Cooking gas price increases to $33 per tank

Tuesday, March 25, 2008
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.

No gas in Koh Kong [after Thailand stepped up against unauthorized exports of cooking gas]

Friday December 07, 2007
Bangkok Post

TRAT: People in Cambodia's Koh Kong province are facing a shortage of cooking gas after Thai authorities stepped up a campaign against unauthorised exports of cooking gas.

Supoj Siadprathom, chairman of the provincial chamber of commerce, said the shortage is critical because almost 100% of the cooking gas in Koh Kong come from Trat's Klong Yai.

Pawat Lertmukda, the Klong Yai district chief, said the crackdown is in line with a directive from the National Energy Policy Office (Nepo).

Most of the cooking gas exporters in the district do not have permits from the Nepo, which requires that all traders return subsidies to the state oil fund.

The unauthorised exporters have made huge gains by exploiting the state oil fund and the marked-up price of cooking gas, said Mr Pawat.