At all events, owners have had to adjust their buying habits to meet the demands of higher living costs. This includes buying standard or economy grades of pet foods as opposed to premium grades.

New buyers too are going for medium-sized and small breeds such as poodles and terriers rather than large breeds like golden and Labrador retrievers.

"We expect the market for food and supplies to grow by between 12 per cent and 15 per cent this year, whereas the market grew 20 per cent last year to over Bt5 billion," said Nantapol Tantiwongampai, president of the Thai Pet Product Industries Association.

Nantapol and Karoon Chaiwongroj, editors of Dogazine, were among the speakers at a seminar on the industry last week at PET Expo Thailand 2006 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.

Nantapol said some people were likely to be concerned about the price of pet food and look for cheaper products as the cost of living soared because of higher transportation costs due to the rise in the price of oil.

"We found that the major group of pet-lovers was in the middle and upper classes and not seriously impacted by economic and political difficulties," said Nantapol.

"More than 200 new pet hospitals and clinics open every year, increasing from 1,500 last year to 1,800 this year. More than 100 new pet shops and grooming shops open every year too, reaching more than 2,000 last year," he said.

Nantapol said there were more than five million pet dogs and one million pet cats in Thailand.

"We estimate there are thousands of dog-breeders in Thailand supplying over 100,000 animals a year," he said.

Karoon said the current economic and political uncertainties had not seriously affected the industry.

"I am also involved in pet hospitals and clinics and have found that the number of cases has not declined with the economy," said Karoon.

He added that the number of pet clinics and pet shops had increased 10-20 per cent this year, leading to tougher competition.

"More than 500 students a year have graduated in veterinary medicine over the past five years, against some 200 previously. This is the policy of major universities. Half of these graduates have opened their own pet clinics or are working in private ones," he said.

Karoon himself has joined up with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to encourage resorts and hotels to allow pets. More than 100 have signed up.

Mongkol Kamprasit, general manager of Pet Focus Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Betagro and producer of Dog'N Joy foods, said many owners had shifted from imported premium products selling at Bt70-Bt80 a kilogram to local standard and economy grades at Bt40-Bt50.

He said that on average owners spent Bt400-Bt500 on dog food a month and welcomed cheaper brands or cut out snacks and vitamins.

Mongkol said the dog-food market in Thailand was worth more than Bt3.6 billion last year, of which about Bt500 million came from premium products and around Bt1.5 billion from standard and economy grades.

Standard and economy grades should grow 10-15 per  cent this year, premium grade no more than 5 per  cent, he said.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation