Rising cost of living top concern among Thais, survey reveals

Usana Chantarklum, managing director of Ipsos (Thailand), said that global consumer research results over the past 15 months indicated that inflation was the most significant variable causing people to worry, especially in the US.

For Thailand, where the survey covered the past 6 months and involved a sample group of 6,000 people aged 18 and above, representing the demographics across the country,

the top five concerns in the past 6 months were given as follows:

1. 40% percent were most concerned about finances, spending, politics, and corruption, all of which are long-standing issues

2. 39% listed poverty, inequality, and social issues as their main concerns.

3. 29% were anxious about the increasing inflation rate, even though the Bank of Thailand (BOT) has a policy to keep inflation below 4%.

4. 26% were worried about the unemployment rate, and the main factor contributing to…