A leader of Thien Ha Company, which provides 60,000 helpings of food a day, said that the rations of workers had considerably decreased. Only one of its clients decided to raise the expenses for helpings, while most others have kept the expenses unchanged.

The official said that the quality of meals had become worse, while nutritious meals made from beef and chicken had been weeded out from the menus.

According to the owner of a catering company in Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone (EPZ), with the current price levels, an ‘acceptable’ meal would cost VND7-8,000 ($0.5), while the VND5,500 meal would be served with vegetables only.

However, enterprises still order VND4-5,500/unit helpings for their workers. A company in Tan Thuan EPZ has only raised the expenses for helpings by VND500/unit one time in its 10 years of operation there.

With such a bad quality of meals, workers do not have enough energy to work.

Pham Dong Phuong, who works for a pharmaceutical company and earns VND10mil ($625) a month, said that he had to cut a lot of personal expenses: he dare not go to luxury cafés, and the expenses for breakfast must not be higher than VND10,000 ($0.62), so that he can save up money to buy milk for his son. Mr Phuong said that he dares not go travelling at this moment, though this is his favourite hobby, and he dares not go to parties with friends.

The average income of Vietnamese people is estimated at $700 per capita per year in 2007.

Hoang Phi Khanh, who now works for a foreign company, and has a high income compared to the average income, said that previously she went to shop to have her hair washed two times a week, but now she goes one time only. Previously, she allowed herself to buy two new shirts a month, but she buys only one now, and dares not think of going to the cinema or music and song shows regularly.

Prof Tran Dinh But, Deputy Chairman of the HCM City Economists’ and Managers’ Association, said that not only poor people were becoming more miserable because of the ‘price storm’, well-off families are also facing big difficulties in their daily lives.

Le Anh Lan, Director of Phong An Construction and Service Company, said that previously, she spent VND1.8mil on milk and rice flour soup, VND3.5mil on food and breakfast, and VND197,000 on gas. If counting other expenses, she previously had to pay some VND8mil ($500) a month (not including the expenses for parties and travel). Now she has to pay some VND10mil in total as the prices have increased by 20-30%, and she has to cut a lot of expenditures, or buy cheap products.

Nguyen Thu Huyen, the owner of the barber shop on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street in district 3, HCM City, related that she could earn VND15mil a month ($937), but she has had to tighten her belt because she has to feed her old mother and younger sister.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Hoang on Ly Thuong Kiet street, district 11, HCM City, said that he had to delay the construction of his house indefinitely, due to rocketing construction material prices.

Source: Tuoi tre.