Govt to watch for gouging after cooking gas price rises on Sunday
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Amid the alarm over the increase in the controlled price of liquefied petroleum gas for household use, the Internal Trade Department is set to send special teams to inspect gas shops and street food vendors to ensure they are not overcharging customers.
Nopporn Limthong, deputy director-general, said yesterday that gas and food retailers should not increase prices of cooking gas over the limit, otherwise they would face strict punishment.
On Sunday, the price of LPG for household consumption will step up by 50 satang per kilogram. This will increase the price of a 15-kilogram gas tank by Bt7.50 from the current level of Bt290-Bt300.
The household LPG price is being edged up by 50 satang a month over 12 months to Bt24.82 per kilogram.
According to the department’s calculation, the price of street food will go up by only 5 satang per dish, so vendors should not cite the LPG price increase as justification for raising their food prices.
The department will ask for the cooperation of food traders and manufacturers to maintain prices.
To ease the cost of living for consumers, the department is working with 7-Eleven, the biggest convenience-store chain, to sell two kinds of ready-to-eat meals for Bt25 per box.
The choice is khao kra pao (rice with sausage and basil leaves) and fried rice with pork. The chain aims to sell about 4 million boxes of those two menus nationwide from now to November 25.
