Under the Act on Prices of Goods and Services B.E. 2542 (1999) – the “PGS Act”, the Central Committee on Prices of Goods and Services ("Committee”) is authorized to declare a list of controlled goods and services for the purpose of preventing unfair prescription of prices or unfair trade conditions or practices. Such list is to be reviewed on an annual basis.

 The impact of Covid-19 has resulted in additional products being declared as controlled goods. In 2020, surgical masks were added to the list of controlled goods and as there were fear of shortage issue at such time, various measures were imposed to control the sale of surgical masks including price control, controls of export and volume. Apart from surgical masks, polypropylene (Spunbond) synthetic fibers used in the manufacturing of surgical masks, alcohol-based products for hand hygiene were products for prevention of COVID-19 also added to the list in 2020. Also added to the list in 2020 were scrap papers and recycled papers, the cause for this was shortage due to increased usage and export of scrap and recycled papers. The controlled products mentioned above have been renewed in 2021 and more recently for a further 1-year period on 25 January 2022.

With the current economic state, there have been an increase in the numbers of products with a rise in prices. In attempt to alleviate the effect of the increasing prices of products on the lives of the people, the Committee therefore prescribe that chicken and chicken meat be added to the list of controlled goods. This Notification of the Committee was declared in the Royal Gazette on 25 January 2022 and will be effective for a period of 1 year from such date.

Particular measures for each specific products such as declaring of costs, volumes and prices or a prohibition on sale prices would need to be declared specifically. For more information and further assistance, please contact sirilakn@southasia-law.com and gunv@southasia-law.com.