NEW OIL PRICES
YUTHANA PRAIWAN
All petrol stations will close for five hours from midnight tonight, as staff from three ministries check fuel stocks at service stations and oil depots nationwide.
The stocktaking is in preparation for new oil prices which will take effect tomorrow.
As a result of the government's policy to cut the excise tax for ethanol-based petrol and diesel for motorists, authorities needed to repay traders for the excise taxes they have already paid on unsold supplies as of that date.
In total, 15,000 fuel service stations and 100 oil depots nationwide will be checked by 2,000 authorities from the Interior, Commerce and Energy ministries.
Yesterday 72 provincial governors met to prepare for the stocktaking.
The Internal Trade Department is also monitoring oil traders in a bid to prevent hoarding of lower-price supplies, Energy Minister Poonpirom Liptapanlop said.
State officials were required to attend training to ensure they carry out the stocktaking with speed and precision.
''We need to ensure our officials are efficient because some petrol stations and depots have already paid excise taxes for their stocks and we have to pay them compensation,'' Lt-Gen Poonpirom said.
The state oil fund has allocated at least 600 million baht to pay for reclaimed tax. Those who want to make claims have three days to file them, starting tomorrow.
Prev
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Next
