Palm Farmers Protest Export Ban, Threaten Ministry Post-Songkran

Thansettakij•Economy•23h ago

Reader Briefing

Southern palm oil farmers are protesting government export restrictions, threatening to escalate their demonstrations after the Songkran festival.

•Palm oil farmers in southern Thailand are protesting a government ban on crude palm oil exports, implemented on April 7, 2026.
•Farmers claim the ban has caused a sharp drop in palm fruit prices, leading to significant daily economic losses.
•The farmers' network is demanding the government lift the ban and address structural pricing issues, threatening to protest at the Ministry of Commerce after Songkran if their demands are not met.

•On April 7, 2026, the Committee on Commodity Prices and Services announced export controls on crude palm oil.
•Within 4 days of the announcement, the price of palm fruit at the yard dropped from 8.90 to 7.00 baht per kilogram.
•Farmers estimate economic losses of 120 million baht per day, totaling nearly 500 million baht in a few days, due to price drops.
•The government cited energy security and cost of living as reasons for the export control measures.
•The Network of Palm Oil Farmers and Southern Drying Yards alleges a 'conspiracy theory' to lower raw material prices to stabilize bottled cooking oil prices.
•The Network of Palm Oil Farmers presented 4 demands to the government to resolve the price structure issues.
•Farmers have issued a one-week ultimatum before escalating their protest by marching to the Ministry of Commerce after the Songkran festival.
•Athirat Doomdee stated that the government should stop policies that harm the production sector and act as a supervisor for fair price transmission.

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Athirat Doomdee

"We are not demanding a price guarantee, but we are demanding fairness in the palm oil production structure and the correct palm oil market."

เราไม่ทวงสัญญาราคาที่กี่บาท แต่เราทวงคืนความเป็นธรรมของโครงสร้างการผลิตปาล์มน้ำมันและตลาดน้ำมันปาล์มที่ถูกต้อง

Palm Oil Farmers(ชาวสวนปาล์ม)

Protesters against government export restrictions on palm oil.

Central Committee on Commodity Prices and Services (GKR.)(คณะกรรมการกลางว่าด้วยราคาสินค้าและบริการ (กกร.))

The committee that announced the measure to control crude palm oil exports.

Network of Palm Oil Farmers and Southern Drying Yards(เครือข่ายชาวสวนปาล์มน้ำมันและลานเทภาคใต้)

A network of palm oil farmers and drying yards from the southern region organizing protests.

Ministry of Commerce(กระทรวงพาณิชย์)ℹ️

Government ministry that farmers are threatening to protest at.

Department of Internal Trade(กรมการค้าภายใน)

Government department that ordered the control of crude palm oil exports.

Krabi Province(จังหวัดกระบี่)ℹ️

One of the locations where palm oil farmers are actively protesting.

Trang Province(จังหวัดตรัง)ℹ️

One of the provinces represented by the protesting farmers.

Surat Thani Province(จังหวัดสุราษฎร์ธานี)ℹ️

One of the provinces represented by the protesting farmers.

Chumphon Province(จังหวัดชุมพร)ℹ️

One of the provinces represented by the protesting farmers.

Nakhon Si Thammarat Province(จังหวัดนครศรีธรรมราช)ℹ️

One of the provinces represented by the protesting farmers.

Mr. Athirat Doomdee(นายอธิราษฎร์ ดำดี)

President of the Krabi Province Oil Palm Farmers Association and a leader of the Network of Palm Oil Farmers and Southern Drying Yards.

Crude Palm Oil Export Restriction Policy(นโยบายจำกัดส่งออกน้ำมันปาล์มดิบ)

Government policy leading to protests by palm oil farmers.