BANGKOK, THAILAND – A sudden fuel shortage at Suvarnabhumi Airport partially disrupted taxi services, with larger SUV cabs for families and bulky luggage especially affected, leaving only about half the fleet operating.
SUV taxis pull back from the ranks
According to Panlop Chayinthu, president of the Suvarnabhumi Taxi Coordination Association, many drivers of larger vehicles had suspended their runs because they no longer had reliable access to fuel. As a result, the class of vehicles preferred by families and travelers with oversized baggage was increasingly disappearing from the queues at the airport.
Drivers of these SUV-style taxis were reported to be particularly cautious about committing to journeys that might leave them unable to refuel. This gradual withdrawal added pressure on the remaining standard taxis and lengthened waiting times for passengers needing more space.
Fear of long trips and empty tanks
Panlop said drivers were turning down long-distance trips more frequently because they feared running out of fuel en route. The key issue was not the cost of fuel, but uncertainty about whether and where they would be able to refuel at all, which further reduced their willingness to leave the wider Bangkok metropolitan area.
This reluctance affected routes beyond the immediate urban zone, limiting options for passengers heading to provinces or distant suburbs. Travelers seeking direct rides to outlying destinations increasingly struggled to secure willing drivers at the terminal.
Only about 2,500 of 5,000–6,000 taxis still in service
Out of the 5,000 to 6,000 taxis registered with the association, only around 2,500 were actually in operation, Panlop stated. Some drivers had stopped working entirely, while others had shifted their schedules to operate only in the mornings or restricted themselves to short distances.
These adjustments reduced the availability of vehicles during peak travel periods throughout the day. Passengers arriving later were more likely to face longer queues and fewer options, particularly for larger vehicles.
LPG and NGV: cheaper, but now scarce
As with most taxis in Bangkok, airport cabs mainly ran on LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) or NGV (natural gas for vehicles) to cut costs and reduce emissions. This dependence on gas fuels had become a problem, as supply at specific times and at individual stations could no longer be reliably planned.
On some days, drivers found that certain stations suddenly had no LPG or NGV available, forcing them to search across multiple locations. The lack of predictable fuel supplies undermined route planning and made drivers wary of committing to longer shifts.
Official assurances but continued shortages at stations
Government agencies issued daily statements that the country’s oil reserves were in good condition despite the war in the Middle East. At the same time, distribution problems and the hoarding of certain fuels meant that hundreds of gas stations repeatedly ran out of specific types of fuel.
These gaps at the pump translated directly into fewer taxis on the road, even though overall national reserves were described as sufficient. For drivers, the mismatch between official reassurances and local shortages created persistent uncertainty.
Calls for government action and a shift to apps
“It is not about expensive fuel – it is about fuel we cannot get,”
said Panlop Chayinthu, president of the Suvarnabhumi Taxi Coordination Association, calling for state intervention.
The taxi association was preparing proposals for the government, including the idea of partly shifting fare calculation from the traditional taximeter to an app-based system to cushion the impact on drivers and passengers. Such an app model was intended to offer more flexibility in pricing under volatile fuel conditions.
The situation at Suvarnabhumi Airport illustrated how quickly a supply issue could disrupt the daily lives of travelers and commuters. Debate continued over whether stronger state control of fuel distribution or a move to app-based fares was the more effective response.