SAMUT SAKHON, THAILAND – A state ban on selling fuel in canisters effectively sidelined many small coastal fishers and raised concerns over future seafood supplies, while “Green Diesel” became 5 baht per liter more expensive, adding pressure on larger fleets.
Measure against hoarding hits the wrong target
On 7 March 2026, some petrol stations stopped selling certain fuel types and, under the new rules, no longer dispensed fuel into canisters. The government aimed to prevent hoarding and manage supplies in a tense situation, but daily life along the coast operated differently.
The restriction meant that regular customers in fishing communities could no longer fill portable containers, even when their usage patterns were well known. For small-scale fishers, this administrative step quickly turned into a serious operational obstacle.
Why small boats could not sail without canisters
Many traditional fishers ran small boats that could not simply go to a petrol station and therefore relied on canisters to refuel their engines at the mooring. When this option disappeared, boats stayed in port even though the men and women had often bought fuel from the same stations for years and could clearly show it was used for work.
The inability to fill canisters thus grounded vessels that depended on short, regular trips to supply nearby markets. For coastal communities, the ban disrupted a routine that formed part of everyday life rather than speculative stockpiling.
Samut Sakhon raises alarm as association fears for supply chain
Kamon Kraiwatnussorn, vice president of the Samut Sakhon Fisheries Association, said that as a boat owner and trader at the Talay Thai market, the situation mainly affected coastal and traditional communities.
“The situation mainly affects coastal and traditional communities.”
said Kamon Kraiwatnussorn, vice president of the Samut Sakhon Fisheries Association.
He reported that some small fishers at times received no fuel for their boat engines because certain petrol stations refused to sell into canisters despite knowing them as regular customers.
“Small fishers at times received no fuel for their boat engines because some petrol stations refused to sell into canisters, even though they knew them as regular customers.”
said Kamon Kraiwatnussorn, vice president of the Samut Sakhon Fisheries Association.
Green Diesel more expensive, larger boats under pressure
Alongside the small fishers, commercial operators of larger fishing vessels also came under cost pressure, because Green Diesel remained available but increased by 5 baht per liter on Friday. Rising operating costs hit a sector in which trips, cooling and transport all had to be paid for continuously before a single baht of revenue reached the market.
For bigger fleets, the price hike compounded the logistical problems caused by the canister restrictions on their smaller partners and suppliers. Costlier fuel threatened to erode already thin margins across the fishing industry.
Risk for markets as stable prices face growing strain
Kamon Kraiwatnussorn warned that without catches coming ashore, supply would fall and, by market logic, prices would then rise, even if they had not yet increased.
“Without catch on land, supply will fall and then prices will rise according to market logic, even if they have not yet gone up.”
said Kamon Kraiwatnussorn, vice president of the Samut Sakhon Fisheries Association.
He also pointed to knock-on effects along the chain: if less product was landed, ice suppliers and workers in processing and trade would come under pressure, up to a higher risk of unemployment. In his view, the fuel rules threatened to push stress far beyond the boats themselves into markets and related services.
Complaint to authorities and call for interim solution
According to Kamon Kraiwatnussorn, the president of the Samut Sakhon Fisheries Association had already collected information and filed a complaint with the provincial authorities. The industry was calling for temporary relief because refuelling via canisters in coastal communities was a normal part of daily life and could not automatically be equated with hoarding.
“Refuelling via canisters in coastal communities is a normal part of everyday life and cannot automatically be equated with hoarding.”
said Kamon Kraiwatnussorn, vice president of the Samut Sakhon Fisheries Association.
The association sought a transition arrangement that would distinguish between speculative stockpiling and documented professional use. Local representatives argued that such a step was critical to keep small operators working while broader fuel controls remained in place.
Hopes for more domestic supply amid fears of prolonged conflict
Reports cited fighting in the Middle East as another trigger for the tense situation, as it affected oil shipments to Thailand and made the supply situation more sensitive. Within the industry, hopes rested on the government securing more fuel for the domestic market.
According to sector views, there was still no open shortage, but a longer state of emergency would have significantly harsher consequences. Stakeholders warned that without adjustments to both fuel allocation and the canister ban, the conflict’s indirect impact on Thailand’s fishing and seafood supply could intensify sharply.