Energy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga has given his assurance that his ministry will work with the Commerce Ministry to reduce the marketing fee for gasoline (benzine) to two instead of three baht/litre, primarily to help cabbies and motorcycle taxi drivers.

Yesterday (Wednesday), the cabinet decided to cut the excise tax on diesel to 2.50 baht/litre, effective from September 20, and the electricity price from 4.45 to 4.10 baht per unit, starting in the September billing cycle.

Regarding the cut in the price of electricity, Pirapan explained that the cabinet has instructed the Energy Regulatory Commission of Thailand to coordinate with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) to extend the debt repayment periods for both the Metropolitan Electricity Authority and Provincial Electricity Authority, backed by government’s assurance that the debts owed to EGAT will be fully repaid.

Even though the cabinet did not decide to cut the gasoline price yesterday, the energy minister offered his assurance that his ministry will press ahead with the price cut by reducing the marketing fee.

He also said that the government will liberalise the importation of finished oil products by allowing new importers, such as the transport sector, to import them if they have the storage capacity, such as oil depots.