Bangkok is really the only serious mass consumer market in Thailand, despite Thailand's large population of around 65 Million, 3 times that of Malaysia and 15 times that of Singapore. However Thailand has a substantial rural population living at subsistence levels, and Bangkok accounts for more than 15% of the population

The Thailand National Statistics Office yesterday released figures on household expenditure and income, further reinforcing this.

Bangkok households, and those in the richer provinces of Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, and Samut Prakan earn an average of Bt27,514 (around USD$650) monthly, and spend Bt20,598 (around USD$480). However, nationwide the average is Bt13,418 (USD$320) and Bt10,908 (USD$220). Overall households in Bangkok earn and spend more than double of their provincial brethren. These differences are even more marked when one considers the extremes in income, with a vast majority of farming families in the North and East earning considerably less and a highly cash-rich elite and upper middle class ( a tiny proportion ) accounting for much of this spending.

Expenditure was mainly on "accumulated investments of sizable value" such as land and homes. On the whole, average income rose 5% on a year to year basis, but average household debt rose 12.6% compared to the year 2000, with farm workers reporting that expenses exceeded income by an average of 3%.

The National Statistics Office employed a random survey methodology in each province, based on respondent's self report of income and expenditure in the period spanning January to June this year.

Bangkok, despite low average disposable income compared to other developed neighbouring markets such as Malaysia and Singapore and averages worldwide, does provide opportunities for marketers who spend time on targeting. Even within Bangkok, disposable income varies wildly, and attention to market segmentation and targeting should be rewarding. The averages from the NSO data reported here also does not report the major differences in disposable income within other urban centers such as Chiang Mai, and tourist centres such as Phuket and Pattaya, the latter two catering to the highly profitable tourism industry with available foreign exchange.

Marketers also should pay attention to the risks of rising consumer indebtedness and the non-alignment of a recent consumer spending surge with Thailand debt as a whole, as well as the extent of the effect of the Bali terrorist attack on tourism revenue and the jobs it supports. See also Thailand consumer and economic prospects.