BANGKOK, THAILAND – PTT said controversial fuel purchase caps at its service stations were not mandatory rules but precautionary guidance for possible demand spikes.
PTT memo sparks social media debate
A memo from PTT Station circulated on social networks on 14 March, which reporters said had been sent to fuel station dealers. It was issued by PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited (OR), asking operators to cooperate so that supplies could be maintained throughout the day.
Publication of the document triggered criticism and uncertainty, prompting PTT to quickly clarify the status of the advice. The company explained that it was not a binding order, but a precaution in case of sharply rising demand so that stocks could be distributed more evenly.
Suggested caps by vehicle type
According to the OR memo, regular passenger cars were advised to be limited to a maximum of 500 baht per vehicle, and vehicles with six wheels or more to up to 1,000 baht. Fuel was not to be sold “off the meter”, with violations subject to possible sanctions.
For payments with Fleet Cards, OR recommended a range of 3,000 to 5,000 baht per vehicle, while V-Card transactions were to be capped at a maximum of 100 litres. For government emergency vehicles – from fire and rescue services to the Thai Red Cross Society – stations were told to decide individually.
PTT insists supply remained stable
PTT stated that its stations nationwide were open and selling fuel as usual. It said stocks were sufficient, deliveries were ongoing and were covering consumer demand.
Individual stations could adjust the suggested limits up or down depending on local needs and available inventories. The group added that it was closely monitoring the situation and coordinating logistics and distribution so that the public could obtain fuel conveniently and reliably.
At the same time, OR urged operators to encourage new customers to register for the blueplus+ or blueplus+ SME programmes.
Bangchak reverses its limit within a day
In parallel, Bangchak announced its own limit via the “Bangchak Member Club” Facebook page, explicitly citing a tense global energy situation. Passenger cars were initially to be allowed to refuel only up to 700 baht per day, while vehicles with six wheels or more were capped at 3,000 baht.
Although the company described its stocks as sufficient, Bangchak lifted the cap shortly afterwards and has since allowed normal refuelling. This left open the question of which specific signals had prompted the sector to take these steps.
Energy minister moves to boost LNG imports
Energy Minister Auttapol Rerkpiboon said that after a meeting with PTT Plc and US LNG producer Cheniere Energy Inc, Thailand would overcome the energy crisis worsened by the war in the Middle East. The talks focused on increasing LNG deliveries under an existing contract from 1.0 to 1.3 million tonnes per year.
Delivery schedules were also to be shifted so that part of the volumes would arrive in the second quarter instead of the third. Cheniere had agreed to accelerate scheduling, according to Auttapol.
Precaution or early warning?
PTT and Bangchak both adjusted their course within hours in response to public pressure, a sign of nervousness in the sector rather than calm. Whether the rapid reversal will strengthen consumer confidence or raise further questions will only become clear at the next demand peak.