Thais of Chinese origin spend lesser on Hungry Ghost Festival

BANGKOK, August 9 (TNA) - Thais of Chinese descent on Saturday went shopping, mostly for consumer products, as they prepared to pay respects to deceased ancestors in the annual Hungry Ghost Festival which falls on Sunday. Surveys on food prices at a market on Yaowaraj Road, also known as Bangkok’s Chinatown, found that prices for whole chicken were between Bt400-450, a duck between Bt380-400, pork offering at Bt150, oranges at Bt120 per kilogramme and three apples at Bt100. Shoppers at the market admitted that they had to reduce their spending because income had fallen while commodity prices had increased. Market vendors also admitted that sales for the festival this year have declined as cooking gas prices have gone up. They said they had to increase prices slightly and their businesses were only surviving because most of their existing customers. This year’s general shopping atmosphere at Huay Kwang Market in Bangkok for the Hungry Ghost Festival--which ranks in significance only behind Chinese New Year—was also rather sluggish, as most shoppers were opting to purchase only bare necessities for worshipping. (TNA)