Price of LPG for industrial use to rise
The Energy Policy and Planning Office (Eppo) will raise the price of liquefied petroleum gas for the industrial sector this month in September to Bt30.13 per kilogram from Bt29.56 after an increase in the global LPG price to US$954 per tonne from $775.
The hike is in line with the Energy Regulatory Commission’s decision to authorise Eppo to raise the LPG price for manufacturers to reflect the actual cost, provided it does not exceed Bt30.13 per kilo.
If Eppo wants to raise the LPG price above Bt30.13, the Energy Policy Administrative Committee will have to convene to consider the matter.
Energy expert Manoon Siriwan said the higher price of LPG for the industrial sector would add to business operators’ costs and affect the competitiveness of Thailand’s industrial sector in the global market and the upcoming Asean Economic Community.
He added that the government had to adjust the LPG price for the industrial, transport and household sectors to bring them all to the same level in the next two years. The appropriate price would be based on the average prices the gas from three sources: gas-separation plants, which peg the price at $333 per tonne; refineries; and imported LPG.
The average cost of LPG in the industrial, transport and household sectors should also be factored in, Manoon said.
