Gas stoves to be graded

About 100,000 stoves would get labels next year, director general Panich Pongpirodom said, to try to cut consumption of liquefied petroleum gas by 24 per cent. That would help save Bt250 million a year.

The label would also be put on gauges to try to cut power use by 15-40 per cent or Bt180 million in annualised value.

"The campaign launched in 2007 will run until 2011, to promote energy-efficient machinery and equipment as well as energy-saving materials," Panich said.

The higher the efficiency rate, the more power would be saved.

In the next step, small diesel and petrol engines will be labelled, such as gas-fired boilers, motorcycles and automobiles.

At the end of 2011, the campaign should save energy worth Bt14 billion per year.

The department and education institutions will study motorcycles and cars. Then in 2010 they would discuss the fuel-burning ratio per km of "efficient" vehicles with carmakers.