Thai television and radio stations have been asked to stop broadcasting at midnight as part of a series of energy-saving measures to combat soaring oil prices, rising inflation and falling economic output.

Government offices should raise the air conditioning temperature to 25C (77F) and turn the systems off between 4pm and 9am and for an hour at lunchtime; employees should take jackets off at work; golf courses should switch off unnecessary lights; and people should use their cars less at weekends, the Thai government's energy policy committee urged.