With the military now firmly in charge of politics, Pattaya-area business owners want the junta to use their new authority to impose price controls on everything from food to gasoline.
The lifting of the curfew in Pattaya has meant that people from other parts of the country are streaming into the area, especially on weekends. This has caused an increase in traffic, but perhaps more importantly, also seems to be having an impact on local prices.
Thepprasit Market retailer Lek Cherdchai says he’s like to see serious action taken to reduce production costs, support employment and promote local products.
Restaurant operator Khaopun Wongkhamlao said that, since the May 22 coup, people are being even more careful about what they spend, so the new military government should prioritize reducing the cost of food and utilities.
A big step, Khaopun said, would be to cut or control the price of raw materials used by restaurants to prepare meals. He surmised that, since traffic has increased so much, people working full time jobs have no time to cook for themselves. If they eat out every meal, they could spend 150 baht a day on food while making only the 300 baht daily minimum wage.
Thepprasit Market retailer Lek Cherdchai wants to see serious action taken to reduce production costs, support employment and promote local products. Lek suggested that it might even be good for the military to set up a government market within the city that would offer reduced rental rates, making it easier and more profitable for the vendors to sell their local goods.
Motorbike taxi driver Theeradet Phongphetphan says he wants to see government controls on the price of gasoline and petroleum products. He said current prices cause him to charge higher fares, making things worse economically for his customers.
