Bangkok: The Prime Minister, Ms. Paethongtarn Shinawatra, engaged with fruit buyers to explore new export markets before convening a cabinet meeting. The meeting was held at the lobby of Building 1, where the Prime Minister attended a mobile fruit truck event to support fruit farmers. The initiative was a collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the Ministry of Commerce.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Narumon Pinyosinwat, the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, attended the event in a wheelchair, accompanied by Mr. Itthi Sirilathayakorn, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Mr. Napintorn Srisanpang, Deputy Minister of Commerce, and Mr. Suchart Chomklin, Deputy Minister of Commerce. The Prime Minister was briefed on the management of fruits such as mangosteen, mango, longan, and durian from the eastern and southern regions and emphasized the importance of finding new markets and processing products to enhance their value.
The Prime Minister also visited the Department of Internal Trade's booth to discuss the Thai Fruit Festival 2025, underscoring the importance of value-added processing and expressing gratitude to entrepreneurs for purchasing fruits. To combat declining fruit prices, cooperation was secured from nine private sector groups and 27 entities, resulting in the purchase of 103,760 tons of fruit. Notable contributors included the Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Thai Industries, and Saha Pathanapibul Company Limited, among others.
Later, the Prime Minister led a cabinet meeting discussing 17 agenda items, focusing on the competitiveness of small and medium-sized liquor industry operators, as proposed by the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports sought approval for hosting the FIVB Women's World Championships 2025, alongside the "Half-Half Thailand 2025" project with a budget of 3.5 billion baht aimed at promoting weekday travel during the low season.
Furthermore, the Board of Directors of the Scholarship Project for Expanding Opportunity and National Development proposed guidelines for the ODOS project, aiming to support 7,200 Thai students in studying science and technology abroad with a budget of approximately 4,500 million baht over eight years. The Prime Minister's Office also proposed a draft royal decree to establish the Land Bank Management Institute (Public Organization).