Consumers will soon feel the pinch of the higher cost of living, as the higher prices for cooking gas and electricity come into effect today (Thursday).

From today, the retail price of cooking gas (LPG) has increased by 1 baht/kg to 408 baht for a standard 15kg tank.

The price does not cover delivery fees, which are normally charged at 45 baht per trip for households and 15 baht for shops.

Cooking gas outlets report that some consumers, especially food shops, ordered two additional 15kg tanks to beat the price increase for a while.

Meanwhile, the fuel tariff (FT) for electricity, for September through to December, has increased by 68.66 satang to 93.43 satang per unit, bringing the average price of electricity to 4.72 baht per unit.

The Energy Regulatory Commission has attributed the increased tariff to a significant decrease of natural gas supply, the main fuel used in electricity generation, from the Gulf of Thailand and Myanmar, forcing Thailand to procure liquefied natural gas (LNG) on the spot market, at higher prices, instead.

While the price of cooking gas has gone up, the government continues to provide a subsidy of 100 baht, for July, August and September, to low-income households to partially cover the cost of cooking gas.

The government is yet to decide whether the subsidy will be extended beyond September.