BANGKOK, May 14 – The Cabinet on Monday agreed to not control prices of cooked meals, for it would be difficult and consumers can choose where to buy their food depending on personal taste, quantity, and quality, Deputy Prime Minister/Finance Minister Kittirat Na-Ranong said.
Price controls on some cooked items were previously proposed for Cabinet consideration by the Ministry of Commerce.
The Cabinet assigned the Commerce Ministry to cooperate with related agencies to closely monitor the prices of cooked meals in order to prevent merchants to mark up their prices and to reflect the real production cost. Mr Kittirat said it should be acceptable if goods prices are adjusted for a short period in accordance with seasonal changes.
Meanwhile, Energy Minister Arak Chonlatanon said the latest National Energy Policy Committee meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister/Finance Minister Kittirat, postponed for another three months a monetary contribution toward benzene 91, 95 and LPG to the state oil fund in order to cut costs for the public.
Mr Arak said oil prices in the world market have continued to fall, so entrepreneurs cannot claim expensive energy prices in order to increase their product prices.
Deputy Permanent-Secretary Kurujit Nakornthap said the committee postponed the planned increase of LPG and NGV prices for the transport sector for another three months.
