Plunging global oil prices cause over 6,000 jobless in Thailand

BANGKOK, February 3 (TNA) - The Ministry of Energy reports that falling global oil prices have forced relevant business operators to suspend their businesses, resulting in more than 6,000 employees having been laid off in Thailand. Suriyan Aphiraksattyakul, Deputy Director-General of the ministry's Department of Mineral Fuels, told journalists of the situation on Wednesday, pointing out that global crude oil prices have been falling since mid-2013 to stand at about 30 US dollars per barrel for the time being. Suriyan said the situation has prompted business operators in Thailand to have reduced, stopped or postponed their oil drilling, citing as an example that two oil platforms of Coastal Energy Co were suspended, including the Songkhla C and G platforms, which had their combined production capacity of 2,600 barrels a day. Besides, the senior official stressed, two of ten exploration and production platforms were removed from Thailand, causing more than 6,000 workers to become jobless. The senior official noted that his department is monitoring the situation, assessing that the production of the affected businesses should resume when global oil prices rise to a feasible level. (TNA)