May 12, 2008
Bangkok - Commerce Ministry will today sell the cheap Blue Flag rice. 100,000 bags of rice will be available in the first lot.
Mr. Yanyong Phuangraj, director general of the Department of the Internal Trade, said the first lot of bagged rice would be available both in Bangkok and provinces.
73,000 bags of rice will be sold in Bangkok and 27,000 bags in provinces such as Udon Thani, Nakhon Ratchasima, Surat Thani, Songkla, Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok, Ratchaburi, Lopburi and Samut Prakan.
The Blue Flag rice is priced at 120 baht per pack.
A person can buy not more than three bags of rice. This is to prevent rice hoarding.
The second and third lot will be available on May 20 and 30 respectively. 100,000 bags of rice will be available in each lot.
36 million baht are expected from the total rice selling, and this sum of money will be spent to buy rice from the farmers at the market price.
