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Adrees Latif / Reuters
Royal Consort Princess Srirasmi, left, and Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana take part in the pre-funeral ceremony for Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej's late sister Princess Galyani Vadhana in Bangkok in October 2008. Srirasmi recently spent time shopping for antiques in Britain.
LONDON -- A Thai princess stripped the shelves and rang up around $40,000 through the tills of an English antiques center during an eight-hour shopping spree, storeowners said.
Antiques dealers in Battlesbridge, in the southeastern English county of Essex, said Royal Consort Princess Srirasmi of Thailand scooped up hundreds of items and paid for them -- on the spot and in cash – during her visit on Friday.
'Masses and masses of it'
The princess purchased a variety of antiques, including china tea sets, silverware and oil lamps.
“The princess was just choosing things that took her fancy. ... Very decorative items -- but masses and masses of it,” another dealer said.
The princess visited the antiques market accompanied by the Thai Ambassador Kitti Wasinondh, 15 assistants and the royal physician.
Local shopkeepers said they had no prior warning, although a few months ago they were told that a group of VIPs might be visiting in the near future.
“Other celebrities come here from time to time but, yes, that was a bit of an exception,” one local businessman said.
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By the time the princess and her entourage swept out of Battlesbridge in blacked-out limousines, most of the shelves in the antiques market were left bare, witnesses said.
Most of the items Princess Srirasmi purchased were priced between $15 and $60, local business owners said.
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Leave a Comment:
$40K/8 hours = 2600 items/day at $15/item. She bought 325 items hour or over 5 items a second!
To her credit, the items were all reasonably-priced between $15-60. Someone with "princess" money could have done a lot more damage... say, $40,000 in one go with a ring or necklace, and then kept on along that vein, blowing a few million "just because."
Glad the antiques store got to benefit from the visit!
Her husband is going to say, "You spent HOW much?" LOL. He's going to cut her off.
Truthfully, I don't think $40,000 is really that much in terms of English antiques and purportedly buying "masses and masses" of them. Remember Michael Jackson? He flew through a shop and spent MILLIONS.
$40K ain't what it used to be..I've got ex'z that can blow through more than that in a morning.
I bet these purchases will be handed out as gifts. Surely the Thai Princess doesn't need all this garage sale type stuff in her home.
Her name isn't Surely.
Yeah? Well, your name isn't cheetah.
Snow Globes and London 2012 olympic items.
she's pretty hot too.....wouldn't mind Thai'in one on with her
JFC
Sounds like you desire to work on the Thai Railway - in no time at all, you could be laying thais all day long!
You might even get to drive the last spike.
Sounds like you boys definitely want to Phuket.
ugh :)
you don't want to go near that. it will draw the life right out of you.
Ah the ruling elite. Take the people's money and buy all the crap for their mansions.
At least this "ruling elite" didn't walk in to a high-end store and start buying things priced in the three-to-four-digit range. She chose an antiques store and helped out the business.
The royal family of Thailand doesn't rule the country
I was half just being a smartass, half serious. I dont actually care.
There are lovely Thai antiques and many Thais who could use some help. If a Princess does not like the art of her own subjects but preferscheap farang stuff - she certainly has not been educated very well.
Its a good thing that I am a plutophile.
You collect Disney dogs?
PLOUTOS (or Plutus) was the Greek god of wealth.
As a plutophile I love wealth and wealthy people.
(Or, as the Supply Sergeant said, "What's mine is mine and what's yours is negotiable.")
Gifts for supporters and courtiers...not stuff for herself.
Why does it have to be cheap Western stuff ? Have you seen those beautiful Thai antiques ? They are equisite.
Because "cheap Western stuff" is a novelty. They already have Thai stuff.
Oh yes, what a wonderful story. Yet another "royal" despot going on shopping sprees to throw money away like water in Europe, while her third world subjects starve daily. But she's "hot", and they are "gifts for courtiers", so I guess it's all good...
@Jay, i bet you never step a single foot in Thailand. And you know nothing of Thai culture. They have an unemployment rate of under 1% And their economy is doing well. Just so you know.
Jay: you're talking about the U.S. ?
Thailand is not a 3rd world that was like 20 years ago!
Compared to US standards, they're poor. Because we are still one the richest country on Earth, bringing in ~40,000$ per year and ranking #7 on the top 10. Thailand on the other hand brings in about ~9,700$ per year. So we are on average 4 and a quarter times richer than the average person there. But for them, that's quite normal and they're doing quite well over there. 20-odd years ago it wasn't all that great, but they're coming along quite nicely.
Question is, where would you want to live, America or Thailand? Without a doubt Thailand. So much for US Standards. Can't think of one reason I would rather be in America, instead of Thailand. Thailand has very attractive, in shape women compared to obese american women, and that is just one shiny example of why Thailand is so attractive.
Leave Ayutthaya to the Thai.
Jay Educate yourself !! you have millions of americans that ARE STARVING, and people like your hollywood stars who brings nothing to society, or politicians that go on shopping sprees spending millions !!! Does michael jackson rings a bell ?
So it's ok for rich american to spend while their citizens are dying because they cannot afford health care, or are starving, but not ok for people from other countries ??
You're a moron, like most americans !
Umm, @americanfools2008. NOTHING and I mean This has absolutely NOTHING to do with Amercians starving, Hollywood, etc. Nothing do with Americans at all. Thai princess buys stuff from a store in London.
As far as educated, my friend, that I am. And I get your point, you are right. So let's place them all in the same category, then. By your own words, she is one of those "politicians that go on shopping sprees spending millions !!!"
americanfools2008,
And, where are you from? England or France? The epitome of arrogance. Or are you just another liberal that wants the one percent to pay the way for everyone else?
40K, cash.. thats a great day for a store, ESPECIALLY when your items are going for $15-60 dollars.
The prices are probaly Euro not USD...
Anyway what does the #3 wife do with her free time???
Thai women are beauties and more receptable. No wonder so many farangs who are unable to find women in their own countries choose to live in Thailand.
i dont know what kind of antiques sell for that much, probably the fake made in china ones that cost less than a dollar to make. she might think she got a bargain at least.
Somebody's been watching too much Antique Roadshow
Trickle down effect?
What kind of "antiques" can be bought for $15 to $60?
Most of these items probably were not antiques, but reproductions of antiques.
~ alan3008
That is why the word antiques is in emphasis quotes.
Looks kind of like Michelle Yeoh from that angle.
Great day for the antique dealer--yay!
What a SHAME. Most of the people in her Country are dirt poor, living in huts and making about $2 a day. This MATERIALISTIC princess probably was wearing designer clothes, with all the important 'logos' in the right places as she foolishly spent $40,000 on things she didn't really need.
How about spending $40,000 on the poor children in your Country who can't go to school because their family can not afford school books ???
How about giving $40,000 to help the elderly in your Country who live alone and never have enough food to eat ???
How about giving $40,000 to build a small health clinic in some impoverished district in your Country ???
How many Rolls Royce & Mercedes automobiles does your family have ???
Most of the people in your Country work hard to be able to buy a motorcycle to drive to work.
SHAME ON YOU.
The percentage of the population living below the national poverty line decreased dramatically from 42.21 in 1988 to 7.75 in 2010, according to Wikipedia.
I would say your generalizations about the population of Thailand are wrong, or at least, outdated.
You travel much ?
The Thai's now have FREE medical care, EMS is almost everywhere, and even small villages have a resident LPN that can do almost everything a US Doctor can...
The Thai's school prior to college is FREE to ALL children. Plus many 4+year college degrees are FREE to Thai's, mainly, health care, teaching, and other service occupations. Doctors receive a FREE, usually western education...
The Thai elderly now have Social Security payments, that start @ 60. In Thai society, the children are judged on how well they take care of their parents...
Thai farmers pay NO TAXES, cooking NG is sold @ 25% below cost, and diesel fuel taxes are almost nothing...
The Thai government (Yingluck - Red Shirts)) just raised the minimum wage 30%...
Cost of living examples; utilities -$30/mo, car insurance - $100/yr, technical 4+yr college - $2,500/yr, a meal averages $1, fuel $1-liter, rent outside BKK 3br/2bath - $250/mo. Prices in USD...
Come to Thailand and get away from the tourist areas...
Just like the USA is nothing like NYC, Detroit, or Hollywood. The real Thailand is nothing like BKK, Phuket, or Pattaya...
With such good social benefits offered, no wonder undersirable farangs flock to take up residentship in Thailand.
Interesting reading about farang: http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/Reader/reader1844.htm
Henrich von Dorf,
Enjoy those 60+% taxes and cold in Canada...
I'll enjoy the ZERO taxes and 45+degree F temperatures in the winter...
BTY - My and the families health care, is supplied FREE by the US Government...
BTY - I have been married 8+years to a Isan Thai. I will have nothing to do with the BKK beauties, unless you like; short, fat, bleached-out women, that think a Chinese is what they want to look like...
If you look at the world preception of Thailand, it is the tall Isan women, with NO chinese heratage...
Forty grand is nothing for royalty to spend on a fun time. Nobody has yet divulged what Prince Andrew spent in Las Vegas during his naked episode, but it is rumored to have been something like $200,000 over three days.
To be fair to the princess, I'm sure that royalty need to give out lots of gifts. So she discovered a cool marketplace with lots of cheap, nice gifts and stocked up. It's better than the alternative, which would probably have entailed commissioning Tiffany's to produce something like a custom silver elephant figurine in the same quantity, and for a lot more than $15-60 per...
The Thai currency (baht) was devalued drastically in 1997 and has not really recovered.
Anyway, just wait until King Bhumibol dies (he has been staying in the hospital for several years, because of illness AND he is afraid to leave the hospital because he fears for his safety. His brother was killed in a power play years ago. Some Thai people claim that the Queen -who used to be a nurse before marrying the King- had a hand in that assination). There will be a big problem when the King dies and Faichai (the King's only son) wants to claim that he is now the King. The Thai people hate the little 'playboy' Faichai.
Oh, by the way, the Thai King and the Thai government don't want the Thai people to know this, but, the Thai King is an American ! Yes, he was born in Boston, USA !!! The King's father was studying in collage in Boston and the King was born in the USA !!!
Yes, it is true, the Royal Family & the other few 'elite' members of Thailand like to keep the rest of the Country ignorant and simple. But, it is a little harder to do that now that it used to be.
Sawadee.
The Thai Baht devaluation was fueled by the speculators. George Soros, the US Democrats poster child, was one of them. Soros cancels trip to Thailand due to threats. see - http://thailandquestions.com/thai-nightlife-and-entertainment/george-soros-hated-in-thailand.htm ...
Birth in the USA does not automatically make you a US Citizen. There are many exceptions, born to foreign diplomats, is just one of them...
Thailand's GDP was 10.8 % in March of 2012 and INCREASING, the US GDP was 1.3% and FALLING...
With the next QE (Obama & Fed) coming, the USD is going to be worthness...
You are right mike krebbs. But why waste that knowledge on the american sheep? They are too ignorant and could care less. The baht has rebounded well against the dollar since the smirking chimp from texas screwed all Americans. Still I was able to buy two brand new SUV's last year in Thailand. And got lucky and did not have to wait for delivery six months later. Ahhhh, the pleasures of Thailand.
I am pretty sure these princesses spent their hard earned money!
Mike Krebbs is correct, $40,000.00 would buy a lot of rice, food and medical care. The country is flooded with water and the government does little to relieve the problem. That money could be used in a much better way.
A lot of grandstanding here showing how rich the rich are. The poor are waist deep in water.
I'm sitting in Rangsit, just north of BKK, NO WATER problems, even the expected rain did not materialize. The trip into BKK last week, showed NO FLOODING between Issan & BKK..
According to the reports the dams are @ normal water levels & BKK just reported that the refurbished drainage system worked...
Historically the Thais spend 10% of their GDP every year on maintaining their infrastructure and the Kings flood control system. After the military take-over and the Democrat rule for 5+years, the money spent on maintenance fell to 5%, with large increases in military spending...
Plus the deforestation in northern Thailand due to increased ethanol production. Another Democrat poster child, the floods have increased...
Last year 80% of the flooding was caused by BKK (Democrat controlled) refusing to open the canal flood control gates. Instead flooded the areas north and east of BKK. All of this has been reported in the Thai Media...
BTY - Last year my rented house north of BKK had 1.5+m of water & it had never experienced any flooding in that area...
Thailand's GDP was 10.8 % in March of 2012 and the banking system was not effected by the derivatives trading, due to the government banking regulations...
Is there local flooding that occurres in the known flood areas, that occur EVERY YEAR??? YES, but Thai's, build houses on stilts for a reason. Central Thailand and BKK are built on a river delta...
The Bangkok Post, 9Oct2012/11, is reporting that BKK has been placing sand-bags into the drainage system...
Hard to argue with video & Media coverage of the marked/ID on the bags being removed from the cities drain system...
The BKK (Democrats) are stating they were placed there for storage or redirecting the water. You know the same thing that a water gate does. Just trying to save money, easier to throw in bags that close a gate... Ha! Ha!
BTY - After a bus trip back to Isan yesterday, no flooding encountered. In fact the local village and others are supplying water, due to their municipal wells being dry. The Isan rice crop has been decimated due to lack of rain this summer...
There will always be a rich person no matter what country you look to. So why did they write this article in this manner? I think it is to make people hate rich people. Just another way for the so called news outlets to get their sneeky agenda into your life. Why do you hate her all you haters? Because she has money and spent some? And I do not know any store that would complain about bare shelves after they sold all their goods. That is why they are there and have the things in the first place, right?
The royal family of Thai is rich, like other royal family. They are possible thinking some royal members may study there or stay there.
but this not really a princess; she is a concubine.
She was made a 'Princess' by Royal Decree, after she had a son by the Prince...
Royalty is a prevarication! It is an obscene lie to con the people out of hard earned money so the parasites can live without producing. Royalty is a concept that creates imagined superiority and only fools believe in it. Needless to say, there are too many fools.
elithian, your comment made write this as it sounds very acceptable to me. If I add further, each and every country has a few % of people whom are called 'elite' are parasites... live without producing.
Hey, think of it this way: She just dropped a lot of money into the economy where she did the shopping. A lot. That means a lot of workers are going to get paid and a lot of businesses are going to have a better shot at being in the black instead of in the red this week. So hey, if someone walks in my place and wants to buy a lot of stuff, I'll take it. That means everyone working there is getting helped by her buying stuff.
Plus, she's a cutie.
except for the people back in thailand.
who the royals stole the money from....
just where do these royals get the nerve anyways?
(opps, sorry. forgot i was speaking in the UK...)