Nikki Blog

I asked my boyfriend this morning, “at what gasoline price are you going to give up driving?”

His answer was “maybe when it hits 50 baht per litre, then I’ll start taking a taxi”. 

Whether it’s $100/ bbl now for 30 baht/litre of gasoline, or a $200/bbl for 50 baht/litre (taking account of the anticipated dollar depreciation), the oil price will keep going up as long as you keep paying. 

With the surging inflation via food prices and other products, the consumers have yet to step back (or if they have, not in a significant way).  Many countires in Asia, still have oil price subsidies, particularly large consumers such as China, India, Indonesia and Malaysia.  Although China can/wants  to move away from these subsidies, it prefers to buy it off as the Olympics is approaching. 

In the absence of political events, I would expect crude oil prices to slip in the near term due to weaker demand in Europe, but a continued annual increases in oil price until 2010, or whenever my boyfriend decided to stop driving.

For those of you that read my previous article on “politics and oil price at $200” a few weeks ago, and thought I was kidding…. think again when Goldman Sach also agreed with my prediction.  They were right once about $100/barrel, which was predicted a few years back when the oil was still at $40.  How long ago does that feel?

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http://custom.marketwatch.com/custom/myway-com/news-story.asp?guid={4B702F7F-41F8-45F0-A133-630F12F2C764}

Goldman analysts Arjun Murti, Kevin Koh and Michele della Vigna said prices have advanced more quickly than Goldman had forecast back in 2005, when it predicted a range of $50 to $105 a barrel as part of its “super-spike” oil theory.“We characterized the upper end of the band as more likely to be driven by geopolitical turmoil and that recession was a key risk to our view,” the analysts said. “In fact, oil prices have reached $100 a barrel without extraordinary turmoil, and the U.S. currently appears to be in recession.”Tacking on $15 a barrel to all of its oil estimates, Goldman now sees average selling prices of $95 a barrel for 2008, $105 a barrel for 2009 and $110 a barrel for 2010. The high end of its range is now $135 a barrel — but Goldman hinted that prices could be headed even higher. “As the lack of supply growth and price-insulated non-OECD demand suggest a future rebound in U.S. gross domestic product growth or a major oil supply disruption could lead to $150-$200 a barrel oil prices,” Goldman said.”

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Everyone deserves a little photo treat once in a while. And it was my lucky weekend to have a professional photographer (k. Fon) taken pictures for me. After a stressful years of corporate law, Fon decided to pursue a photography career, something which she always wanted to do since high school. She finally took up the courage, and graduated from New England School of Photography, Boston, USA, a well-known photography school in 2007.  Her work with portrait is absolutely fantastic, definitely a rising star in photographer community in Thailand. She has a studio near Ratchayothin if your want your photo taken indoor. Personally I found Fon to be very proactive in her job, and was great at making us relax and doing a natural pose.

Our affections towards ex-prime-minister Thaksin has surpassed the $101 per barrel crude oil price this morning.  With the news that he has landed in Thailand, it’s almost comparable to seeing an oil price peaking above $200 per barrel.  I’m just so thrilled we are now experiencing the $200 oil price economy prematurely.  Because when the oil really reached that price, or shall I say the dollar has depreciated to just a scrap of toilet paper, we know we have seen it worse.

The risk of oil affecting our economy in some way will probably encourage us to change the way we live for the better and to live life in  a more environmentally friendly way.  I’m seriously thinking of investing my money in a bicycle Public company.  Under Thaksin-nominee-ecomony however, the billionaire will be a trillionaire, Thaksinaire will be a gazillionaire, and people like us will continue to accumulate the increasingly rediculous national’s debt. 

I have no doubt that he will win all the allegations in court, after a small tiny dent in his driver’s mother’s billion -baht-bank account. 

Numerous restaurants in Bangkok geared up to Valentine’s day with an extortionately high set menu price.  Not that I have to pay it myself, but I do feel sorry for every guys who have to pick up the bills for dinner tonight.  7/10 restaurants that you call up to book will “force” you into digesting a long extensive course-meal, just so they have a “reason” to charge you more.   Bed Supper Club, for an example, asked for your credit card when you make a reservation, so in case you don’t turn up, and they can charge you for the 7000-baht-course meal that you missed! (I supposed it’s only fair, but it’s the only one out of ten restuarants that we called up that has such a policy) 

My compilation may not cover all the outrageously overpriced food, but feel free to add your own list in the commentary section.

Starting with

1) 100,000 baht at the Millienium Hilton, where you get a six-course meal and a bottle of champagne, served in a Royal suite + a signature spa and a limousine to take you home.  (Anyone with an elementary arithmatic skill can easily work out the seperate cost of these, add them together, and hang on…where did the other zero goes?)

2) Followed by a 5-course set dinner at the Vertigo, at around 12,000 baht per couple.  They even provide one stem of rose (Yes, that will definitely make me want to pick this restaurant.)

3) Pier59 also encouraged you to have a 5-course meal, with fresh oyster and Kobe beef at only 10,000 baht (What a bargain!)

4) The newly opened Angelina’s restaurant at Shangli-La Hotel, enticed you with with a set menu at around 9000 baht.

Now, where could a lowly paid matchmaker like me go?