BANGKOK : Thailand’s cabinet on Tuesday extended measures to support energy prices and tourism, and approved plans to seek a contribution from refineries to boost the country’s depleted oil fund.
The measures came as Thai headline inflation hit a near 14-year high of 7.1 per cent in May, driven by rising oil prices.
Existing relief measures will be extended for three months to September, including a monthly subsidy of 100 baht ($2.83) for cooking gas for low-income earners, and freezing vehicle gas prices for taxi drivers, government spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana told a news conference.
The government will also seek for refineries and gas separation plants to contribute some profits to the state oil fund for three months, he said.
Last week, the government said monthly contributions from refineries were expected to bring in 6 billion to 7 billion baht ($169.88 million to…
