Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has ordered an inspection at food and drink prices at the two Bangkok airports after the issue was discussed in Japanese media.
After a cabinet meeting this morning, Pol. Gen. Athisit Chainuwat, deputy spokesman of the Prime Minister’s Office, said that Prayuth requires an answer of why the food and drink prices are extremely high, adding it’s the government’s duty to declare the reason to the public, Matichon reported.
An article by a Japanese travel website Thaich.net, received attention in Thai social media after it featured snaps of water bottles at Don Mueang Airport that cost THB40 and THB45 baht, about five times higher than the market price of THB9.
Meanwhile, a can of soft drink costs THB45. In the city, a can of cola is only THB14.
The article was shared on Monday by Akihiro Koki Tomikawa, a Japanese expat with thousands of Thai followers. He voiced his opinion in Thai and created a discussion.
“At Thai airports, you luggage may be stolen. Your wallet may be stolen at the security checkpoint. You have to get in a long queue at immigration, then get overcharged THB500 by a taxi, and today a water costs THB40,” he wrote.
The expat also compared the Thai airports to the Narita Airport in Tokyo, saying that the Japanese airport has an affordable food court and vending machines that sell water at about the same price as in the city.
“Thailand is the number one travel destination in Asia…I’d like Thai people to take this seriously,” he wrote.
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