A HUNDRED 10-wheel trucks, heavy trucks, trailers and buses from western and upper southern regions drove in a convoy to Bangkok this morning (Oct. 19) to join a protest by altogether a thousand large vehicles with six other convoys also participating to push for the capping of diesel price at 25 baht a litre, Matichon newspaper and Sanook.com said.
The truckers also want the government to reduce excise tax by 5 baht per litre and cancel the energy fund collection for one year.
At 10 a.m. today the truckers for the west and upper south had started heading for Bangkok from Ratchaburi province and once here will be driving down Kanchanaphisek road to join the other convoys with there to be as many as a thousand large vehicles in the protest.
The Trucking Federation of Thailand will then hold a press conference on their demand that the government peg the price of diesel at 25 baht.
Mr. Boonchu Kalayawutthipong, association’s secretary-general, said the truckers joining the protest are driving at the same speed and will not be causing a problem for the city’s road users.
However they had to take action because they had been affected by the higher fuel price which will also hike shipping cost and then lead to prices of products likewise rising. With this being the case they are in fact acting on behalf of the general public, he added.
Representatives of the association held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow yesterday but did not get a satisfactory answer.
Diesel price has already risen to 29 baht a litre and it won’t take long for it to climb past 30 baht, he said, while warning that if the problem is not solved or if the government is not sincere towards them they will escalate their protest.
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Truckers for the west and upper south heading for Bangkok today. Photos: Sanook.com
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