Commerce Ministry to Organize Low-Cost Campaign to Provinces Devastated by Flood

The Commerce Ministry is prepared to host the low cost product Blue Flag Fair, from November 19 to December 15 in several northern and the northeastern provinces that were hit hard by floods.

At the same time, the ministry is warning retailers against unjustified price hikes.

A large number of shoppers showed up for the Blue Flag Fair that was held from November 9 to 15 for farmers from areas that were severely affected by the flood crisis.

The fair was organized to help farmers sell products as well as to provide cheap goods for locals in the area.

A vegetable farmer from Ratchaburi province said that many of his crops were destroyed in the flood.

However, he said that his losses have been minimized because he has been able to sell about two tons of products per day at the fair, giving him about 30,000 baht in income per day.

Additionally, many exporters, who have been affected by the appreciating baht, have also been selling their goods at the fair, which was attended by more than 400,000 shoppers during the past five days.

The organizer expects at least 500,000 shoppers to attend the fair during its last day today, and for it to generate more than 300 million baht.

Fair-attendees have also asked that this type of fair be organized monthly to ease their cost of living expenses.

Permanent Secretary of the Commerce Ministry, Yanyong Puangraj said after observing the fair's success, that they will host a similar campaign, which will run from November 19 to December 15 in the northern and the northeastern provinces that were hard hit by the flood.

The ministry will organize a three day low cost fair in Nakhon Ratchasima province in the Northeast.

In the South, the fair will be held at Songkhla, Pattani, Phattalung, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani provinces.

The permanent-secretary has also explicitly ordered the Department of Interior Trade to inspect retailers they suspect of taking advantage of the situation by unreasonably hiking prices in areas devastated by the flood after having been informed by wholesalers that the price of goods will remain unchanged until December 31.

Any retailer found to have violated price regulations could face maximum penalty of 140,000 baht, or a 7 year prison sentence.

-- Tan Network 2010-11-15

Good move and good luck to the farmers and those affected.