PUBLIC TRANSPORT
VICHAYA PITSUWAN
The Energy Ministry has extended the subsidy on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for taxis until the end of the year.
The move is a response to the Taxi Association's complaint that an increase in the price of LPG would cause added hardship when they are already struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living.
Energy permanent secretary Pornchai Rujiprapa said yesterday the ministry will allow taxis to fill their tanks at a subsidised rate until the end of the year.
Taxis will be able to buy discounted LPG at 107 filling stations around Bangkok. Worldgas and Siamgas each run 40 of these stations, and PTT the other 27.
Energy Minister Poonpirom Liptapanlop on Monday postponed a planned increase in the price of LPG for use in vehicles, saying her priority was to ensure supply meets demand after a severe shortage in the market raised suspicions vendors were hoarding supplies.
The ministry previously announced it would raise the LPG price yesterday and later gradually float it to ease the burden of the state price subsidy. The announcement led to a serious shortage of LPG for vehicles over the weekend.
Vitoon Neawpanich, president of the Taxi Association, said he is satisfied with the government's short-term measure.
Mr Pornchai said 50,000 to 60,000 taxis have not yet modified their vehicles to run on compressed natural gas (CNG).
Mr Pornchai said more CNG filling stations will open by the end of this year.
The Energy Ministry reports that in the first four months of this year, the transport sector used 214,800 tonnes of LPG, with the industrial sector using 226,800 tonnes and household use totalling 668,700 tonnes.
The ministry also reports the transport sector used 5,000 tonnes more of LPG in June, or a total consumption of 60,000 tonnes a month for the sector.
Thailand needs to import 40,000 tonnes of LPG monthly.
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