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Govt Overhauls Energy Prices, Uses Digital Control, Rejects Donations

Govt Overhauls Energy Prices, Uses Digital Control, Rejects Donations

Post Today•Politics•1d ago

Reader Briefing

Thailand's government is restructuring energy pricing by implementing a digital cost control system and rejecting donations, moving away from emergency decrees and past cooperative measures.

  • •The Thai government is overhauling energy pricing mechanisms to address high oil prices.
  • •A new digital system, referred to as 'SBK', will be established to accurately map real-time energy costs.
  • •The government has rejected the option of accepting donations from refineries, opting instead for legal measures to mandate price reductions.
  • •The new approach aims to provide more transparency and fairness in the energy sector, moving beyond temporary fixes.

Overview

  • •The Thai government is addressing high oil prices by undertaking a deep restructuring of energy pricing.
  • •The government is shifting from the use of the 1973 Emergency Decree, which carries legal dispute risks, to establishing a dedicated task force.
  • •A new organization, 'SBK' (Digital Cost Control), will be set up to utilize digital databases to verify true costs.
  • •The government has officially rejected the practice of accepting donations from refineries, a method previously used in 2022.
  • •Minister Akanat Promphan stated that "Thailand is not an indigent country" and confirmed the refusal of refinery donations.
  • •Instead of donations, the government will enact special laws to mandate a 2 THB per liter reduction at refinery gates, addressing the root of pricing structure.
  • •The SBK will digitize price and cost recording systems, implementing Data Mapping to compare forward oil purchase costs (2-3 months) with current selling prices.
  • •This digital system aims to reveal true profits and prevent immediate retail price increases mirroring global markets when stock costs are still low.

Full article content is available on the original source.

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Source: Post Today (Original)

Key Quotes

Akanat Promphan
""Thailand is not an indigent country.""
"ประเทศไทยไม่ใช่ประเทศอนาถา"

Key Entities

Organization

SBK(สบก.)
A newly established organization responsible for digitizing energy cost recording and performing Data Mapping to verify real-time costs.
Fuel Oil Fund(กองทุนน้ำมันเชื้อเพลิง)
A fund that previously received donations from refineries to alleviate energy price crises.
KTR(คตร.)
A committee chaired by Ekniti Nitithanprapas that oversees the scrutiny of refining and marketing margins.

Person

Anutin Charnvirakul(นายอนุทิน ชาญวีรกูล)ℹ️
Prime Minister leading the current government's energy policy reform.
Akanat Promphan(นายเอกนัฏ พร้อมพันธุ์)
Minister involved in the energy price restructuring, who made a decisive statement about national dignity.
Ekniti Nitithanprapas(นายเอกนิติ นิติทัณฑ์ประภาศ)
Chairman of the KTR committee, responsible for closely scrutinizing refining margins and marketing margins.

Law

Emergency Decree of 1973(พ.ร.ก. ปี 1973)
A law previously used for energy crisis management, now being disused due to its design for 'shortages' rather than 'high prices' and potential legal risks.