Vietnam to cut petrol prices by 5.3 pct-paper

HANOI, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Vietnam will cut retail petrol prices by 5.3 percent to 18,000 dong ($1.07) per litre on Thursday, following lower world oil prices, a state-run newspaper said.

Prices for the popular 92-octane gasoline grade will be reduced from 19,000 dong now, the online newspaper VnExpress (www.vnexpress.net) cited a Finance Ministry directive as saying.

It said kerosene prices would also be reduced by 1,000 dong but did not say if diesel prices would be reduced. (Reporting by Nguyen Nhat Lam)