[sustran] Bangkok car free day

[Craig Townsend]

>From the Bangkok Post Internet Edition, 19 August 2000

Car-free day to be declared: Protest gesture at soaring oil price

Yuthana Praiwan

A car-free day is to be declared next month in Bangkok in protest against 
soaring fuel costs.

The government will encourage motorists to leave their vehicles at home on 
Sept 22, PM's Office Minister Savit Bhodivihok said yesterday.

The carless Friday is in response to the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting 
Countries' production limits, which are forcing up prices.

Mr Savit said the government could not, at a time of austerity, introduce 
tax cuts to help stabilise retail pump prices. "It would affect the state's 
monetary position and result in a weaker baht, which would inevitably result 
in a further oil price rise anyway," he said.

Talks would be held soon with the National Energy Policy Office, the Thai 
Merchants Association and other private sector interests on launching the 
car-free day campaign.

This week, the Industry Ministry ordered Thaioil to lower the wholesale 
price of oil supplied to the Petroleum Authority of Thailand by US$1 a 
barrel.

It was hoped this would prevent pump prices from going over 17 baht a litre.

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