Cooking gas hoarding: Govt takes action | Bangkok Post: learning

About energy

Cooking gas on govt price control list but some still fear shortages & higher prices even though it does not come from Myanmar.

A man prepares to deliver cooking gas cylinders to customers amid concerns of a looming energy shortage in April. Demand for household gas has increased and some shops are reported to be hoarding supplies (Source: Bangkok Post Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)

Click button to listen to Cooking Gas Hoarding download

ENERGY

Vendors warned on hoarding

27 Feb 2013
Phusadee Arunmas & Sunthorn Pongpao

Cooking gas vendors have been warned not to capitalise on fears of a looming shortage by raising prices.

Wiboonlasana Ruamraksa, the Internal Trade Department's director-general, told the public not to panic over a disruption in gas deliveries from Myanmar in April as it will not affect liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which is often used as cooking gas.

Her remark followed reports that some vendors had started to hoard cooking gas in anticipation of possible shortages on April 5-14.

According to the reports, some buyers have offered advance payments to traders to guarantee they will have enough cooking gas during that time. 

...only gas which is used in electricity generation will be affected by the supply disruption.

Cooking gas is produced by oil refineries, with 25% imported from Singapore and the Middle East...

...[the government]...has sent officials to monitor gas shops nationwide to prevent stockpiling and price raising.

"There will be enough cooking gas to meet demand," Ms Wiboonlasana said. 

Cooking gas is under the department's price control list. Operators who are found to have stockpiled or raised prices will be prosecuted.

...operators who charge more than 285 baht per 15kg cylinder or 890 baht per 48kg cylinder plus transportation costs could face up to seven years in prison or a fine of 140,000 baht.

[The government will] inspect LPG filling factories, service stations and LPG retailers to ensure they do not hoard stocks. 

....Thailand will have a sufficient supply of LPG because gas separation plants in the east would not be affected by the reduction of Myanmar's natural gas supply from the west...

....However, a reduction of the natural gas supply in Myanmar may affect power production and there will be brownouts - a drop in the voltage of the electrical power supply - in some areas...

power - energy in the form of electricity produced in large quantities and used to operate lights, machines, and heating

(Source: Bangkok Post, ENERGY, Vendors warned on hoarding, 27 Feb 2013, Phusadee Arunmas & Sunthorn Pongpao, link) 


Energy Shortage Vocabulary

natural gas -a naturally occurring chemical used as an energy source "for heating, cooking, and electricity generation. It is also used as fuel for vehicles and as a chemical feedstock in the manufacture of plastics and other commercially important organic chemicals", found in deep underground natural rock formations often near the place oil is found  - แก๊ซธรรมชาติ (See Wikipedia)

Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) - "propane or butane, is a flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles"  (See Wikipedia)

cooking gas - LPG in cylinders used for cooking แก๊ส, แก๊สหุงต้ม (See Wikipedia)

cylinder - the long metal tube and container for natural gas กระบอก
cooking gas cylinder - ถังแก๊สหุงต้ม

retail - selling small amounts directly to customers in stores
retailer - a store or store owner (selling direct to customers)
LPG retailers

vendors - companies that sell a product; sellers พ่อค้า
cooking gas vendors

hoarding - buying a lot and keeping it without using it (because you expect the price to go up in the future) กักตุน
vendors warned on hoarding

hoard (noun) - a large amount of something that someone has saved and hidden สิ่งที่เก็บสะสม

stocks - large amounts stored for future use
hoard stocks

looming - a threatening and worrying situation seems likely to happen soon ที่เห็นลางๆ
shortage - when there is not enough of something การขาดแคลน
a looming shortage

capitalise on - get some benefit from some situation
capitalise on fears of a looming shortage

Cooking gas vendors have been warned not to capitalise on fears of a looming shortage by raising prices.

disruption - a situation in which something cannot continue because of a problem การขัดขวาง, การหยุดชะงัก
disruption in gas deliveries

panic - a sudden strong feeling of fear, which makes you act without thinking carefully ความหวาดวิตก
panic over a disruption in gas deliveries

the disruption will not affect liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which is often used as cooking gas

shortages - when there are not enough goods for people to buy การขาดแคลน

remark - something said คำพูด
Her remark followed reports that some vendors had started to hoard cooking gas in anticipation of possible shortages on April 5-14.

traders - people who buy and sell things
guarantee - a promise that something will be done or will happen for sure คำรับรอง, การประกัน

According to the reports, some buyers have offered advance payments to traders to guarantee they will have enough cooking gas during that time. 

supply -amounts of a good available to be bought อุปทาน
supply disruption 

natural gas supply
reduction in supply
the reduction of Myanmar's natural gas supply

demand - the need and desire to buy goods and services by households and businesses  อุปสงค์
meet demand

there will be enough cooking gas to meet demand

electricity generation - the process of making electricity (from natural gas or coal, for example)

...only gas which is used in electricity generation will be affected by the supply disruption.

refinery - a factory where some raw material such as sugar or oil is processed and made into a product that can be sold โรงกลั่น
oil refinery - a factory where oil is prepared with chemical processes so that it can be used in cars, for cooking oil, etc  โรงกลั่นน้ำมัน

Cooking gas is produced by oil refineries, with 25% imported from Singapore and the Middle East...X

monitor - to regularly check something or watch someone in order to find out what is happening ตรวจสอบ ตรวจตรา เฝ้าจับตาดู  เฝ้าดู จับตาดู
monitor gas shops 

nationwide - throughout a whole country ทั่วทั้งประเทศ
monitor gas shops nationwide

stockpile - store larges amounts of things for the future, accumulate เก็บสะสมไว้ในคลังสินค้า
prevent stockpiling and price raising.

...[the government]...has sent officials to monitor gas shops nationwide to prevent stockpiling and price raising.

price control list - the list of important goods with prices controlled by the government (such as cooking gas, cooking oil, egs, etc) 

cooking gas is under the department's price control list.

operators - companies doing some kind of business
prosecuted - to bring a criminal case against someone (for punishment if they broke the law)

operators who are found to have stockpiled or raised prices will be prosecuted

charge - ask a price for a good that you are selling
fine - an amount of money that you have to pay because you have broken the law ค่าปรับ

...operators who charge more than 285 baht per 15kg cylinder or 890 baht per 48kg cylinder plus transportation costs could face up to seven years in prison or a fine of 140,000 baht.

ensure - to make certain that something happens or is done รับรอง ให้ความมั่นใจ  ให้การยืนยัน 
ensure they do not hoard stocks

service stations - gas stations (places next to the road you can fill your car up with gas)

inspect - to look at something carefully ตรวจสอบ
The government will inspect LPG filling factories, service stations and LPG retailers to ensure they do not hoard stocks. 

sufficient - enough พอเพียง
a sufficient supply
have a sufficient supply of LPG

plants - factories
gas separation plants

....Thailand will have a sufficient supply of LPG because gas separation plants in the east would not be affected by the reduction of Myanmar's natural gas supply from the west...

power - energy in the form of electricity produced in large quantities and used to operate lights, machines, and heating
power production
brownouts

voltage - แรงดันไฟฟ้าที่มีหน่วยเป็นโวลต์
a drop in the voltage

electrical power supply
a drop in the voltage of the electrical power supply

....However, a reduction of the natural gas supply in Myanmar may affect power production and there will be brownouts - a drop in the voltage of the electrical power supply - in some areas...

Tell us what you think about this article

Like dislike 3 people liked / 0 people disliked it

Share this article

0

0

• More +

• Republishing permission
• Print this

Bangkok Post online classifieds

Try buying & selling goods and properties 24/7 in our classifieds which has high purchasing power local & expatriate audience from within Thailand and around the world.