Instant happiness

Motorists are happy with the new government's policy to lower petrol and diesel prices, but there are potential long-term problems to consider.

Supplies of 91 octane and 95 octane petrol have sold out from a Caltex petrol station near Phetkasem 21 Road yesterday after the government’s decision to cut their retail prices on Saturday. PAWAT LAOPAISARNTAKSIN

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Yingluck defends petrol price cut policy

Chinnawat Singha & Prasit Tangprasert

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has defended the sharp cut in petrol and diesel prices amid worries over the effect on gasohol sales and production.

The measure, which has slashed the diesel price by three baht a litre and 91 and 95 octane petrol by between seven and eight baht, is an initial step to relieve people's living costs, the prime minister said yesterday.

She insisted her government was still committed to promoting the use of renewable energy.

Gasohol, a mix of petrol and ethanol, a kind of alcohol made from crops such as cassava and sugar cane, is considered renewable energy as the fuel is partly made of natural materials which can be easily regrown.

However, the government's decision to slash contributions from petrol sales to the Oil Fund to keep diesel and petrol prices low have raised worries over the side-effects, as the contributions are used to subsidise such alternative fuels as gasohol and cooking gas.

In response, Ms Yingluck has appointed Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan to study ways to solve problems that may arise from the fuel price cut.

"We will hold talks on renewable energy promotion," she said when commenting on the state's long-term energy policy.

The prices of 91 petrol and gasohol are almost equal. This has caused many motorists to switch to petrol 91 even though past governments have encouraged them to rely more on gasohol to decrease the country's dependence on oil imports and promote a cleaner fuel.

Many petrol stations ran out of petrol on Saturday, the first day of the new prices, as motorists flocked to fill up.

Suthep Liamsiricharoen, director of the Energy Policy and Planning Office, said petrol use averaged between five and six million litres a day.

He insisted the country would not face a shortage. The scarcity on Saturday resulted from service stations' failure to anticipate the spike in demand.

retail – to sell directly to the public for their own use  ขายปลีก
defend – to say things to support someone or something ปกป้อง
policy – a set of plans or action agreed on by a government, political party, business, or other group นโยบาย
sharp – sudden and rapid, especially of a change in something ฉับพลัน, กะทันหัน
amid – during the time when something else is happening ท่ามกลาง
production – the process of goods or materials, especially large quantities การผลิต
measure – an action taken to solve a particular problem มาตรการ
slash – (of a budget, price, etc.) to cut, especially by a large amount ตัด
initial – early; first  เบื้องต้น
relieve – to help improve a bad situation ผ่อนคลาย, บรรเทา
insist – to keep saying very firmly that something is true ยืนกราน ยืนยัน
committed – loyal and willing to give your time and energy to something that you believe in
crop – a plant grown for food, usually on a farm  พืชผล
cassava – a tropical plant with roots that can be cooked and eaten or made into flour มันสำปะหลัง
contribution – a regular payment การลงทุนหรือช่วยเหลือ
side-effect – an effect of something that is not intended and could be unpleasant ผลข้างเคียง
subsidise – to pay part of the costs of something ให้ความช่วยเหลือด้านการเงิน
alternative – something that you can choose instead of something else ทางเลือก
appoint – to choose someone officially for a job or responsibility แต่งตั้ง,ตั้งให้เป็น
arise – to happen as a result of a particular situation  เกิดขึ้น
equal – the same  เท่ากัน
state – government รัฐบาล
switch – to change เปลี่ยน
encourage – to cause someone to want to do something กระตุ้น ให้การสนับสนุน
rely on – to need something in order to continue living, existing, or operating อาศัย, พึ่งพาอาศัย
decrease – to become less ลดลง, น้อยลง
dependence – the state of needing the help and support of somebody/something in order to survive or be successful การพึ่งพาอาศัย
flock – to go someone in large numbers; to gather together in large numbers แห่กันไป
average – to be equal to a particular amount as an average  เฉลี่ย
shortage – when there is not enough of something การขาดแคลน
scarcity – when there is not enough of something and it is difficult to obtain it  ความขาดแคลน, ความไม่เพียงพอ
anticipate – to guess or expect that something will happen คาดการณ์
spike – a sudden increase การพุ่งพรวดขึ้น
demand – the amount of a product or service that people want ความต้องการ