PAI, THAILAND – Fuel panic buying in the tourist town of Pai in Mae Hong Son province emptied several petrol stations and disrupted travel to and from Chiang Mai.
Diesel runs dry as only 95-grade fuel remained
On 5 March, petrol stations in Pai reported that diesel and Gasohol 91 had been fully used up, leaving only Gasohol 95 available for sale at times. For residents and visitors, this meant that anyone with an incompatible engine or longer journeys planned faced being stranded or having to postpone trips.
The shortage slowed local excursions and return journeys toward Chiang Mai, as drivers searched for suitable fuel or reconsidered travel plans. Many travelers had to adjust their itineraries on short notice.
More than 10,000 foreign visitors affected
District figures indicated that more than 10,000 foreign visitors were in Pai at the time, and many of them struggled to start tours or secure fuel for their onward or return travel. The situation was particularly difficult for those who had fixed schedules for returning or continuing to Chiang Mai and suddenly could not find the right fuel.
Tour operators and individual travelers alike were forced to delay or cancel movements as the availability of diesel and Gasohol 91 fluctuated. The uncertainty added pressure to an already busy tourist period.
Two main stations overwhelmed by demand
According to a local source, Pai relied mainly on two large stations, one operated by PTT and one by PT, which usually handled most of the town’s fuel supply. Even though tanker trucks delivered extra volumes to the local depot, the stock was reportedly drained so quickly by mass refueling and hoarding that levels returned to almost zero on an almost daily basis.
Supplies that would normally last through regular demand were instead exhausted within hours. The intense rush at the pumps repeatedly outpaced fresh deliveries.
200-litre drums and suspicions of border smuggling
Authorities also encountered outsiders arriving with large 200-litre drums to purchase fuel in unusually high quantities. Some buyers reportedly stated that the fuel was destined for onward transport to armed ethnic groups across the border in the Pang Mapha area, including Shan and Wa groups.
These reports raised suspicions that cross-border demand was amplifying local shortages. The combination of local panic buying and possible smuggling created additional strain on limited supplies.
Officials insist supply was sufficient, blame panic
The PTT station in Pai had earlier issued a public statement saying there was enough fuel for normal sales and urging people not to hoard. Officials also stressed that there was no fundamental supply problem; instead, they said panic behaviour in several locations caused pumps to run dry during the course of each day.
Authorities framed the situation as a distribution and behaviour issue rather than a structural shortage. They appealed for restraint to allow normal refueling patterns to resume.
Canister ban hits garlic farmers hard
In Pang Mapha district, state measures banning fuel purchases in containers directly affected farming operations that relied on fuel for irrigation pumps. More than 1,000 garlic farmers reported that petrol stations had refused to sell to them, leaving pumps idle under intense daytime heat.
The farmers said the lack of fuel meant some plants had already begun to wilt, prompting complaints to the media and to the provincial governor. The measures aimed at curbing hoarding and large-scale buying thus had severe side effects on local agriculture.
Border region ripple effect as other districts report shortages
Despite appeals from the governor of Mae Hong Son and local district chiefs not to panic, many residents continued to flock to petrol stations. At the same time, there were reports that armed groups on the Myanmar side also sent buyers across the border because of the situation.
This cross-border demand coincided with reports of shortages in Khun Yuam and Mae Sariang districts. The wider border region was drawn into the fallout as tourism, local mobility and farming needs collided with suspected stockpiling and panic-driven consumption.