Motorcycle taxi drivers can now download the “Thung Ngern” application onto their smartphones, so they can receive a 250 baht/month subsidy from the state until the end of July, to be used to buy benzene from gas stations under the 50:50 co-payment scheme, in light of the high fuel prices.
Energy Permanent Secretary Kulit Sombatsiri said today (Thursday) that this co-payment scheme is intended to ease the burden of rising oil prices on motorcycle taxi drivers, in an effort to prevent them from increasing their fares.
Only drivers who have registered with the Land Transport Department are entitled to receive the subsidy. According to the department, there are 106,655 such drivers.
Director-general of Energy Business Department Nantika Thangsupanich said motorcycle taxi drivers who are entitled to receive the subsidy must have money deposited in the app in order to claim the other half of in subsidy when they fill up with benzene.
Contributions from the state are capped at 50 baht a day. Over 1,000 gas stations have, so far, participated in the scheme, but applications are still open through the www.doeb.go.th website or the Call Centre at 02-7944308-9.
