Diesel price to be capped below Bt30
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Energy Minister Pongsak Ruktapongpisal said on Friday that diesel price would be maintained below Bt30 per litre until the end of this year, as a measure to maintain the cost of living.
The prices of natural gas for vehicle (NGV) and fuel tariffs (FT) will also be maintained through the end of this year.
After a meeting with top energy officials today, he said that for the FT, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand would be asked to shoulder any increase during the period. Initial estimate shows that the FT for the September-December round must be rased by 2.8 satang per unit.
Meanwhile, he said that the LPG gas price for household use would be hiked on September 1.
The move has been delayed several times, for fear that the hike may push up the cost of living.
Pongsak insisted that there are now measures to help low-income earners as well as street food vendors, to be affected by the move.
"The low-income won't be affected and food vendors have no reason to raise prices," he said.
From September 1, the price would be raised by 50 satang per kg until it is raised by Bt6 per kg. The gas price for household use has been maintained at Bt18.13 per kg for years, despite a big jump in the global markets.
Under relief measures, households which consume less than 90 units of electricity per month and 750,000 households earning a living through selling food would not be subjected to the increase.
According to Pongsak, at Bt18.13 per kg, energy cost accounts for 1 per cent of a dish or 30 satang. The 50-satang-per-month increase will raise the cost by 1.5 satang, while the Bt6 increase will raise the cost by 10 satang.
