Cheap goods campaign launched at Bangkok's train, bus terminals

BANGKOK, April 10 (TNA) - The Thai government, through the Ministry of Commerce, has cooperated with consumers goods giants to offer products cheaper than their market prices at Bangkok's main bus and train terminals, before expanding to targeted venues nationwide late this month. Deputy Commerce Minister Sonthirat Sonthijirawong told journalists on Monday that the "Blue Flag" cheaper goods campaign has been first launched at Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Train Station, Mo Chit Northern and Northeastern Bus Terminal and the new Southern Bus Terminal during April 9-11 so that travellers can shop household goods before returning to their hometowns during Songkran, or Traditional Thai New Year, holidays later this week. Sonthirat said under the "Blue Flag" cheaper goods campaign, consumer goods at their discounted prices of about 15-20 per cent lower than market prices will be available at local retailed shops that join the campaign nationwide to help ease consumers' rising costs of living. Initially, the deputy minister revealed, 48 items of 18 household goods have been available for sales such as soap, toothpaste, detergent, shampoo, instant noodle and canned at about 5,000 shops across the country before they will be expanded to about 20,000 shops of the Commerce Ministry’s network nationwide. (TNA)