Many food vendors in Thailand are complaining over skyrocketing pork prices, forcing them to increase the prices of their dishes by 5 baht a plate.

Pork prices are currently 210-230 baht/kg, which is much higher than in mid-2021, when the highest price was 140 baht/kg.

Food vendors, especially those who sell dishes like pork fried rice, stir-fried pork with garlic, pork rice porridge and red pork on rice, have posted signs explaining that they have had to increase their prices by 5 baht.

The owner of a rice porridge stall on Vibhavadi Soi 64 told Thai PBS that it is the first time in 7 years that they have had to increase the price.

“Normally I would use high quality ground pork to make pork balls, so I’m affected by the high pork prices.”

The owner said, however, that most of their customers understand the reason behind the price change.

Another rice porridge stallholder also had to adjust their prices. Their porridge is now priced at 40 baht instead of 35 baht. While rice porridge with an egg yolk on top is now priced at 45-50 baht.

“I’m affected directly because I use pork as an ingredient. I heard that gas prices will also increase next month too.”

One food stall revealed that she has never seen pork prices this high, so she has had to increase the prices of her dishes by 5 baht to cover her costs.

“I’d rather increase the price of the dishes than reduce the amount of meat. Normally, I have to use an average of 7-8 kilograms of pork for 200 orders. Even egg prices have gone up to 10-15 baht.”

Meanwhile, at Mae Kim Heng Market in Nakhon Ratchasima province, many people were buying eggs, despite the increase in prices as announced by the Association of Hen Egg Farmers, Traders, and Exporters. Many of the stalls, however, decided not to increase the prices because they appreciate the burden on their customers, who still need to buy them.