Representatives of 60 dairy cooperatives and more than 2,000 farming families blocked a road outside Government House in Bangkok on Tuesday, July 14, demanding that Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul act on falling raw milk prices, overdue payments, and a wave of imported milk powder that farmers say has gutted their market.
The Dairy Cooperative Federation of Thailand led the protest, which drew cooperative chairpersons from across the country. Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Apai Suttisang met with the group’s representatives, along with two advisers to the deputy agriculture minister, according to Thansettakij, the Thai business outlet that first reported the demonstration.
Farmers trace the problem to two free trade deals, the Thailand-New Zealand Closer Economic Partnership Agreement and the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement, both in effect since January 1, 2025. The agreements opened the door to large volumes of imported milk powder, which farmers say is undercutting domestic raw milk. As buyers shift toward the cheaper imported product, cooperatives have struggled to sell what they collect from members, driving down prices, straining cooperative cash flow, and leaving debts to both farmers and lenders piling up. Some private buyers have also cut back how much raw milk they purchase from Thai farms.
The federation handed officials a list of four demands. First, farmers want the government to delay a second round of skimmed milk powder import approvals planned for 2026 under the two trade agreements and World Trade Organization commitments, until the full 211 tonnes of raw milk still unsold under the current 2025-2026 purchase agreement has found buyers. They’re also asking the government to finalize next year’s purchase agreement by August, with one uniform price nationwide.
Second, the group wants the school milk program expanded. Under their proposal, eligibility would stretch from kindergarten through the ninth grade, up from the current cutoff at sixth grade, and the number of milk-drinking days would rise from 260 to 365 a year. Farmers argue the change would both improve child nutrition and give the domestic dairy industry a bigger, steadier outlet for its product.
Third, farmers are pressing the government to resolve overdue raw milk payments, singling out the state-run Dairy Farming Promotion Organisation of Thailand along with private operators that have fallen behind. They want faster enforcement to make sure farmers get paid.
Fourth, the federation is asking for clearer product labeling rules that would let shoppers tell the difference between dairy items made from fresh Thai raw milk and those made from reconstituted imported powder, a change farmers say would help consumers who want to support local producers.
Tuesday’s protest builds on months of mounting frustration. Earlier reporting this month put the daily unsold raw milk surplus at roughly 183 tonnes, with industry leaders warning that more than 50 cooperatives nationwide could face serious financial trouble if the glut isn’t addressed. Imported milk powder has been running at roughly half the cost of domestic raw milk, giving manufacturers a strong financial incentive to switch suppliers.
Thansettakij reported that talks between the farmers and ministry officials were ongoing Tuesday, with no resolution announced by the time the road blockade began. It’s not yet clear whether the government will agree to delay the next round of milk powder imports or commit to a timeline on the farmers’ other demands.
