Residents in Thailand have been panic buying EGGS after the country was put under a state of emergency because of the coronavirus.
The Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced on Thursday (March 25) afternoon that the country will be under the state of emergency from March 26.
The announcement caused worry among locals amid fears a curfew could be introduced - or even food restrictions like in the Philippines. People the resorted to panic-buying after mistakenly believing they will be banned from leaving their homes.
Panicked residents stocked up on eggs - a staple ingredient in many Thai dishes - which also lead to overpricing.
Footage from a market in Ang Thong, central Thailand on March 25 shows locals converged on stalls to buy chicken and duck eggs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The other provinces including the capital Bangkok were also suffering from the eggs shortages and there were reports about overpricing in many major supermarkets.
However, the chairman off chicken eggs farmers and traders association Mongkol Pipatsattayanurak said the people should not worry about the shortage.
He said: "The farms in the association can produce 40 million eggs a day which I believe is sufficient."
Thailand currently has the ability to produce about 40 million eggs per day, out of this number about two million of those eggs are exported. However, Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit announced suspension of egg exports for seven days to safeguard domestic supply.
The country's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha additionally said in the announcement that during the state of emergency the army will have fully right to prosecute the opportunists who overprice food or essential items.
He said: "The opportunists who will take advantage of the people during the state of emergency shall be punished immediately by the army, which has been given power under this act."
