BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand’s government pulled the emergency brake on a potential fuel shortage and temporarily halted exports of key fuels, citing rising risks to Middle East supply routes and an uncertain crisis timeline.
Royal Gazette order triggers emergency measures
The Royal Gazette published an order from Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on 7 March that set out immediate steps to prevent and counter an impending fuel shortfall. The document framed the move as a precautionary response to mounting instability in global energy corridors.
According to the order, escalating tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran had led to severe retaliation, including air strikes on strategic targets in the Middle East. These developments were cited as the direct trigger for Bangkok’s intervention in the fuel market.
Hormuz chokepoint puts Thailand on alert
The order pointed to tighter restrictions on shipping routes in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, described as two central corridors for global oil and fuel transport. Constraints in these waterways were portrayed as a critical threat to reliable deliveries.
For Thailand, the government stated, fuel supply could come under pressure if disruptions persisted. It also said it was currently not possible to make a credible forecast on when the situation would end.
Ban covers gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and LPG
At the core of the measure was a temporary ban preventing affected traders from exporting specified fuels from the kingdom. The order applied to domestically refined products considered essential to national supply.
Refined petroleum products such as gasoline, gasohol or base gasoline, high-speed diesel, Jet A-1 and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were blocked for export “until further notice.” The wording indicated no fixed end date and left room for adjustment as the crisis evolved.
Exemptions for Laos, Myanmar and re-exports
Exports to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar were explicitly exempted from the ban. These flows could therefore continue despite the wider regional restrictions.
Also excluded were fuels that were only imported and then re-exported, stored in bonded warehouses or free zones. Products that could not legally be sold domestically because they failed to meet quality standards were likewise not covered by the export stop.
Stricter reserve rules from late March 2026
In addition to the export suspension, the government imposed higher stockpiling obligations on oil companies falling under Section 7 of the Fuel Trade Act, 2000. The new rules applied to refined fuels produced within Thailand.
Companies were required to hold reserves of 1.5% from 31 March 2026 and 3% from 30 April 2026. Calculations, storage locations and any delegation of storage duties had to comply with existing fuel trade regulations.
Hardship relief possible under tight control
The order provided for relief where a trader could demonstrate in writing that the reserve obligation could not be met due to specific circumstances or would cause excessive damage. Such cases were to be assessed individually.
In these situations, the Director-General of the Department of Energy Business, with the consent of the Energy Minister, could grant temporary exemptions or reductions and attach conditions. This mechanism created limited flexibility while keeping overall control with the energy authorities.
Open questions on long-term strategy
The order itself did not comment on broader economic or social impacts, nor did it lay out a detailed long-term strategy if the Middle East crisis persisted. It remained focused on immediate risk management for domestic fuel availability.
Public discussion around the measure raised the issue of whether the export stop was a necessary shield for supply and prices, or whether it merely shifted risks into the future if the crisis dragged on. Questions were also posed about which effects residents and foreign nationals in Thailand would feel first, from fuel pumps to airfares and logistics chains.