Nakhon Ratchasima: A truckers' association in the Northeast will form a convoy of trucks next week in protest, calling on the government to fix the diesel price at 30 baht per litre.
Somkid Kingkrodklang, who owns a transport company and is chairman of the Land Transport Federation of Thailand in the Northeast, on Wednesday conveyed the hardship the transport businesses there are facing due to the rising diesel price.
B7 diesel cost 32.94 baht per litre on Wednesday, which Mr Somkid said was still high.
He demanded the government peg the price at 30 baht to allow businesses to survive.
Mr Somkid said the increasing diesel price is affecting the prices of other types of commodities as well, causing them to go higher. If the diesel price keeps rising, entrepreneurs will not be able to cover the higher costs, he added.
According to him, the federation has submitted a complaint about the matter to the authorities three times, but it has never been addressed.
He also revealed that members of his federation will assemble in Nakhon Ratchasima to form a protest convoy of 100 trucks next Tuesday.
The convoy will enter Bangkok the following day to join with other convoys from different regions, he said.
The combined convoy will consist of 400 trucks in total and will take up only one traffic lane to avoid blocking roads, said Mr Somkid.
Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga previously told the Land Transport Federation of Thailand on Monday to suspend its plan for the protest convoy, saying he was pushing for a bill that would change the way the diesel price is calculated, resulting in price decreases.
It was reported on Wednesday that the increasing diesel price is affecting shops, businesses, and transport companies because the delivery of products mostly requires the use of diesel. Some businesses are likely to raise the prices of their goods and services in the near future.
