Thailand's Commerce Ministry has decided to invite tenders to sell a combined 888,320 MT of rice accumulated under the 2004-05 and 2005-06 rice intervention programs.

Harvesting of the current Thai rice crop is also expected to begin in late November,and new crop rice is scheduled to enter the market in December. 

Rice sales so far this year have reduced the government's stockpiles to 2.2 million MT from 4.4 million MT.