Fuel consumption soars in provinces unaffected by floods

BANGKOK, November 23 (TNA) - Thailand's fuel consumption has soared in provinces unaffected by floods, leading to a plunge in fuel sales by up to 23 per cent in Bangkok alone. Chavalit Panthong, Assistant President for Oil Business of PTT Public Company Limited (PTT), said on Wednesday that fuel consumption has noticeably soared so far this month in the provinces where flood evacuees from Bangkok stay, like the eastern Rayong and Chonburi Provinces. Chavalit acknowledged that the consumption of gasohol has plunged most, as petrol and diesel have been used, instead, to fuel vehicles and boats in flooded areas. According to the PTT executive, Thailand's fuel sales will rebound comparable to the national economic growth by some 3.5 per cent next year, boosted by post-flood rehabilitation plans. The PTT executive assessed that the re-opening of petrol stations and factories in areas where floods have receded have cushioned nationwide fuel consumption by 1.9 per cent or 27.5 million litres per day as of November 20, compared with the pre-flood fuel consumption in September, noting that nationwide fuel sales last month dropped by 3.2 per cent, with those in Bangkok and surrounding provinces alone felling by 23 per cent or nearly 9 million litres per day. (TNA)