BANGKOK, THAILAND – Despite repeated reassurances from the government, anger in Thailand grew over fuel rationing and sporadic shortages at petrol stations, even as officials cited reserves for 104 days.
Official reassurances clash with realities at the pump
Energy authorities stressed that there was no general shortage across the country, saying stocks and follow-up deliveries remained secure. They insisted that supplies were sufficient and that the system continued to function.
At the same time, reports accumulated from several regions that petrol stations were limiting how much fuel each customer could buy or, in some cases, had no fuel to sell at all. The contrast between official statements and experiences at the pumps fueled public frustration.
Queues and rules against filling containers
In Samut Prakan, tractors, trucks and motorcycles lined up late at night in front of a petrol station after rules banned the filling of portable containers. Machines and vehicles that would normally be supplied indirectly had to come onto the road and use regular pumps instead.
This pushed additional demand onto public forecourts and visibly increased congestion at the station. Drivers faced longer waits and had to adjust their refuelling routines.
1,000 baht per stop, up to ten stations a day
In Nakhon Ratchasima, truck driver Kriangkrai described how a cap of 1,000 baht per refuelling forced him to visit several stations a day. The limit disrupted his normal routes and delivery plans.
“I have to refuel at up to 10 petrol stations a day; that throws transport schedules into disarray.”
said Kriangkrai, a long-haul driver.
South hit hard by delivery halt and closures
In the south, interruptions were particularly noticeable, according to a manager overseeing four petrol stations in Songkhla. He said deliveries had been temporarily suspended, leaving outlets without new supplies.
The suspensions led to short-term closures of stations, even though deliveries were expected to resume soon. The uncertainty was already weighing on local businesses and households, which had to plan around unpredictable access to fuel.
Voices from Bangkok demand clarity over slogans
Motorist Chanarat Punyamani from Bangkok’s Bang Khen district called on the government to state clearly whether there was a real shortage and what was happening behind the scenes. He argued that transparency was needed to restore trust.
“That way the public could understand the situation and plan, instead of constantly hearing there is no shortage, the reserves are enough and no one is hoarding.”
said Chanarat, a Bangkok driver.
Billions of litres and consumption easing back
Wutthitat Tantivess, deputy director-general of the Department of Energy Business, put domestic fuel reserves at 5.06 billion litres, equivalent to about 41 days of consumption. He said these figures covered stocks already in the country.
Together with 7.39 billion litres in transit or confirmed as imports, the authority calculated a total of around 104 days of supply. According to Wutthitat, fuel consumption, which had risen sharply in recent weeks, had already moved back closer to normal levels.
Anutin orders inspections as police target oil mafias
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered nationwide inspections to prevent stockpiling and warned that violations would be prosecuted under all relevant laws. The move aimed to deter hoarding and reassure the public that rules were being enforced.
In parallel, the Central Investigation Bureau launched a nationwide operation against so-called “oil mafias”. Officers were checking fuel quality, prices, transport documents and possible hoarding, with one company holding 330,000 litres of fuel under observation over potential regulatory breaches.