Thailand Freezes LPG Price at 423 Baht to Support Purchasing Power

Government Spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek stated on August 8 that the administration remains committed to managing the public's cost of living, citing the June 2025 consumer confidence index rising to 50.2 for the first time in four months. This figure reflects recovery in purchasing power from government measures, but with the economy still fragile, the administration must work simultaneously on income supplementation, expense relief, and energy price control to prevent daily hardship.

Rather than using single-track stimulus, the government employs a bundle of measures and the Thai Help Thai Plus program, which circulates approximately one trillion baht through the economy, reduces living costs, and distributes funds to grassroots communities nationwide. Ratchada emphasized that Thai Help Thai Plus ensures money does not concentrate in Bangkok alone—with only 15–16 percent of spending occurring there—demonstrating that funds reach other provinces, small businesses, and genuine communities.

Meanwhile, the Energy Ministry continues using the fuel fund mechanism to cap liquified petroleum gas (LPG) prices against global market fluctuations by increasing compensation from 7.2209 baht per kilogram to 9.8642 baht per kilogram, keeping the retail price at 423 baht per 15-kilogram tank. Freezing LPG prices directly impacts households, restaurants, and small traders, as cooking gas is a household and business cost; rising energy prices would immediately cascade to food, goods, and service prices.

The government acknowledges the cost of energy price controls: the fuel fund balance stood at minus 71,826.31 million baht on August 7, up approximately 2,044 million baht from the previous week, requiring careful management. "The government is doing its utmost to manage the cost of living within the nation's fiscal capacity, aiming to circulate money to the grassroots, achieve stable economic recovery, and leave no one behind," the spokesperson said.