Grow food, raise chickens: senator’s advice on rising costs

2026-03-23 - 06:20

BANGKOK — A senator has advised Thai households to grow vegetables and raise animals to cope with rising living costs driven by the Middle East crisis. Speaking during a Senate session at Parliament on 23 March, Senator Patima Jiraphat said surging energy prices have pushed up the cost of goods across the board, citing a 20-satang increase in egg prices per piece. He also warned of a potential price hike for Mama instant noodles, describing the product as a key indicator of people’s survival due to its affordability. He urged the Commerce Ministry to closely monitor price increases, noting that while some rises reflect higher production costs, others may be opportunistic. Any adjustment, he said, should be clearly explained, including cost structures and the percentage increase, rather than sharp jumps without justification. The senator said the crisis has spread beyond energy to affect a wide range of goods, including plastic products due to higher raw material costs. He suggested promoting greater use of biodiesel in the agricultural sector and encouraged households to adopt self-sufficiency measures, such as growing vegetables, raising two chickens per household, and farming fish, as a long-term solution if global tensions escalate further.