FARMERS pleaded with the authorities to not announce oil price hike in the middle of the night as occurred last night and took effect at 5 a.m. this morning (March 31) with this being the second time a midnight announcement was made, the first being a 6 baht hike that took effect last Thursday (March 26), and the new hike raises diesel prices by 1.80 baht a litre while petrol and gasohol by 1 baht, Amarin TV said.
The farmers said it is more reasonable to make the announcement at 6 p.m. as they would not then have to rush and line up at filling stations in the dead of the night.
With the global market in crisis after diesel price skyrocketed to US$238 a barrel the Oil Fuel Fund Management Committee increased the diesel subsidy by 2.09 baht per litre, rising from 16.67 baht to 18.76 baht per litre.
Farmers in Buriram rushed to fill up at petrol pumps before the higher prices kicked in amid a bustling atmosphere as they queued up with some even having brought jerrycans to take some extra fuel home.
Mr. Pongpreeda, 23, a sugarcane farmer from Prasat subdistrict, Ban Dan district, said it was only a little while ago that he found out about diesel price rising by 1.80 baht per litre and he rushed to fill his jerrycans to load onto his 10-wheel truck to transport his crop to the sugar factory, as it is about to close for this harvesting season.
He admitted that the current situation is very difficult and farmers have to monitor the situation day by day.
“I would like the Oil Fuel Fund Management Committee to announce appropriate fuel price adjustments, ideally around 6 p.m. so that people have time to prepare. I don’t want surprise announcements like this in the middle of the night,” he said.
The following are the prices at five petrol pumps: PTT, Bangchak, PT, Caltex, and Shell:
PTT fiiling stations:
– Gasohol 95: 42.05 THB/litre
– Gasohol E20: 37.05 THB/litre
– Gasohol E85: 33.79 THB/litre
– Gasohol 91: 41.68 THB/litre
– Premium Gasohol 95: 53.04 THB/litre
– Benzene 95: 50.64 THB/litre
– Diesel: 40.74 THB/litre
– Premium Diesel: 56.44 THB/litre
Bangchak filling stations:
– Gasohol 95: 42.05 THB/litre
– Gasohol E20: 37.05 THB/litre
– Gasohol E85: 33.79 THB/litre
– Gasohol 91: 41.68 THB/litre
– Gasohol 95 Premium: 57.54 THB/litre
– Diesel: 40.74 THB/litre
– Premium Diesel: 58.64 THB/litre
PT filling stations:
– Gasohol 95: 42.05 THB/litre
– Gasohol E20: 37.05 THB/litre
– Gasohol 91: 41.68 THB/litre
– Benzene 95: 51.14 THB/litre
– Diesel: 40.74 THB/litre
Shell filling stations:
– Gasohol 95: 42.55 THB/litre
– Gasohol E20: 37.55 THB/litre
– Gasohol 91: 41.93 THB/litre
– Premium Gasohol 95: 49.84 THB/litre
– Diesel: 40.94 THB/litre
– Premium Diesel: 59.84 THB/litre
Caltex filling stations:
– Gasohol 95: 42.05 THB/litre
– Gasohol E20: 37.05 THB/litre
– Gasohol 91: 41.68 THB/litre
– Benzine 95: 57.51 THB/litre
– Diesel: 40.74 THB/litre
– Premium Diesel: 58.64 THB/litre
CAPTION:
Big rush to fill up at petrol pumps. Photos – Amarin TV
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