Thailand to raise LPG price

BANGKOK, July 15 (TNA) - Thai Finance Minister Kittirat Na-Ranong has announced that the government is to increase the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to reflect real market conditions. Kittirat said the increase will come on a gradual basis, and will first affect the transportation sector. However, the LPG price for the households sector would remain the same. He added that the price of diesel oil will also be lifted but at a slow pace, in order to avoid hurting the country’s logistics sector. According to Kittirat, the government has subsidised LPG prices in the country for a long period to help the public cope with high costs of living. However, reports have shown rampant smuggling of cheaper LPG supplies for redistribution in Thailand’s neighbouring countries. (TNA)