Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered an inspection of maize stock in the country with supplies starting to run short and push up the price of livestock feed, according to government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.
Mr Thanakorn said the prime minister has ordered the Royal Thai Police, Agriculture Ministry and the Commerce Ministry to conduct onsite inspections of domestic supplies of maize kept by middlemen nationwide.
The results will be reported back to the prime minister.
If maize, which is essential for use in livestock feed, is hoarded to jack up prices, the wrongdoers will face a swift punishment, the government spokesman said.
Mr Thanakorn said maize has been harvested in large volumes and should have entered the market by now. However, the harvest was inconsistent with the volume bought by middlemen, and with less bought for resale and use in producing livestock feed, the feed price has gone up.
Mr Thanakorn said this may be a deliberate act and it is already hurting livestock farmers.
"The prime minister is aware of the problem and is making sure the authorities get to the bottom of it," Mr Thanakorn said.