Minister: Gov't 'Unable' to Lower Fuel Costs By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
08 November 2007
Cambodia's government cannot immediately bring down the high costs of fuel, despite calls from the opposition and threatened mass demonstrations, a senior official said Thursday.
In an exclusive interview with VOA Khmer, Finance Minister Keat Chhon said Thursday the government was "unable to decrease the price of gasoline."
Opposition calls for mass demonstrations over the rising price of fuel was a "political trick," he said, adding that the government had used "silent" tactics like duty reduction and arrests of smugglers to allay some of the price rise.
Fuel prices have tripled in Cambodia this year, putting a heavy squeeze on some of the country's poorest. A liter of gas in Phnom Penh cost 4,350 riel Thursday, as the international price of oil neared $100 a barrel.
"We're helping to curb the price of gas by means of tax reduction," Keat Chhon said. "In September alone, we took a loss of $15 million. And for the past nine months, the losses reached $125 million."
In another effort to keep prices low, the government had taken measures to stop the transport of fuel by smugglers, Keat Chhon said, "and we're not going to show them any mercy."
Human Rights Party Vice President Keo Remy said Thursday fuel prices in Laos were lower than Cambodia and repeated claims that inept governance was to blame.
The Human Rights and Norodom Ranariddh parties have each called on the government to bring down the cost of fuel or suffer mass demonstrations.
In an exclusive interview with VOA Khmer, Finance Minister Keat Chhon said Thursday the government was "unable to decrease the price of gasoline."
Opposition calls for mass demonstrations over the rising price of fuel was a "political trick," he said, adding that the government had used "silent" tactics like duty reduction and arrests of smugglers to allay some of the price rise.
Fuel prices have tripled in Cambodia this year, putting a heavy squeeze on some of the country's poorest. A liter of gas in Phnom Penh cost 4,350 riel Thursday, as the international price of oil neared $100 a barrel.
"We're helping to curb the price of gas by means of tax reduction," Keat Chhon said. "In September alone, we took a loss of $15 million. And for the past nine months, the losses reached $125 million."
In another effort to keep prices low, the government had taken measures to stop the transport of fuel by smugglers, Keat Chhon said, "and we're not going to show them any mercy."
Human Rights Party Vice President Keo Remy said Thursday fuel prices in Laos were lower than Cambodia and repeated claims that inept governance was to blame.
The Human Rights and Norodom Ranariddh parties have each called on the government to bring down the cost of fuel or suffer mass demonstrations.
21 comments:
Comrade Keat Chhon no lied,Cambodia does not charge taxes on oil,and Hun Sen can't stop that.
"In another effort to keep prices low, the government had taken measures to stop the transport of fuel by smugglers, Keat Chhon said, "and we're not going to show them any mercy"
I don't understand. Don't these smugglers help bring the prices down by bring in cheaper fuel from neighboring countries like Vietnam and Laos?
5:10, I doubt that the government don't charge taxes for fuels.
Anyway, the problem is if you lower the taxes, you can't pay the civil servant what you wanted. Thus, you have to make it up some place else.
Currently our business taxes it low because we want to attract investors. I suppose it doesn't hurt to bump up the tax on businesses a little, but not too much. We want to do this fairly so that everyone shared the cost of the fuel increase without targeting any specific sector. I think that might work.
Ah nis bro pon vear yuon thminh khmao nah, me vietcong nov srok khmer tang pee touch. bann chea yuon ouy vear tver thom nas.
Sethkech ngob kor nov loeu vear ros kor nov loeu vear dae.
I'm v8,CAMBODIA'S-are not the only Country who's suffers the oils crisis,it's the whold world,because of the on going war in the middle east.but I' would blame AMERICA'S-for going to war in the middle east either.because todays China-India,are in demanded for world economy too.and they're needed oils to compete.this is not 50-years ago.
Just Change Govt. been too long.
7:05 AM, despire your idea has show some facts but I find that you are still raw in present situation.
Govn't must stop smugglers flowing from Thailand and VN so that they can fully get the amount of taxes collected for govn't. Doing this, govn't has chance to reduce the persentage of taxes to equal the neighboring countries.
AH HUN SEN AND CRONIES, SHOULD THE REVENUES FROM SIEM REAP TOURISM SECTOR TO INVEST IN THE ALTERNATIVES GREEN ENERGY SOURCES.
1. SOME OF THE CAMRY IN CAMBODIA HAVE BEEN CONVERTED TO RUN ON LP (LIQUID PROPANE). I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THIS.
2. CPP MUST STOP SIPHONING MONEY INTO PERSONAL ACCOUNTS & SIPHONING TO THE VIETNAMESE GOV'T. SPENT ON THE KHMER SOCIETY & IMPROVE EDUCATION THAT IS A NUMBER 1 PRIORITY. IF WORKFORCES ARE UNSKILLED LABORERS, SOCIETY WILL NEVER PROGRESS.
3. HUN SEN MUST STEPPED FOR A ABLE PERSON, THE LONGER HE STAYED THE WORSE THE SOCIETY GET! 50% ILLITERACY RATE THAT JUST ONE ISSUE THAT HUN SEN FAILED.
FOSSIL FUEL IS SCARED RESOURCES, CANNOT LAST INDEFINITELY. WE NEED RENEWALABLE SOURCES.
Liquid propane is not exempted from the price increase, 7:53. What the international community needed to do is to turn to nuke energy and lower the demand for oil; that is the only way to bring down the oil price.
Cambodian economy cannot be grown by a bunch of this communism animal. They have no ideas at all about growing an economy. Their mentality is to rob and to kill. Areak Prey
Well, Vietnam, Laos, and China seem to move along fine.
Laos is no longer independent already. This country is already one part of vietnam already. Once Vietnam has fully vietnamesation, Vietnam will call it a part of Vietnam.
China is longer controling by communism people but by liberal group.
Nope, they still speak lao and going to lao school in laos as they did century after century, despite they do a lot of trading with Vietnam, China, and Thailand.
Didn't you listen to RFA in Viet, statistically 50% of Lao's population is Viet migrants from central and north Vietnam. Whereas, Viets in Cambodia have come from the south (or Kampuchea Krom).
Most of today Laotain leaders are Viet-origin who married Laotian women. The Viets in Lao were brought in by the Ho Chi Minh's Vietnamization of Indochina.
Speaking of Lao, I believe it is turning into another Champa and/or Kampuchea Krom, with Viet's rule. Too many if not all today Laotian leaders are the sons and daughters of Ho Chi Minh.
Chams, Hmongs, Montagnards, Lao, and Khmer are all victims of the Vietnamese' expansionism in the region. Who said the Vietnamese the 'innocent' and the 'victim' of all wars in the southeast Asia? The Viets create wars to expand their country.
11:04AM
I agreed with your statement 100%, but some stupid Khmer people don't see this situation. They still live in the dark age. They think Hun Sen and his gangsters are good for our country. Speaking of Lao, 50 years from now, it's called Highland Vietnam and Saigon II.
About fuel price, Hun Sen and his gangsters do not feel the price hike because their relatives get free gas. He let Sok Kong (Vietnamese) control Cambodia economy and steal all Khmer natural resources including Angkor Wat. So how can his government earn tax money when he and his gangster siphone all the money into their swiss bank account.
Well, we don't care who control Ankor Watt, so long the tourist are growing at astounding rate as the recent years and created hundreds of thousands of jobs, they can have Ankor watt forever.
Hey, if you think you can do better, you can have it also, 11:56.
How Lop is that?
You tell me.
I want to see the government layout everything for the public to see. We want to know why the price of oil cannot be reduce? Where is/are the problem(s)?
The problem is CPP will not able to line their pocket with corrupt money from Sokimex company and it is very crucial before the election time because they need the money to do their compaign.
Nope, the CPP never short on election campaiging money. Virtually all corporations and businesses are behind them 100%.
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