The Department of Internal Trade’s (DIT) deputy director-general Chanthapat Panjamanond announced the measures during a briefing on the impact of the situation in the Middle East.

These include the Thai Help Thai scheme, under which the ministry is joining hands with department stores, convenience stores and leading manufacturers and distributors to offer more than 1,000 quality alternative-brand products at special prices, with discounts of up to 50 per cent. The scheme will officially kick off on April 1.

In addition, the Blue Flag low-price scheme will cut prices of key consumer goods, while special-price sales points will be expanded to cover every province, with more than 500 locations nationwide. Mobile Blue Flag trucks will also be deployed to reach remote areas.

The ministry is also preparing measures to keep the prices of ready-made meals in check by supplying essential ingredients, such as rice, cooking oil, eggs and sugar, directly from the source to made-to-order food shops and curry rice vendors, in a bid to slow any unreasonable rise in retail prices.

On fertiliser, DIT said it had received complaints from farmers in Ayutthaya that a major chemical fertiliser retailer was selling products at excessively high prices.

Officials were immediately sent to inspect the premises, together with officers from the Consumer Protection Police Division.