaurant.

Oh, I asked about the "origins" of the meat and I was assured that both establishments were 100% canine free (They didn't mention rats, kangaroos, buffalos...)

Lance

 

[kramer]

Wow. At my local eat-in Mexican fast food restaurant here in downtown San Jose, California, which has benches better than plastic chairs, I get a Super Burrito (carne asada) for $4.99, tax included. This is all I can eat and I have a decent appetite. I just drink water with it which they provide (chilled).

At my other excellent, just remodeled Mexican fast food restaurant with real booths to sit in, I get an even better Super Burrito (carne asada) with a large Horchata (my favorite sweetened rice drink/juice) for $5.93, tax included.

At my local McDonald's, I can get a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Large Fries, Medium Diet Coke for $4.97 including tax.

Yesterday, I went more upscale to a chain fast food restaurant since I was out and about. Again a Super Burrito that was quite good and big, chips, real salsa bar, large drink, for $7.95, tax included. That was a little upscale for me, so I probably won't repeat since there are better deals to be had at my usual Mexican haunts above.

Kramer

 

[sendbaht]

Interesting stuff Sir Lancelot.

See you for that beer in Sept.

 

[chinaco]

We are keeping our exports alive via the weak $... But it is hurting us in other ways.

Isn't it amazing how the last 7 years have just put the US in the world crapper!

 

[Lancelot]

Wow. At my local eat-in Mexican fast food restaurant here in downtown San Jose, California, which has benches better than plastic chairs, I get a Super Burrito (carne asada) for $4.99, tax included. This is all I can eat and I have a decent appetite. I just drink water with it which they provide (chilled).

At my other excellent, just remodeled Mexican fast food restaurant with real booths to sit in, I get an even better Super Burrito (carne asada) with a large Horchata (my favorite sweetened rice drink/juice) for $5.93, tax included.

At my local McDonald's, I can get a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Large Fries, Medium Diet Coke for $4.97 including tax.

Yesterday, I went more upscale to a chain fast food restaurant since I was out and about. Again a Super Burrito that was quite good and big, chips, real salsa bar, large drink, for $7.95, tax included. That was a little upscale for me, so I probably won't repeat since there are better deals to be had at my usual Mexican haunts above.

Kramer

Great prices Kramer! Good to know that there are still bargains to be had back home

 

[audreyh1]

OK - my mind is still reeling from the concept that you can get proper Weinerschnitzel in Thailand!

Audrey

 

[modhatter]

Sure they didn't give you the "gringo" menu? All kidding aside, that doesn't sound like a typical Thai dish, so perhaps the Weinerschnitzel had to be imported. Just a thought.

 

[megacorp-firee]

OK - my mind is still reeling from the concept that you can get proper Weinerschnitzel in Thailand!

Audrey

forget 'proper' ... it's amazing to me that you can get anything that resembles WS in thailand...

 

[Nords]

OK - my mind is still reeling from the concept that you can get proper Weinerschnitzel in Thailand!

All kidding aside, that doesn't sound like a typical Thai dish, so perhaps the Weinerschnitzel had to be imported.

forget 'proper' ... it's amazing to me that you can get anything that resembles WS in thailand...

Hence my cynical assessment of the pedigree and the ingredients...

The price or Pad Thai has remained at B25 per dish at my local plastic chair restaurant.

Well, that's good. We have a slug of international investments against a falling dollar, but I'm still amazed at how quickly the dollar's collapsed against the baht. I don't care about being priced out of Venice but I'd hate to lose Thailand.

Hmmmmm, I last paid B200 for a two hour traditional Thai massage in Bangkok.

It's even better to know that the best things in life are still cheap!

One day I'm going to "import" a Thai massage business to our neighborhood. I'll be able to stagger out of a tae kwon do practice, go through the showers enroute next door, and start the healing immediately...

 

[Lancelot]

OK - my mind is still reeling from the concept that you can get proper Weinerschnitzel in Thailand!

Audrey

Oh but you can because there are so many German tourists here.

Sure they didn't give you the "gringo" menu? All kidding aside, that doesn't sound like a typical Thai dish, so perhaps the Weinerschnitzel had to be imported. Just a thought.

I doubt it was imported meat, but with substantial numbers of tourists here the enterprising Thais rise to meet the market demands. The potatoes were fried with bits of egg, bacon and onion, complete with a small salad flavored with that bitter vinegar like dressing that compliments the dish so well IMHO.

Actually I also ate some delicious German food in the Philippines as well. Same deal, substantial numbers of German tourists there also

But the Brits, Australians and Americans were wolfing der chow down too

 

[HFWR]

I once had a pizza in a German restaurant in Japan...

 

[Nords]

I once had a pizza in a German restaurant in Japan...

With corn & squid on top, like the Yokosuka Shakey's?

 

[haha]

Oh but you can because there are so many German tourists here.
I doubt it was imported meat, but with substantial numbers of tourists here the enterprising Thais rise to meet the market demands. :

My guess would be that the meat might be pork-thus Schweineschnitzel! I have a German friend who ran a delicatessen/restaurant and served this. He correctly identified it on the menu- but he told me that much of what we order in America restaurants as weinerschnitzel is actually pork. I started making it at home. I'd slice a cutlet off a fresh pork leg, or bone out a top loin and slice it really thin.

Really really good! I sometimes made "veal" marsala with pork too.

Ha

 

[Lancelot]

My guess would be that the meat might be pork-thus Schweineschnitzel! I have a German friend who ran a delicatessen/restaurant and served this. He correctly identified it on the menu- but he told me that much of what we order in America restaurants as weinerschnitzel is actually pork. I started making it at home. I'd slice a cutlet off a fresh pork leg, or bone out a top loin and slice it really thin.

Really really good! I sometimes made "veal" marsala with pork too.

Ha

I think you are probably correct. The pork in Thailand is good but the beef is, well...

Some of the restaurants here offer Schweineschnitzel on the menu at about the same price. My "Weinshhnitzel" meal is presented well, tastes delicious and -despite my complaining- can still be had for a reasonable price.

With corn & squid on top, like the Yokosuka Shakey's?

The Thais must love corn too because they use is as a pizza topping as well. I have even seen it sprinkled on ice cream :

 

[Sam]

Hmmmmm, I last paid B200 for a two hour traditional Thai massage in Bangkok.

Would a native Thai pay the same price for the same service at the same place?

Would his/her price be lower for the same service at another place where "farangs" don't frequent as often?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

We have a fast food chain around here called weinerschnitzel...primarily bad hot dogs and even worse hamburgers.

http://www.wienerschnitzel.com/

That'd make for a fairly equitable replacement for the macdonalds index.

 

[HFWR]

Hard to beat the Costco buck-fifty hotdog and drink...

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

...but its no weinerschnitzel...