TikTok star Phattaradej ‘Top’ Luechai, 29, who became famous for sharing his extreme frugal monthly meal prep for himself and his partner due to inflation, poses next to stored food for one month to illustrate his tight budget grocery shopping under $109 on his channel, in Samut Prakan province, Thailand, August 29, 2022. REUTERS
BANGKOK — A Thai TikToker’s tips on grocery shopping on a budget of just 4,000 baht ($109) a month are attracting thousands of followers amid a global food crisis as the southeast Asian nation grapples with its highest inflation in more than a decade.
Phattaradej ‘Top’ Luechai, 29, creates bite-sized videos of himself buying cheap food in bulk, preparing it in small portions, and trying out different menus for his viewers.
“If I don’t live this lifestyle, I will not have any savings left,” he says, adding that many of his nearly 100,000 followers are middle-class Thais, hoping to save for the future.
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