Thailand’s truckers’ associations have threatened to go on strike for a week if the government does not freeze the pump price of diesel at 30 baht/litre.
To send a warning to the government that they mean business, 200 trucks from the north-eastern chapter of the Land Transport Federation of Thailand will gather on Tuesday at the intersection of the Friendship and Phahonyothin highways in Saraburi province, where the North-eastern Transport Association is located, then head for Soong Neon, See Khiew and Pak Chong districts before returning to their starting point.
Thanasant Kulpetanont, deputy secretary-general of the association, said today (Sunday) that the trucks will not move to Bangkok, to avoid exacerbating the traffic problems there.
He said the trucker’s associations, under the umbrella of the Land Transport Federation of Thailand, want the prices of all types of diesel to be pegged at 25 baht/litre by cutting the excise tax, by five baht/litre for one year and using the Oil Fund to subsidize diesel prices.
Thanasant said truckers are now suffering from the rising oil prices and want the government to come to their rescue quickly. Failing that, they may stage an initial 7 day strike to stop cargo delivery services.
Today’s diesel prices in Bangkok are 28.89 baht/litre for B7 and B10, 28.64 baht/litre for B20 and 33.66 baht for premium-grade diesel.
