"I heard that there will be around 20,000 tonnes of Indian soyameal shipped to Thailand by this month," said an official at the Feedstuff Users Promotion Association.

He said demand for imported soymeal and soybeans was falling as local products were arriving. Under government regulations, users must buy locally if supplies become available.

The government has also set minimum prices of 11.00 baht a kg for soybeans and 9.50 baht per kg for soyameal.

"Although import prices are cheaper than local prices, wehave no choice. We cannot import much now as we must buy from the local market," the association official said. He expected thin imports until the end of May.

Traders said US soyabeans were quoted slightly up at $182-185 per tonnes on a C&F basis, compared with $180 lastweek. Indian soymeal was offered unchanged at $140 to $150 per tonne on the same basis.

In the palm oil market, Thai palm fresh fruit bunches were quoted sharply lower at 2.80 baht a kg against around 3.30 baht last week because of an increase in local supply, said a plantation owner in the southern province of Chumphon.

As for corn, higher local prices were due to stunt Thai exports this year, traders said.

"We will be unable to export as our prices are higher thanthose of other suppliers," said a trader from a major hose in Bangkok. The government had led corn exports and would do so this year, the trader said.

The government early this month announced its plan to sell 100,000 tonnes of corn between January and June.

It has already exported 10,500 tonnes of that to Malaysia and plans to export another 20,000 tonnes soon. Thai corn was quoted at $100 per tonne on FOB basis while US corn was offered at $106 to $100 C&F.