Kingdom’s consumers told to save gas
Economy and Finance Minister Keat Chhon yesterday urged consumers to limit their gasoline consumption in the face of rising prices, saying the Cambodian government would not boost the hundreds of millions of dollars he claimed it already offered in fuel subsidies. Speaking at the Ministry of Commerce’s annual meeting in Phnom Penh, Keat Chhon admitted that high gas prices were a greater burden to the country’s poor, but said the problem was not unique to Cambodia. … Prices climbed to US$1.44 a litre for “gold”-branded gasoline yesterday, from $1.33 on December 31, a jump of 8.3 per cent, according to Ministry of Commerce statistics. … But some consumers claim the government is not doing enough to tamp down costs. Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association, noted the hit taken by lower-income workers as a result of gas prices. … Gas prices in Vietnam as of March 8 were about $1.10 a litre, according to Vietnamese media reports citing the country’s Ministry of Finance. Thailand’s PTT sold gasoline yesterday at $1.33 a litre, according to its website. …
