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Published on September 1, 2007

The increase will take the price of octane 95 petrol to Bt28.79 per litre and diesel to Bt25.74.

Despite price increases, Thailand's crude oil imports in July surged 11 per cent from June, according to the Energy Business Department. However, the import of 827,000 barrels per day was 1.4 per cent lower than last July. Imports of refined products also dropped 56 per cent year on year and 39 per cent month on month.

Petrol demand in July rose 3.6 per cent year on year to 19.93 million litres a day. Diesel consumption was up 4.2 per cent to 48.26 million litres per day.

Seafood trade

Russia has opened its doors to the products of 12 seafood-processing factories in Thailand.

Fisheries Department deputy director-general Niwat Sutheemeechaikul said the factories would come under less stringent quarantine measures for exports to Russia. While all containers must be checked, only some will be subject to quarantine.

From January to June, Thailand exported 2,093 tonnes of shrimp worth Bt408.07 million to Russia, a four-fold increased from the same period last year.

Niwat believes 6,000 tonnes of seafood will be exported to Russia this year, with a value of not less than Bt1.2 billion.

Sydney-bound

Commerce Minister Krirk-krai Jirapaet will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) trade ministers' meeting in Sydney next Tuesday and Wednesday, where all members are expected to push for the completion of the Doha Round of trade talks this year.

World Trade Organisation director-general Pascal Lamy will also attend, said Vinitchai Chaemchaeng, deputy director-general of the Trade Negotiations Department.

"This follows the failure in reaching a commitment during the G-4 meeting in June, where members [the US, the European Union, India and Brazil] showed different views, particularly on opening markets, agricultural subsidies and reduction of tariffs on industrial goods," he said.

Rice transfer

Pisut Chalakornkul, director of the Public Warehouse Organisation (PWO), yesterday ordered the immediate transfer of the chief of rice warehouses in Phichit province. The move follows the theft of 54,600 tonnes of rice from a PWO warehouse last week. 

The Nation