Egg prices are up because the price of young chicks has almost doubled, said Deputy Prime Minister in charge of economic affairs Korbsak Sabhavasu, reports Bangkok Post.

He said: "Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has assigned me to seek measures to help consumers, because of high cost of eggs, and he wants this problem solved within a week."

He added that the price of young chicks had increased from 17 to 18 baht (THB) each to almost THB30 in just six months. A hen was sold for meat after laying about 300 eggs.

The government had granted nine businesses permission to import breeding hens. Their chicks would be sold to farmers nationwide, he said

Mr Korbsak said: "A committee chaired by Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Theera Wongsamut will be set up to see whether there are regulations to deal with the nine business operators if the allocation is not appropriate and does not follow the free trade principle."