PM asks commerce minister to control prices in flooded provinces

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Sunday that she has asked Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan to ensure that goods prices would not be unfairly raised in flood-hit provinces.

Paetongtarn said she had talked to Pichia about seeking cooperation from the private sector to maintain the prices of needed goods.

When informed by reporters that some shops selling construction materials or household equipment in flooded provinces have raised the prices, Paetongtarn said the government could not interfere in private businesses regarding goods whose prices are not controlled.

But the government has led firms that are partners of the government to keep prices down to help the flood victims.

She added that her government has measures to revive the economy in the flooded provinces, including plans to stimulate tourism, but the plans would have to wait until the government completes rehabilitation of flood victims.

Paetongtarn was speaking to reporters after presiding over a ceremony to hand over donated foods and household items and cleaning tools to the Royal Thai Air Force to transport to flood victims in Chiang Rai.

The ceremony was held at the Don Mueang military airport. The donations came from private firms and some government agencies under the flood rehabilitation project called “joining forces and hearts” to help flood victims.

The ceremony was joined by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, PM’s Office Minister Chusak Sirinil and the chief of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.

The donated items will be flown on an Air Force C-130 transport plane to Chiang Rai.

Paetongtarn also brought her own items to join the donations, including brooms, water buckets, shovels, hoes, floor brushes, and used clothes of her son and daughter.

Paetongtarn said she had her children select clothes that had become too small for them to donate to families in Chiang Rai. She said she had seen on TV that there were young children among flood victims, so the donated clothes would be useful for them.

The prime minister also assigned Gen Thirayuth Jinhiran, commander of the Armed Forces Development Command, to answer reporters’ questions about the progress in helping victims clean thick mud from their flooded houses, especially in Mae Sai district.

Thirayuth explained that troops from his command had to clean mud from the roads first to provide access to the victims’ houses.
Thirayuth said he realised the houses were under up to 2 metres of mud but the roads must be cleared first.

Paetongtarn backed up Thirayuth by saying the troops also needed to remove mud from sewerage pipes so that people could clean their houses and the water could run into the pipes.

Paetongtarn said she could not tell when the mud would be removed from all the houses but the troops would do their best to clean the flooded areas as soon as possible.

She said government agencies would not yet pull out rescue operation teams from provinces where floodwater has subsided, as there could be more rain and floods.

Paetongtarn added that a flood-relief centre the government has set up has been holding meetings every day and she would join some meetings this week.

As part of operations to help flood victims clean up their houses, Their Majesties the King and Queen have donated 100 high-pressure water hoses, the prime minister added.

Paetongtarn said her government has already paid some compensation to flood victims, using the current criteria and regulations setting the maximum compensation at 200,000 baht per victim.

She said her government would hold a meeting to discuss a new compensation rate soon.

The prime minister added that government agencies concerned started surveying damage last week and some compensation has been paid accordingly.