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Published on February 18, 2008

Commerce Minister Mingkwan Sangsuwan will meet 250 consumer-goods manufacturers to convince them to cut prices. Top executives of the country's leading consumer-goods manufacturers are expected to attend. The companies include the Sahaphat Group, Unilever, Colgate-Palmolive, P&G, the CP Group, rice packers, Dutchmill, Foremost and "modern retailers", the big supermarkets and chains.

Mingkwan said last week that the plan would not affect manufacturers as it would be based on "fair conditions" agreed between the ministry and firms. He has already ordered the Internal Trade Department to study the production costs of 30 items.

The ministry will report the results of the study soon and explore how private enterprises can decrease their retail prices painlessly.

Products expected to have lower prices are packaged rice, dairy products, instant noodles, wheat flour, many ready-to-eat foods, pork, detergents, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, sanitary napkins, electric batteries, pulp, craft paper, corrugated paper, car batteries, passenger cars, small trucks, motorcycles, cooking gas, cement, electric wire, steel rods, structured steel, steel bars, fertiliser, pesticides, animal feed and mobile-phone fees.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation