HOLDING down the cost of living and ensuring fairness to consumers during the national mourning period is a government priority, said Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, who has instructed the Commerce Ministry to set up a unit to monitor prices every week.
Somkid said Prime Minister Prayut Chan o-cha would lead the Cabinet meeting today as usual, and the cost of living would be at the top of the agenda.
The government will also find measures to stimulate the economy as the nation grieves and people are in no mood to spend their money.
“The government is seriously concerned about the cost of living. The [new Commerce Ministry unit] will report the prices of goods nationwide, and ensure that traders and manufacturers do not overcharge,” Somkid said.
The ministry has been instructed to set up a cost-monitoring office in each of the seven regions of the country in order to decentralise the effort to keep prices in check.
The regional offices will also promote start-up enterprises in each province. As well, the government will promote the “One Tambon, One Smart Farmer” scheme as a way to promote efficiency in trading and marketing at the farm level.
Somkid said he would lead a delegation of businesspeople to Vietnam next month for the ACMECS (Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy) meeting and for bilateral meetings with Vietnamese enterprises.
He will also lead a team of officials to Beijing late this year for a meeting of the Thai-China Joint Committee on Trade, Investment, and Economic Cooperation. The team will seek cooperation with China in various sectors, with an emphasis on increasing Thai e-commerce competency.