The Energy Policy Administration Committee (Epac) has decided to continue capping the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which is used as cooking gas, at 408 baht per 15-kilogramme cylinder until the end of next month in a bid to slow rising living costs.
The group also agreed to maintain the ex-refinery price of LPG at 19.98 baht per kg.
LPG is a petroleum product created from the crude oil refining process.
The government still needs to help people to deal with high energy prices, which are prone to fluctuations, said Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow.
The 408-baht figure does not include transport expenses, which will make the gas price higher when sold to households.
The global reference price of LPG has risen to US$633.6 per tonne, or 480 baht per 15kg cylinder, according to Epac.
Epac's decision will cause authorities to use more money from the Oil Fuel Fund to subsidise the LPG price.
As of Monday, the government has run up a loss of 43.9 billion baht to cap the gas price, which is approaching the ceiling of 45 billion, according to the National Energy Policy Council.
Epac is also maintaining the retail price of compressed natural gas (CNG) at 13.62 baht per kg for taxi drivers who are registered under a special price subsidy programme run by national oil and gas conglomerate PTT Plc.
This special price remains in effect from Dec 16 to March 15 next year.
Other motorists pay more for CNG as Epac agreed the price will increase to 17.5 baht per kg, up from 16.59 baht per kg. The new price takes effect from Dec 16 to Mar 15, 2023.
PTT, the sole seller of CNG, has spent 6.75 billion baht subsidising CNG prices since Nov 1 last year.
The taxi driver programme, together with a slight increase in CNG prices for other drivers, will cost PTT around 2.6 billion baht.
