BANGKOK, 30 July 2014 – The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has given the green light to the proposal allowing the public to continue using free buses and trains until January 31, 2015.
NCPO leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha stated that the policy has been able to lessen the financial burden and cost of living among low-income earners to a certain extent.
General Prayuth has also decided to extend the diesel tax reduction period until the end of August 2014. Without the tax reduction, diesel prices are poised to rise according to the market forces.
Reducing the excise diesel tax has resulted in a loss of 9 billion baht per month in revenue for the Excise Department. From April 20, 2011 to June 20, 2014, the department has reported a total loss of 336 billion baht in diesel tax collections.
