8 asphalt producing firms willing to buy concentrated latex

BANGKOK, Jan 16 (TNA) -- Eight major asphalt producing private firms are willing to buy concentrated latex from government agencies at 45 baht a kilogramme, the price recently agreed by the government aimed at helping rubber planters, although the costs would soar, said Chaiwat Srivalwat, managing director of Tipco Asphalt Public Co, Ltd. Mr Chaiwat said every private firm is prepared to buy concentrated latex from government agencies at 45 baht a kilo. All the eight firms have prepared to boost their production capacity and containers to store raw materials used for the production. Presently, the price of asphalt is about 10 baht a kilo but if natural rubber is used as component in making a road, the cost would soar between three to four times while the production costs for constructing a road would jump approximately 12 per cent, he said. Pisak Jitviriyavasin, director-general of Transport Ministry’s Rural Roads Department, said earlier that all the private-run asphalt producing companies which cater in repairing roads under the Highways Department and the Rural Roads Department nationwide are ready to buy concentrated latex at the government-sponsored price to help planters who are suffering from rubber dwindling prices. Operators of the private firms will buy from the Rubber Authority of Thailand, said Mr Pisak. Both the government agencies will be responsible in mapping plans on where and when roads should be repaired and submit them to operators of private firms which in turn would send the information to the Rubber Authority of Thailand. (TNA)