Rising oil prices are beginning to impact seafood sellers, who are waiting to see how the situation develops before preparing to raise prices by 10-15% to stay afloat.
On 6 Mar 2026 GMT+7, reporters noted that after oil prices started rising due to the Middle East conflict, they visited the Ang Sila fishing community in Mueang Chonburi District, the largest fresh seafood market in the eastern region, to check how fresh seafood prices had changed.
Interviews with fresh seafood vendors revealed that some seafood prices have already increased, such as blue crabs, sea crabs, and shrimp, rising about 30-40 baht per kilogram, partly due to crab scarcity. Fresh squid prices remain unchanged for now, but are expected to rise within 1-2 weeks, depending on oil price trends. If all prices rise simultaneously, consumer demand could drop, potentially damaging the market.
Seafood seller Maruay Muekdaeng said they are monitoring oil prices; if oil costs increase, price hikes will be necessary. Currently, prices remain unchanged as they await developments over the next week. He estimated prices might rise 10-15%, but warned that the market is sluggish now, and raising prices too soon could cause widespread failure.