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Published on October 29, 2007

Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand said international crude-oil prices on Friday reached a new high. Refined diesel and petrol traded at US$100.49 (Bt3,425) and $94.5 per barrel, respectively.

PTT will watch price movements this week before deciding if it will increase petrol prices by Bt0.40 per litre, the hike that will kick 95 octane beyond the Bt31 threshold in Bangkok.

However, the State Railway of Thailand promised to maintain fares, even though the price of diesel oil had increased Bt1 a litre, resulting in Bt120 million in annual losses for the enterprise, its acting governor Bancha Kongnate said.

Meanwhile fresh-market merchants called on the next government to give priority to price controls for food to protect small merchants and consumers.

Sunthree Thongman from Huay Kwang market said consumers shopped at fresh markets now rather than supermarkets because they were cheaper.

"This government failed to control food prices, so I hope to see the new government takes care of the problem. Wholesale prices have already increased and the burden falls on the shoulders of consumers and retailers like us; we try to maintain retail food prices to attract people to buy from us," Sunthree said.

The Nation