Peeraphan stunned by plan to hike petrol tax to incentivise train travel

DEPUTY Prime Minister-cum-Energy Minister  Peeraphan Saleerathaviphak said today (Dec. 21) he does not know where Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit got the idea to hike excise tax on petrol only in Bangkok and surrounding provinces to incentivise people to travel by train and it probably won’t materialise, Naewna newspaper said.

While Suriya said he will be holding talks with Peeraphan on setting up a common ticket fund from additional revenue generated by hiking excise tax on petrol in Greater Bangkok, the latter said he does not know about this proposal but there are many other ways to incentivise people to travel by train.

When questioned by reporters whether excise tax could be hiked in a specific zone like Bangkok and surrounding provinces, Peeraphan replied:

“Increasing taxes is for the government to decide but as for me, it probably won’t go up because right now our measure is to reduce petrol price not increase it.

“Moreover there has been no approach to hold talks.”

Questioned whether Suriya’s plan to set up a common ticket fund is aimed at meeting the cost of reducing electric train fares to flat 20 baht on some routes, Peeraphan said there are many other ways to meet this expense and hiking petrol excise tax would only lead to people suffering more which the government is concerned about but this could be discussed.

Asked again would hiking petrol excise tax just in Greater Bangkok not dissatisfy people living in the metropolitan zone, he replied that reporters should ask Suriya as he did not come up with this plan.

CAPTIONS:

Top and Front Page: An attendant prepares to refuel a car at a petrol station in Rome on January 4, 2012. File photo: Reuters/Max Rossi and published by CNA

First insert: Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Energy Minister  Peeraphan Saleerathaviphak. Photo: Naewna

Second insert: Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit. Photo: Matichon

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