The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) have urged the government to lift the recent decree by the Council for National Security (CNS) in regard to controlling the price of goods, in what they say is a bid to facilitate trading by private enterprise.

They say the government should cancel the decree, because it has caused difficulties for business operators.

TCC and FTI representatives met high-level officials Commerce Ministry yesterday to seek their help.

TCC vice chairman Phongsak Assakul said the decree was no longer necessary, because the country's political climate had returned to normal.

"The government should terminate this decree, because market mechanisms will control price increases while at the same time protecting consumers," he said.

The CNS decree is aimed at prohibiting both increases in product prices and the building up stock over a critical period.

The two organisations sent a letter to Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont earlier this month seeking cancellation of the decree. But with no apparent progress on their problem, the FTI and the TCC yesterday sought Commerce Ministry help.

While meeting ministry officials, they also raised the problem of rising rates for insurance policies throughout the southern provinces of Narathiwat, Yala, Pattani and Satun, plus some districts of Songkhla.

FTI vice chairman Nipon Surapongrakcharoen said 500-600 private operators in those areas, mostly small- and medium-sized enterprises, were suffering from high insurance rates.

They want the government to help reduce the cost of general insurance policies to a special rate. The two bodies have called on insurance companies to collect only 0.1 per cent of the sum insured as a policy fee rather than the recently increased rate of 0.6 per cent. At the same time, they want the government to help raise premium income for insurance companies in the high-risk southern provinces from Bt50 million to Bt100 million.

Yesterday's meeting also called on the government to set up a special committee to follow up on the effects of trade barriers on exporters.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation