Truckers and tour bus drivers plan strike over diesel prices

Thai truckers are set to go on strike on Monday as part of a campaign to have diesel prices capped at 25 baht per litre for one year. As reported by Thai PBS World, the strike – which will coincide with Thailand’s reopening on November 1 – will span about 80,000 trucks, including some tour buses. The campaign, labelled “truck power”, is being undertaken by the Land Transport Federation of Thailand as it seeks to ramp up pressure on the government to implement the cap.

The LTFT has advised it has notified the Tourism Council of Thailand, along with the Thai National Shippers’ Council and the Thai Chamber of Commerce, about the action to initially stop around 20% of trucks under its ambit from running for a week. With the initial action potentially resulting in losses of several billion baht, it added that the campaign could subsequently be extended to 15 days, or even a month, should the government continue to ignore its demand.

Among the various truckers poised to take part in the campaign, the LTFT has stated a number of tour bus drivers have decided to join, having received no help from the government during the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the report, Kasikorn Research Centre has stated the average price of diesel this year is about 26 baht per litre, up 15% year-on-year, amounting to an additional 76 billion baht in production and transportation costs for the business sector.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World