PM vows govt will maintain energy, financial stability
The government will maintain energy and financial stability to mitigate the impacts of rising energy prices especially on vulnerable people, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Wednesday.
He made the remark after presiding over a National Energy Policy Council meeting. The council is responsible for regulating fuel prices and overseeing the Oil Fuel Fund.
He said several agencies have adjusted their energy use to cope with rising gas and fuel prices, especially the use of electricity from coal-fired power plants.
Prayut pointed out that the rising energy prices have affected many countries, not just Thailand.
It is necessary to study what factors have caused the price rise, whether they are internal or external, he said.
Prayut said the government was putting in all effort to seek additional energy sources to tackle the problem in a sustainable way.
He vowed to maintain energy stability to ensure it is "sufficient" to support businesses and the economy.
The government must take care of energy prices to mitigate any impact on citizens, especially diesel and cooking gas, which have severely affected the cost of living, the PM said.
He also said the government would launch a series of measures to assist vulnerable people, as well as maintain financial stability to support economic growth.
Fitch Ratings is still maintaining its BBB+ (high) rating for Thailand, the same level before the Covid-19 pandemic and the rising energy price crisis, Prayut added.
The government will do its best to tackle all problems, he promised.