Key policies to energy sector: Thailand

BANGKOK: Thailand aims to revive its stalled "land bridge" plan to further its ambition to be a Southeast Asian hub for oil trading and bio-fuel, challenging Singapore's lead, its new energy minister said on Thursday.

In late September, the government announced plan to re-impose a levy on some gasoline and diesel from mid-January to help stabilise the state Oil Fund, a move seen by analysts as a step closer to restructure fuel prices to reflect actual costs.

To keep fixing domestic LPG selling price for household sector until the end of 2012 and for auto sector and NGV prices until Jan 15, 2012

LPG for household cooking gas is 41 percent of total LPG consumption in Thailand.

To increase domestic LPG selling prices for the auto sector by 0.75 baht/kg each month for the next 12 months, totalling 9 baht per kg, starting Jan 16, 2012

To increase the NGV selling price by 0.5 baht per kg each month in the next 12 months, totally 6 baht per kg, starting Jan 16, 2012.

To collect the oil fund for the petrochemical sector by 1 baht per kg starting Jan. 1, 2012.

To increase the oil fund collection for gasoline 95 and 91 by 1.0 baht a litre and diesel by 0.60 baht a litre, starting Jan 16, 2012.

To issue credit cards to subsidise target group of taxi and bus drivers to ease burden of the Oil Fund.

Copyright Reuters, 2011