HOME decoration materials have fallen in price, sometimes dramatically – but other building materials have risen, industry sources say.

The price of aluminium imported from Thailand is now about the same as the much lower-quality Chinese aluminium, says U Maung Maung Zay Lin of Zealman decoration.

“Prices are way down – there has been a decrease of about 40 percent since early April,” he said, attributing the cause to a cut in the import rate.

“In the past, Thai-made materials were more expensive than Chinese goods because of their quality. But now the prices are nearly the same,” he said.
Aluminium is widely used for doors and windows frames, partitions and furniture.

U Maung Maung Tun, of Myanmar Thitsar home decoration sale centre, said prices of home decoration materials and accessories, which are mainly imported from China and Thailand, had decreased by about 10-15pc since the end of March.

“The main reason for the decrease is that there is a surplus. Bulk-buying 1000 aluminium rivets can save about K200-K300. Tiles prices are also down by about K80 per tile,” he said.

He said that Thai products, which customers prefer for their quality, were now priced the same as goods from other countries.

But Ma Thet Thet Khine, a construction materials dealer, said that although home decoration materials prices were falling, other supplies, like bricks and cement, were becoming more expensive after Thingyan.

Brick and sand prices were also rising, as is usual during the rainy season, she said. Bricks were now costing K5 more than a few weeks ago.