Thailand reduces electricity prices due to heat wave exceeding 50 degrees Celsius

Thailand is experiencing severe heat (Photo: Bloomberg).

Bloomberg reported that Thailand will cut electricity prices from next month to support people and businesses struggling with hot weather.

Thailand is usually hot in April, but this year the Southeast Asian country has been sweltering for weeks. Earlier this month, temperatures in Thailand topped 45 degrees Celsius.

A combination of humidity, wind and other factors pushed the heat index to record highs above 50 degrees Celsius in many parts of the country, including the tourist island of Phuket. The heat index is a measure of how hot it actually feels to the human body.

Hot weather has made it difficult for Thailand to attract tourists, and has also caused thousands of people to fall ill.

The record heat has also led to higher electricity bills. The issue of energy prices has become a hot topic in the context of elections scheduled for next month. The opposition Pheu Thai Party has pledged that if it wins, it will immediately reduce electricity prices for people.

Thailand's electricity demand hit an all-time high last week, the country's energy regulator said on April 14.

Retail electricity prices will fall from May 1. Thailand on April 25 approved a plan to subsidize electricity costs for about 23 million households over the next four months at a cost of 11.1 billion baht ($322.5 million), government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said.

The electricity regulator on April 24 agreed to reduce retail electricity tariffs to 4.70 baht per unit for the May-August period, down from the previous proposal of 4.77 baht.

Heat waves - a consequence of climate change - are seen as a particular headache for energy-importing economies like Thailand.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/thai-lan-giam-gia-dien-vi-nang-nong-vuot-nguong-50-do-c-20230426150549721.htm