Department of Internal Trade seeks to avert mask shortage
2
published : 5 May 2021 at 08:12
2
The Department of Internal Trade (DIT) has urged companies producing face masks to work to full capacity to meet a steep rise in demand since the compulsory wearing of masks outdoors came into effect.
The new wave of Covid-19 sweeping the country has resulted in an upsurge in demand for face masks as people are required to wear them outdoors, DIT director-general Wattanasak Sur-iam said yesterday.
Despite the current circumstances, materials used for producing face masks remained sufficient on the market, he said. It was reported that some manufacturers have scaled back production as they wait for new orders.
Government tackles slump in shrimp sales
1
published : 27 Dec 2020 at 04:00
1
The government is reversing a Covid 19-driven slump in sales of farmed shrimp by cutting out a central distribution market, according to the Commerce Ministry.
Farmed shrimps have been shunned by consumers following the outbreak of Covid-19 at the central shrimp market in Samut Sakhon last week. Many consumers have associated shrimp distribution markets with the virus outbreak and have declined to purchase shrimps, causing demand to plummet in recent days.
The Department of Internal Trade (DIT) will arrange to have modern trade stores and members of the Thai Restaurant Association (TRA) buy the shrimps directly from the farms.
8
The Department of Internal Trade (DIT) on Monday insisted that the country has the manufacturing capacity to produce enough surgical face masks for state workers on the frontline in the fight against a second wave of Covid-19 infections.
DIT deputy-general Wattanasak Sur-iam told media on Monday that local factories can produce up to five million masks a day. This is a sufficient number of masks for all our health workers, both hospital staff and those working in high-risk areas, said Mr Wattanasak.
He said there are 30 factories contracted to produce surgical masks for the authority, a huge increase on the nine facilities that tooled up for the task when the disease first emerged early this year.