Thai officials say price of bagged rice won’t jump

In the midst of the world’s ongoing price inflation, Thailand’s Commerce Ministry says retail prices on bagged rice will not jump. The chairman of the Thai Rice Packers Association said in a meeting yesterday that the association has cooperated with the Internal Trade Department to freeze retail prices.

The Commerce Ministry has noted, however, that some sellers could reduce promotional discounts. The Internal Trade Department’s director-general, Wattanasak Sur-iam, says the department will continue to closely monitor prices on the product. He has urged buyers to notify the department’s hotline 1569 if they feel sellers have ripped them off.

This news comes after Thai officials announced last week that the country will freeze the prices of 46 items. The items are grouped into 9 categories, which are: paper and paper products, transport-related products, farm-related products, petroleum products, medicines, construction materials, “important” farm products, consumer products and food.

Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said that he had instructed governors and commerce officials in all provinces to monitor prices of goods, to prevent traders from hiking the prices of controlled products.

The items include bicycle and car tires, motorcycles and trucks, water pumps, fertiliser, chicken, chicken eggs, and durian, just to name a few. Thailand’s Central Committee on the Price of Goods and Services will keep the prices on the 46 products frozen until the end of June next year, according to Jurin.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post