BANGKOK, 30th August 2013 Secretary General of the Prime Minister’s Office, Suporn Attawong met with taxi drivers led by Mr. Witoon Naewpanit, Chairman of Taxi Siam Cooperatives to discuss the government’s gesture towards the latter’s requests to reconsider increasing the price of LPG.
Mr.Witoon, also vice chairman of the Vehicles for Hire Operators Association, stated after the meeting held at Government House that he felt there had been some confusion in the information provided by the Ministry of Energy. He said he understood that the Ministry of Energy was responsible for formulating prices of LPG while the Ministry of Commerce’s responsibility is to see to it that the product is sold at the controlled prices. Also, he used to be informed by the Energy Ministry that LPG was on the list of price-control goods.
However, from the recent discussion the Ministry of Commerce claims that LPG gas is not a price-control product and the price should vary depending on the situation as long as it is within the set price ceiling. Moreover, Mr. Witoon stated that the price that has been set by the Ministry is 11.55 baht per kilo while the real price that taxis must pay at gas stations is 13 baht.
Usually, taxis need to refill around 60kg of LPG a day, so the price difference is approximately 100 baht which is causing an impact on taxi drivers. Mr. Suporn promises to come up with further measures to help solve the problem. He added that the Commerce Ministry cannot control the price of LPG sold at each gas station as LPG is not on the price-control list. But from now on, gas stations will be asked to put up clear signs displaying the LPG price so that taxi drivers may decide whether or not they will refuel at that station. LPG gas stations that fail to do so will be liable to punishment.
