Shops say shelves won’t stay empty

Retailers are insisting that supplies of essential goods remain unaffected as people rush to buy basics like instant noodles, canned foods and toilet paper amid fears of a coronavirus-prompted lockdown.

“Basic goods are not in short supply and, above all, manufacturers can still boost production capacity to cope with higher demand,” Chatrchai Tuongratanaphan, executive director of the Thai Retailer Association, told the media yesterday.

Mr Chatrchai was responding to reports and pictures online of long queues at supermarkets around the country.

Many netizens said the stockpiling had been prompted by rumours that should Thailand reach Stage 3 epidemic status, the government might impose significant restrictions of the movement of people.

Thanes Nunman, a painter in his 30s, told the Bangkok Post that the Makro superstore in Bang Kapi was crowded yesterday like never before: “Instant noodles had completely disappeared from the shelves as people want to hoard them.”

However, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha played down the severity of the situation.

“We are not at a stage where we need to stockpile food,” Gen Prayut said when asked about the situation after his daily press conference.

Some likened the scenes in supermarkets to those of the flood of 2011 when basic goods and food disappeared from shelves.

However, Mr Chatrchai said the present situation is vastly different this time around.

“There will be no shortages of basic goods. At that time, all transport routes were flooded so manufacturers could not transport their goods,” he said.

Prayoth Benyasut, the Internal Trade Department’s deputy director-general, said basic items and food products are still being produced in their regular quantities.

“It may appear as if there are shortages because stores cannot replenish their stocks instantly after stockpiling occurs. However, I want to reassure the public that further stock of all goods is on its way,” he said.