ENERGY
YUTHANA PRAIWAN & PHUSADEE ARUNMAS
The energy minister postponed a planned increase in the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for use in vehicles after a severe shortage in the market raised suspicions vendors were hoarding supplies.
Energy Minister Poonpirom Liptapanlop said yesterday the priority was to ensure supply for LPG meets demand.
The ministry previously announced it would raise the LPG price today and later gradually float it to alleviate the burden of a state price subsidy. The announcement led to a serious shortage of LPG for vehicles over the weekend.
The minister said a date would be set later for floating the price.
''As of now, the date for the LPG price rise is unconfirmed. The ministry has not yet considered it,'' she said.
Globally, LPG currently trades at US$950 per tonne, compared to Thailand's fixed price of $320 a tonne.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej blamed the shortage on suppliers hoarding fuel in readiness for today's anticipated price rise.
However, the Energy Ministry attributed the shortage to the problem of transporting LPG from PTT's Khao Bor Ya Gas Terminal in Chon Buri province.
Lt-Gen Poonpirom warned that her ministry would punish any vendors who hoard LPG or refuse to sell it. The penalty was a jail term of up to seven years.
The Internal Trade Department discussed the LPG supply with large-scale suppliers yesterday. They included PTT Plc, World Gas Co, and Siam Gas and Petrochemicals Plc.
Director-general Yanyong Phuangrach said the shortage partly resulted from PTT limiting its supply to small-scale vendors. PTT is the country's largest LPG supplier and the only local supplier that imports LPG.
''Operators insist that they did not hoard LPG, but kept their stock only up to the level the law allows,'' he said.
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