The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has urged the government to maintain the current fuel tariff (Ft) in order to relieve pressure on the manufacturing sector.
According to FTI vice-chairman Wirat Uanarumit, the FTI has conducted a survey on the possibility that the government will raise fuel tariffs as a result of the global oil price surge and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The survey included opinions from 460 members from 45 industries.
The Poll revealed that 68.3 percent of respondents want the government to keep the current Ft, as the economy begins to recover from months of economic downturn due to Covid-19 and international conflicts. 57.6 percent want the government to implement policies to assist small and medium-sized businesses in dealing with rising energy costs. 55 percent of respondents want low-interest loans to purchase new energy-saving machines, with 50.9 percent requesting increased investment privileges from the Board of Investment to carry out renewable energy projects.
FTI members also urged the government to address the labor shortage problem by replacing minimum wages with skill-based pay, registering illegal migrant workers, and importing more workers through memoranda of understanding with neighboring countries. (NNT)