Thailand launches cost-of-living relief drive with deep retail discounts

Thailand’s Commerce Ministry has officially launched a nationwide campaign aimed at easing the impact of the rapidly rising cost of living by partnering with manufacturers and retailers to offer deep discounts on thousands of daily essentials.

With discounts of up to 58%, the ‘Thai help Thai’ initiative covers more than 3,000 consumer goods — a sharp increase from the 1,100 items included in previous programmes.

Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, director-general of the Department of Business Development (DBD) at the Ministry of Commerce, said four major retail and wholesale groups — Makro, Lotus’s, Tops and GO Wholesale — are fully supporting the campaign, offering discounts on at least 1,000 essential own-brand and second-tier products.

The discounted items include daily necessities such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste and detergent, as well as food staples like rice, sugar, fish sauce, cooking oil, instant noodles and canned food.

Seasonings, fresh food, household goods and personal care items are also included.

Rice and related products, in particular, are seeing discounts of up to 50%, alongside “buy one, get one free” promotions on selected items such as riceberry under the Tops own brand. Some packaged rice brands are offering discounts of as much as 58%.

Major retailers Makro and Lotus’s are also cutting prices on jasmine and white rice by 5–30%, while GO Wholesale is targeting small businesses and bulk buyers with promotions.

These include frozen avocados discounted by 34% and frozen French fries reduced by up to 40% when purchased in bulk.

Fresh and frozen food items, including minced pork, seabass and white shrimp, are being discounted by 6–15%.

Cooking ingredients and household essentials are another key focus. Coconut oil prices are reduced by up to 34%, while soybean and palm oil from major retailers are 5–17% cheaper.

Oyster and fish sauce products are also included, with discounts ranging from 8% to 18%.

Personal care products are seeing some of the deepest discounts, particularly at Watsons, where own-brand shower gels, hand soaps and shampoos are reduced by up to 50%. Leading skincare brands are also participating, with discounts of up to 50% on selected items.

Laundry and cleaning products are part of the campaign as well, including “buy one, get one free” promotions on liquid detergents and dishwashing liquids, along with fabric softeners discounted by as much as 49%.

“The campaign is designed to provide immediate relief to households facing rising living costs, with cooperation from producers, wholesalers and retailers nationwide,” said Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun.

The initial phase will run through April and May, after which new products will be introduced to maintain discounted pricing through to the end of the year.

The ministry also plans to expand distribution channels across all provinces, ensuring broader access to lower-cost essentials.

The initiative is the result of coordinated efforts between the public and private sectors to cushion the impact of higher living costs while supporting consumption during a period of economic uncertainty, according to the ministry.