BANGKOK, 26 April 2012 – The Commerce Ministry has confirmed that there has not been any approval for an increase in the prices of bagged rice.
Department of Internal Trade (DIT) Director-General Vatchari Vimooktayon said that the Commerce Ministry has not agreed to let any rice producer to increase their prices, while no entrepreneurs have notified the ministry about their intention to do so yet.
When asked about rumors on an upcoming 10-baht increase of the 5-kg bag of Hommali rice, Mrs. Vatchari said that the price rise is possible as business operators have been complaining about higher costs as a result of the upward adjustment of the country’s minimum wage and the state-initiated rice pledging scheme.
Regarding other consumer prices, the DIT chief affirmed that the department has been keeping a close eye on all items, whose prices are affected by rising oil prices while assuring that no price has been upped to date.
She went on to say that the Commerce Ministry’s “Favorite Shop” or economical grocery shop project, is now being implemented both in Bangkok and other provinces.
Mrs. Vatchari stated that the actual opening of “Favorite Shop” will begin this week and that more than 4,000 entrepreneurs have registered themselves with the ministry to join in the project.
