High Oil Prices Force Many Northeastern Truck Operators Out Of Business

[Jai Dee]

High oil prices force many northeastern truck operators out of business

Soaring oil prices have already forced many truck operators in the Northeast out of business.

Pramote Kongthong (ปราโมทย์ กงทอง), chairman of the Association of Truck Operators in the Northeast, said 3,500 trucks have halted services and about 1,000 others are to be seized by financial institutions because the owners can not pay installments.

Mr. Pramote called for urgent help from the government by reducing excise tax imposed on sales of gasoline or canceling the 2.50-baht per litre levy which currently finances the Oil Fund to lower retail oil prices.

The association has 412 members using 7,000 trucks for their transport services.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 11 August 2006