Interprovincial bus operators have said they will limit or cease services along specific routes due to rising fuel costs.
Pichet Jiamburaset, president of the Thai Bus Business Association, said private operators can no longer cope with increased expenses associated with high diesel prices. The cost of diesel currently stands at 34 baht per liter, up from 27 baht in 2017.
Pichet said the move was necessary as a last resort to stay in business and prevent services from shutting down completely. He noted that if the services were to continue, they would be responsible for approximately 1,400 baht in gasoline costs per trip.
Meanwhile, Kla Party leader Korn Chatikavanij has proposed a three-point plan to assist people affected by rising fuel prices, including changing the kingdom’s refining profit ceiling. He added that the refining margin has nearly doubled to 8.5 baht per liter, up from 0.87 baht in June 2021 and 0.88 baht the year prior.
According to the former finance minister, a greater margin is a financial burden on customers and the Oil Fuel Fund, which subsidizes oil prices and is currently 86 billion baht in the red.
Korn also suggested enacting a windfall tax law and launching an energy-saving campaign after the first four months of the year saw a 15% spike in fuel use. (NNT)
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