Bottled drinking water producers urged to control quality

BANGKOK, March 5 (TNA) -- Commerce Ministry officials have put bottled drinking water under its ‘Sensitive List’, which would require them to monitor prices and volume of production closely as drought has affected many provinces. Bottled drinking water has been listed under the ‘Sensitive List’ early this week, joining more than 200 other essential products while concerned officials have to be certain that there would be no scarcity of these products in the local market and prices are kept under the ministerial control. Wiboonluck Ruamrak, director-general of the Ministry’s Internal Trade Department, said she would next Wednesday invite manufacturers of 11 brands of bottled drinking water and representatives of drinking water producers association for talks and would request them to produce sufficient water for consumption. Ms Wiboonluck said her ministry would also meet with the Public Health Ministry on the quality of drinking water which is on sale in the market. Severe drought would have a negative impact on several products such as pigs would grow slowly while egg production would decline due to hot weather, she said. Their prices would increase a few baht which is “not unusual.” (TNA)