BANGKOK, The influx of Chinese-made elephant print pants in the Thai market is seen as opportunistic trading that Thailand should learn from, said Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. It has become a dramatic issue due to the government's soft power policy making elephant pants highly popular among tourists. However, Thailand is slower than China in the market, as most of the elephant pants, both wholesale and retail sold at tourists' favorite shopping destinations are imported from China. The recent information from a Facebook page 'Go to China' sharing news about Thailand and China states that on the Chinese wholesale website 1688, elephant pants are sold at 6 yuan each (30 Baht), and they sell well in large quantities. For Thai producers and traders, the challenge is to sell at a competitive price. The question is raised how Thai factories can compete when Chinese products are manufactured at such low prices. It seems difficult to compete with the cost, and the focus should be on the quality of the produc ts. It suggests the Ministry of Commerce may consider giving the 'Thai Select' label to certify the quality of elephant pants made in Thailand. Meanwhile, this issue is not limited to elephant pattern pants; other products like cat pattern pants, a soft power fashion item from Nakhon Ratchasima province are also facing competition from Chinese imports. The Prime Minister emphasizes that this is a matter of trade, and where there is an opportunity, there will be competition. The importance lies in protecting copyrights and acting quickly to seize trade opportunities. If Thailand delays, others will take the lead. This situation serves as a valuable lesson that needs to be discussed and addressed. Source: Thai News Agency