End to price controls to be urged
The Joint Public/Private Committee is preparing to propose to the government next month that it consider cancelling the announcement on the control of product prices made by the then Council for Democratic Reform (CDR).
Santi Vilassakdanont, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), said yesterday the panel would meet with Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on November 7 with proposals on resolutions for amending legislation related to the business sector.He said the committee would meet the previous day to finalise the details. "One will be a request to terminate the announcement, made by the CDR last month, prohibiting product prices from being increased," he said. Santi said that over the past month since the military coup, the country's political climate had returned to normal. The process of controlling retail product prices should be back under the authority of the Internal Trade Department at the Commerce Ministry. He added that the FTI was not sure about the process of requesting the cancellation of that announcement, because the CDR has since changed become the Council for National Security. The request should be proposed by Commerce Minister Krirkkrai Jirapaet, he said. However, Santi said, no manufacturers wanted to raise product prices because there was currently a competitive market, especially in the automotive industry. He said he was also concerned about consumers' spending in those provinces which had experienced flooding, adding that the government should quickly find ways to help those affected. The state should also facilitate loans at low interest rates to business operators in the southern provinces, said the FTI chief. The Nation
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