Commerce Ministry Tightens Control on Onion Transportation, Blocks Illegal Imports to Protect Thai Farmers

The Ministry of Commerce's Department of Internal Trade is strictly monitoring onion market situations to prevent smuggling and unauthorized origin claims for Thai onions. Wittayakorn Maneenate, Director-General of the Department of Internal Trade, revealed that current market onion volumes are substantial and come from multiple sources, with some products having low production costs, creating price pressure. The department is implementing strict measures under the 1999 Price of Goods and Services Act to monitor transportation, especially for imported onions, ensuring clear tracking of product distribution, storage locations, and quantities. Operators must obtain transportation permits for moving onions between 52 prohibited provinces, providing complete details about quantity, origin, and destination. Any unauthorized transportation, volume discrepancies, or suspicious smuggling activities will result in immediate legal action to prevent price mechanism distortion and protect Thai farmers' production. The department is collaborating with customs, security agencies, and provincial commerce offices to increase inspection frequencies at border checkpoints, ports, and key agricultural transport routes. They are also conducting on-site inspections of cold storage facilities and large distribution centers to prevent stockpiling and market infiltration of undocumented products.