The private sector has urged the government to postpone a fuel tariff increase in September to help alleviate financial burdens for businesses affected by rising fuel prices.
Sangchai Theerakulwanich, president of the Federation of Thai SMEs, stated that authorities should find a way to set a ceiling for the fuel tariff to reduce the financial burdens for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). He said that business owners could not afford to pay higher electricity costs while also having to cover rising material and labor expenses.
The statement was made following a statement by the Energy Regulatory Commission citing the possibility of higher electricity bills. The increase in fuel tariff, which is a part of the power tariff used to calculate power bills, could push the power tariff to a record high of 4.4 baht per kilowatt-hour between September and December this year.
The Federation President urged the government to deal with higher prices of raw materials, especially fertilizers and wheat. He advised authorities to negotiate with companies that import these materials or find new markets to lower material prices, as this is a better solution than putting production expenses in check. He also emphasized the importance of serious national energy management restructuring to effectively manage costs and promote the use of more renewable energy in the long term. (NNT)
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