Woranit Aphiratjirawong said in an interview on Radio Thailand Phuket that her office was currently carrying out its campaign to prevent vendors taking advantage of consumers, especially during the vegetarian Festival, which begins on Sunday (Oct 15).
Not displaying prices clearly and accurately was punishable under Section 28 of The Price of Goods and Services Act 1999, she said.
Prices of vegetables over the past week ahd already started to spiral, Ms Woranit said.
“At present, the price of vegetables has increased, and vegetarian restaurants must have signs that clearly display product prices so that entrepreneurs will not take the opportunity to increase prices unfairly,” Ms Woranit noted.
“Officers will be assigned to the area for random inspections. If any store does not have a sign showing the price of the product, it is considered an offense according to Section 28 of the Price of Goods and Services Act 1999, which requires a fine not exceeding B10,000,” she said.
“Citizens who witness an offense can inform the hotline 1569 or call 076-213203, or call the Damrongdhama Center [Provincial Ombudsman’s Office] hotline 1567 24 hours a day,” she added.
Ms Woranit said that prices of vegetables were expected to increase further as the Vegetarian Festival continues.
“It is expected that during the event period between 15-23 October, the prices of many types of vegetables will increase further,” she said.
At the Phuket Municipality Fresh Market 2 in Phuket Town, prices of some vegetables such as kale, bok choy and Chinese cabbage, which are used in large quantities during the festival each year, had already increased by B5-15 per kilogramme, Ms Woranit noted.
“Especially the price of kale, which was previously B35 baht per kilogramme, but is now B50 per kilogramme. That is almost double,” she said.