The US will announce whether to eliminate the privileges of both products on July 1.

Foreign Trade Department director-general Apiradi Tantraporn said yesterday that the Kingdom's exports under the GSP programme grew 18.93 per cent to US$4.25 billion (Bt150.8 billion) last year. The country's total export value to the US reached $22.34 billion.

She added that Thailand ranked third after Anglola and India in exercising special tax privileges.

The top five Thai export products under the GSP programme are gems and jewellery made from metal, other ornaments made from silver, radial tyres, colour TV sets, and polyethelene. - The Nation.

Gasohol-91 push

More oil retailers will start selling gasohol 91 this month, while the Energy Ministry will further promote gasohol consumption.

At present, only Bangchak Petroleum and Shell sell the fuel but PTT and Jet will join them. A survey by the Energy Policy and Planning Office in Bangkok and adjoining provinces shows 66 per cent of vehicle owners are not using gasohol mainly because of concerns about quality. To raise public confidence in gasohol, the office will launch a public test-drive.

Energy Ministry permanent secretary Pornchai Rujiprapha said that to boost consumption, the ministry would urge oil retailers, aside from Shell, to guarantee the compatibility of gasohol with all vehicles.

While gasohol-91 consumption should rise to 2 million litres a day in 2011 and gasohol 95 is gaining more popularity, this should boost ethanol consumption and eventually lead to the automatic scrapping of octane-95 petrol. - The Nation.