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[Sexpat]

"The government has ruled out bringing back fuel subsidies, as world oil prices hit $80 per barrel and record new Thai prices for petrol and diesel appear likely. Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand said the good old days of subsidised fuel, which cost the treasury $2.7 billion in 19 months before the Thaksin Shinawatra government cancelled them, were over. . .

Between the government ending its subsidy on gasoline at the end of 2004 - that for diesel ended in July 2005 - and 2006, Thai oil product demand fell 3.7 per cent, according to the International Energy Agency.

Thailand is still paying off that subsidy period through surcharges on gasoline and diesel, making Thai fuel prices more expensive. "What we should be doing now is to try to pay back 30 billion baht of the remaining debt within four months," Mr Piyasvasti said.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/tops...s.php?id=121601