BIG DISCOUNTS ON COMMERCE DAY

       The Commerce Ministry, in cooperation with 13 modern traders and convenience stores, on Thursday will host Commerce Day.
       Discounts of 20-50 per cent will be offered to consumers in abid to help reduce their cost of living.
       The fair is expected to generate at least Bt10 billion in consumer spending in one day, Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai said yesterday.
       "To celebrate the 89th anniversary of the ministry on August 20, the government, in cooperation with leading malls, wants to help consumers lower their cost of living," she said.
       Taking part in the discount fair are Big C, The Mall, Makro, Foodland, Carrefour, Robinson Department Store, Central Department Store, Tesco Lotus, Tops Supermaker, 7-Eleven, Family Mart, 108 shops and Power Buy.
       In addition to helping consumers cope with the cost of living amid the rising global oil price, the Internal Trade Department has called on manufacture to maintain retail prices for the rest of the year.
       The Department is also considering goods whose price should be lowered following the Bt2-per-litre fall in the domestic price of diesel.
       Deputy director-general Vatchari Vimooktayon said price movements of many products were being closely monitored, particularly those of construction materials.
       She said manufacturers should not increase their retail price now, because they were now enjoying reduced production and transportation costs, due to the lower diesel oil price.