Bangkok: The Prime Minister discussed with the heads of government agencies and ordered them to take care of the agricultural products that are falling. The Prime Minister held the 4th meeting of the heads of government agencies, urging the Ministry of Commerce to take care of the low prices of agricultural products, asking for cooperation to help consume domestically due to market surplus, helping to look at the balance of trade, FTA – negotiations with the United States.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Paethongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister, chaired the 4th/2025 meeting of heads of government departments at the ministry level or equivalent at the Ministry of Commerce, with all heads of government departments attending the meeting. The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce for organizing the event and emphasized the importance of addressing the declining prices of agricultural products.
The Prime Minister stated that the first issue in the past meeting received proposals from everyone who felt that it was beneficial and had the same opinion to drive tourism in man-made destinations and expand the use of the Traffy Fondue application. This application is considered a channel for the government to file complaints, and she called on all ministries to expand this initiative to facilitate public feedback through online channels.
Additionally, the Prime Minister highlighted recent discussions with relevant agencies to address issues of impersonating Thai products and illegal foreign businesses in Thailand. Agencies were urged to improve legal loopholes, inspect product quality standards, and review investment proposal conditions to promote employment for Thais and enhance domestic production.
The Prime Minister also focused on improving the one-stop service across ministries to streamline processes and reduce time for investment support. On budget matters, she noted that over 500 billion baht has been invested and disbursed, and she encouraged further cooperation to improve this figure.
The Prime Minister stressed the urgent need to promote Thai agricultural products, as prices are lower than usual. She urged government ministries to support domestic purchases to prevent market flooding, particularly for fruits with short shelf lives, and emphasized the importance of Thai consumption to aid farmers.
Regarding the Thai SELECT project, the Prime Minister acknowledged the Ministry of Commerce’s awareness of supporting Thai products abroad. She suggested discussions with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to connect with certified Thai restaurants overseas and bolster Thai business support.
The Prime Minister reiterated the need for stable agricultural product prices and discouraged the involvement of middlemen to avoid cost inflation. She called for cooperation with the private sector and discussions with the BOI to ensure stability in product prices.
Lastly, the Prime Minister addressed the Ministry of Commerce’s role in trade and investment, particularly in light of US trade measures. She emphasized maximizing the benefits of FTAs with other countries to maintain balanced trade.