Briefs

The Energy Policy Administration Committee yesterday decided to postpone floating the price of cooking gas to June 30 from yesterday, pending its complete implementation of measures to ease the cost burden of consumers.

Energy Minister Pongsak Ruktapongpisal said the committee had assigned PTT to set up a call centre to allow people eligible to buy liquefied petroleum gas at the existing price to confirm their eligibility via text messages and work with LPG retailers on this confirmation. The current price of LPG for household consumption is Bt18.13 per kilogram.

The committee also approved in principle the use of Bt100 million from the Oil Fund to conduct a programme to ease consumers’ burden from the upcoming flotation of the household LPG price. The Oil Fund Committee will work out the details of the programme.

The policy committee also approved the reduction of diesel retailers’ contribution to the Oil Fund to Bt3 per litre from Bt3.40 keep the retail price from exceeding Bt30 per litre, effective  today. The cut will result in the decline of Oil Fund revenue to Bt174 million a day from Bt196 million.

 

‘INET Bangkok’ next week

The Internet Society, in collaboration with the country’s Internet community, the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, will host “INET Bangkok” on June 7 and 8. The conference will be held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, and will focus on the power of the Internet as a force for economic and social progress. 

INET Bangkok will bring together Thai Internet stakeholders to engage in an open discussion on the Internet agenda. This event will specifically showcase the creative power of the Internet, promote the importance of participating in the Internet governance process, and share capacity building efforts to expand Internet access. 

The INET Bangkok agenda will feature four tracks covering key drivers of the Internet in Thailand: technology, innovation, society, and the future. Noted speakers will include ICT Minister Anudith Nakornthap; Thaweesak “Hugh” Koanantakool, president of the NSTDA; Paul Wilson, director-general of the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre; Rohan Samarajiva, founder of LIRNEasia; Sunil Abraham, executive director of the Centre for Internet and Society; and Sak Segkhoonthod, president and CEO of the Electronic Government Agency.