Thailand Ministry of Commerce implements flood relief and price controls

Supajee Suthamphan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, has ordered strict measures to control the prices of essential goods amid widespread flooding in Thailand. To prevent price gouging and hoarding, provincial commerce offices and the Department of Internal Trade have been instructed to monitor markets and ensure all items are clearly price-tagged. Citizens can report irregularities via the 1569 hotline.

To address supply shortages in flooded areas where commercial vehicles cannot travel, the Ministry of Commerce is coordinating with the Ministry of Defense to use military vehicles for logistics. Recent efforts include transporting fresh food from Kabin Buri, Prachin Buri, to Sa Kaeo province, and delivering necessities to approximately 30,000 affected residents in the Lat Krabang district of Bangkok.

Addressing concerns over slowing purchasing power in the fourth quarter due to floods and fuel prices, Supajee has consulted with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ekniti Nitithanprapas. They plan to allocate approximately 300 million baht from the central budget for the second phase of the ‘Thai Helps Thai’ project. This initiative aims to provide affordable consumer goods to help reduce the cost of living for affected citizens.