PTT opens petrol stations for Thai farmers to sell rice

BANGKOK, November 1 (TNA) - PTT Public Company Limited (PTT), Thailand's largest petroleum firm, has opened its petrol stations nationwide for farmers or their representatives to sell rice directly to consumers. PTT President and Chief Executive Office (CEO) Tewin Wongwanich told journalists of the idea on Tuesday, aimed to support the Thai government's policy on helping solve the problem of low rice prices on the domestic market currently. Tewin said under the project, farmers, community agricultural cooperatives and rice mills are welcome to use PTT petrol stations across the nation as their stages to directly sell their grains to consumers without any fee or rental cost. Tewin acknowledged that the project also provides conveniences for both the demand and the supply sides. Besides, local farmers and other community rice suppliers will also be soon allowed to sell their grains at the PTT head office and the Energy Complex Building on Vibhavadi Road in Bangkok. According to the PTT top executive, PTT also plans to purchase rice directly from local farmers to be presented as New Year gifts, in a bid to help raise the prices of rice on the domestic market to help relieve the hardships of local farmers. (TNA)