BANGKOK, April 17 (Bernama) -- Thailand is committed to exporting over nine million tonnes of rice to the world market at an appropriate price, the Samak government reaffirmed Wednesday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Mingkwan Saengsuwan said Thailand is able to export more than 9.0 million tonnes of rice this year "at a reasonable price," Thailand's news agency TNA reported.

He pledged that the country will not take unfair advantage of the impending global food shortage by hiking the export price of rice.

According to Mingkwan, the Director-General of the Foreign Trade Department and representatives of six Thai rice exporting companies are on their way to Hong Kong and Macau to evaluate the actual market demands and to reassure international buyers that they can buy rice from Thailand according to the country's actual output.
In addition to exports, Mingkwan said the domestic demands will be adequately met with the provisioning of 2.1 million tonnes between the present and the target date when the annual harvest is due in the market.

Therefore, he said that the Thai public has no need to hoard rice.

Between April to June, a further 6.5 million tonnes of paddy from the country's second round of harvest are expected in the market.

Mingkwan claims that with the surge in rice prices, the grassroots economy is receiving a big boost, as reflected in the spike of sale figures for motorcycles and electric appliances.

BERNAMA