The cabinet on Tuesday approved lowering residential utility bills for two months in Bangkok and nine other provinces affected by Thailand’s latest and most severe COVID-19 outbreak.
The two-month reduction in water and electricity bills will apply to July and August bills to provide relief and encourage people to remain home, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha announced at about 4pm.
The 10 provinces where households will pay less are Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla.
Here’s how the bills will be calculated:
Electricity
Households that consume under 90 units of electricity won’t pay anything. Those consuming 90 units to 150 units will have the first 90 units waived and must pay the rest.
But use over 150 units? Users who use between 150 units to 500 units will pay the same amount as their February bill, while those who consume 500 units to 1,000 units will pay the same amount as their February bill and receive a 50% discount on additional units consumed.
A February basis is likely to be better received than the previous deduction’s baseline of April — one of the year’s hottest months.
Those who consume more than 1,000 units will pay the same amount as their February bill and receive a 70% discount on additional units consumed.
Small businesses (excluding government agencies and state enterprises) will get to use the first 100 units for free. Middle and large businesses will be exempted minimum fee until December.
Water
Households will receive a 10% rate deduction on their May and June bills.
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