Dec 1 - launch date for energy creditcard
The Energy Policy Administration Committee has approved the government's energy creditcard scheme, setting to launch it on Dec 1.
The cards will be issued to drivers of public vehicles like tuk-tuk, taxi and public vans which are fuelled by natural gas for vehicle (NGV). Over 150,000 cards would be issued, according to the statement from the committee released after today's meeting, for use at over 200 NGV stations in the Greater Bangkok. Each card contains a credit worth Bt3,000 for month-long period and extra purchases must be settled in cash.
Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan said after chairing the meeting that to finance this scheme, oil retailers are to contribute an additional amount to the Oil Fund, starting with the Bt0.50 per kg rate during January 16-31, 2012. The rate would be raised three times, each by Bt0.50 per kg, during February and April. The contribution rate during May-December 2012 is set at Bt2 per kg.
"With contribution from oil retailers, the Oil Fund's NGV subsidies will drop significantly from Bt5.8 billion to Bt800 million next year," Pichai said.
NGV discounts will stay until Dec 31, 2015.
The scheme is one of the government's urgent policies to help reduce operating cost, driven by higher fuel cost and inflation.
