Cooked food price controls agreed

Published: 14 May 2012 at 12.50
Online news:

The cabinet on Monday agreed in principle for the Commerce Ministry to impose controls on the retail price of cooked foods.

The cabinet instructed Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na Ranong and the Commerce Ministry to first prepare list of popular daily dishes which should be controlled and to recommend what price ranges were considered reasonable. The cabinet would consider the list next week Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom said.

Mr Boonsong said the price controls details would be worked out by the central committee on prices of goods and services chaired by Yanyong Puangraj, the permanent secretary for commerce.

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wantmyony
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Discussion 9 : 14 May 2012 at 22.019
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Its difficult to ask vendors to keep their food prices low for over 3 months when other prices are increasing. Things like rent, cooking gas, cooking oil, raw ingredients etc must be kept low too, selling a cost price or a lost for small food venders is impossible when the restaurants are charging ridiculous prices at even New York look cheap. It will be good if they can set up co-operative for small food venders to buy subsidised cooking oil, gas, sugar etc. This will keep prices low while allowing venders to make profit for their hard work.
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banmebkk
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Discussion 8 : 14 May 2012 at 15.468
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Government can't control what restaurant and local stalls charged per plate for food. If people think its expensive they can just avoid they place. It is not as if these local stalls are making a big profit and rich, these people hardly earn enough to get by the day as well.

Government only has the right to control raw material prices.
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banmebkk
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Discussion 7 : 14 May 2012 at 15.437
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Controlling prices short term does not solve any problem. It just puts the issue off and hopefully people may forget about it.
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bangkokbob
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Discussion 6 : 14 May 2012 at 15.346
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During the combined seven years of the previous Thaksin or Thaksin-proxy governments, no one in government every cracked down on corrupt government officials, no matter that that there is law on corruption. You have to be dreaming to believe they are going to start doing something about corruption now, considering their long history of participating in it.
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lazar
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Discussion 5 : 14 May 2012 at 15.235
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Looking forward to a decent priced hamburger at Burger King for a change.
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bula
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Discussion 4 : 14 May 2012 at 14.304
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This is one measure the government can impose on short term basic. On the long term, I think the government should look into laws related to consumer protection, fair business and income tax laws on submission requirement of business cost and exemption. Commerce ministry should also tighten law on raw material suppliers on cost disclosure. I know tightening of law and enforcing it could attract corruption. But we have law on corruption. Corrupt government enforcement officers should be severely punished.
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moruya
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Discussion 3 : 14 May 2012 at 13.423
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This government has some bizarre ideas.

The biggest producer of rice in the world prices itself out of the market

When other food prices climb, they attempt to fix pricing at cafes and restaurants.

Rather like the schemes we have seen by employers to avoid the 300B minimum wage we will now see either portion reduction or menus being rewritten.
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yik
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Discussion 2 : 14 May 2012 at 13.172
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prices are also (mainly?) depending on the old principle of 'supply and demand'. Sales dropping, prices may follow or 'item' will no longer be available/sold.
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bangkokbob
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Discussion 1 : 14 May 2012 at 13.161
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This government is asking for trouble when it starts telling restaurant owners and street vendors what they can charge. This is clear evidence that their economic policies, so far, are proving to be a failure. Price controls and hand outs to keep people pacified can only work for so long.
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Cooked food price controls agreed | Bangkok Post: business