Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Following the sharp increase in the price of rice and there is no let up in sight yet, now it is the turn of the price of cooking gas also. The Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper reported that, based on information by many cooking gas sellers in Phnom Penh, the price of one tank of gas weighing 15 kilos has increased to $30 on Monday. This price increase is due to Thailand preventing the export of gas from Thailand to Cambodia, thereby depleting the Cambodia stock of gas and causing the shortage. This is the reason of this sharp price increase. The Rasmei Kampuchea reported also that, at 02:00 PM on Monday, people have called the newspaper to report that the price of a tank of gas has increased up to $33. The owner of the Rasmei Mekong gas dealer said that on Monday, the prince of gas increased to $30 a tank, and he couldn’t even find gas to sell. The price of gas has increased significantly in less than one month, and the price increased took place twice more often than last year. An official from the Total company said that its stations have a hard time finding gas to sell. He said that Thailand blocked all gas export since 10 March, and this caused the shortage of gas in Cambodia. The same Total official said that nowadays, 80% of the gas used in Cambodia is imported from Thailand, 10% from Singapore, and the remainder from Vietnam. With the supply shut off from Thailand, there is a shortage of cooking gas.
