CHIANG MAI, THAILAND – A rescue unit in the San Pa Tong district temporarily suspended patient transport because of an acute diesel shortage, leaving ambulances idle while the control center was alerted.
Rescue unit reports suspension to control center
Unit head Wathansil Rinchoy of the Sarat Ruamjai Rescue Association Chiang Mai informed the Erawan Center control center that patient transport could no longer be carried out reliably until further notice.
He cited a lack of diesel as the reason, as emergency vehicles in the area were currently unable to obtain fuel and several ambulances were therefore out of service.
Panic buying empties fuel pumps
According to the rescue workers, many people had filled up their vehicles “for stock” in recent days, depleting diesel reserves at almost all fuel stations in San Pa Tong and neighboring districts.
Even newly delivered fuel had been sold again within a short time, further tightening supply for emergency vehicles.
Two vehicles waiting in line
On 18 March, the unit positioned at least two ambulances at a fuel station, according to the report, hoping to refuel while waiting in line.
The aim was to resume patient transport as quickly as possible once sufficient diesel became available.
When fuel becomes a health issue
The rescue workers warned that the situation affected not only traffic, but directly endangered lives in serious cases, because operations were simply impossible without fuel.
They stressed that in accidents and medical emergencies, the availability of ambulances could decide over minutes that often made the difference in emergency medicine.
Appeal to fuel stations – diesel quota for emergencies
Wathansil Rinchoy called on fuel station operators to set aside a separate diesel quota for medical emergency vehicles so that rescue services could continue operating.
He pointed out that general restrictions on refuelling might curb consumption, but without exemptions for blue-light vehicles, rescue services across the country would be slowed.