NAKHON RATCHASIMA — The Chinese supermarket with a large Chinese advertisement in the heart of Nakhon Ratchasima city, which attracted widespread attention and criticism on social media, is closing while being inspected.
This advertisement, posted on a four-storey commercial building along Ratchadamnoen Road about 500 meters from the province’s landmark Thao Suranaree Monument, used Chinese text to advertise Chinese food, snacks, spices, dried foods, frozen foods, and other goods, along with a contact number and the single Thai word “Chinese supermarket.”
Several government agencies, including the tourism police, the provincial health department and the Nakhon Ratchasima provincial trade office, inspected the supermarket on July 24 and 25.
On July 26, Mr. Jirasak Sriphet, the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Trade Commissioner, stated that his office had requested an inspection regarding the business license as a legal entity. It was found that the supermarket has a valid business license registered under the name “Wang Zhong Wang Chinese Supermarket Co., Ltd.” with three shareholders who are all Thai nationals and not foreigners.
All of the store’s employees are also Thai, and the goods in the store are sourced from stores in the Yaowarat district of Bangkok, not directly from China.
Authorities affiliated with the Ministry of Commerce have been reviewing price tags, as required by law, to ensure that consumers are aware of the prices they can decide on. The Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality controls signboard taxes, while other taxes are reviewed by the Ministry of Finance. When it comes to product labels and compliance with FDA standards, the provincial health department will review them later.
The inspection was conducted within the scope of their legal authority and should not cause any trouble. If any violations are found, the appropriate legal action will be taken. It may be that the supermarket has been temporarily closed because the owner or manager was concerned by the inspections. The public and the store should not be alarmed or concerned.
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