According to government spokesman Chai Watcharong, the cabinet approved the Energy Ministry’s proposal to lower energy rates by 11 satang per unit on Monday.
The intention to reduce the power cost from 4.10 baht per unit to 3.99 baht was announced during the meeting, with Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga breaking the news to the cabinet.
Following the cabinet’s decision at their meeting on September 13, Mr. Chai declared that the cost of energy would decrease from 4.45 baht per unit to 4.10 baht starting with this month’s billing.
He added that Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had given Mr. Pirapan the task of coming up with strategies for quickly reducing electricity bills and energy prices.
Mr. Chai stated that the cabinet did not resolve to decrease spending, and that there were no information available about the proposal.
After consulting with the Energy Regulatory Commission, Mr. Pirapan reportedly informed the cabinet that the monthly billing rate for power might be reduced to 3.99 baht.
Meanwhile, Mr. Srettha stated on Monday that the cabinet would discuss policies to further ameliorate the condition of the people at its next meeting. These policies could include aid for drivers who are having trouble making auto instalment payments.
At the Thairath Forum 2023’s “Future Perfect” event, he promised that the government would implement additional steps to reduce the cost of living.
Mr. Srettha stated that he had given the appropriate agencies orders to investigate the possibility of lowering gasoline prices, particularly for those on fixed incomes.
He noted that the price of power had been lowered to 4.19 baht per unit, rather than the 4.25 baht per unit demanded by businesses, and expressed his optimism that the government would be able to bring it even lower, to below 4 baht per unit.
He reaffirmed that the rollout of the government’s 10,000-baht digital wallet program would occur in the first quarter of 2019.
He predicted that within a week, it would be obvious where the money for the plan would come from.
The ruling Pheu Thai Party’s key election promise—a digital wallet system—is expected to cost upwards of 560 billion baht.
