NAKHON RATCHASIMA, THAILAND – A district hospital in Khon Buri raised the alarm as diesel for emergency generators ran low, putting power security during medical procedures at risk.
Emergency power becomes a management priority
Electrician Julaporn Ratchatok from Khon Buri Hospital said he had to quickly secure enough diesel to fill three generators and build an additional reserve for future outages.
He cited seasonal summer thunderstorms in the region, which repeatedly caused power cuts and affected treatments, equipment and workflows at the hospital.
The “mission” in the ambulance
Julaporn Ratchatok made his search public and described it as a “mission” during which he and a driver toured the district in an ambulance to find available fuel.
The team eventually succeeded at a Bangchak petrol station in the Don Krud area, which promised the hospital 460 litres of diesel while limiting sales to other motorists to a maximum of 300 baht per person.
Petrol station helps – and limits the rush
The hospital technician stressed that staff would do whatever was necessary to obtain fuel so that the generators could reliably supply power in case of a grid failure.
The unnamed driver also thanked the Don Krud station and spoke of its “kindness” given the tense situation.
Trigger comes from abroad
According to the report, the shortages were driven by market jitters after the entry into war of the United States and its ally Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran on 28 February, following years of mutual rocket attacks on Israel.
The hospital’s case thus reflected the situation of many diesel motorists who had been searching for fuel in several provinces and repeatedly found empty pumps.
Government urges calm as buying continues
Despite repeated assurances by the government that the country had sufficient fuel reserves and could draw on supplies outside the Middle East, hoarding continued on Tuesday.
Authorities argued that the scarcity arose mainly from panic buying, as ongoing deliveries could not keep pace in the short term with the sharply increased demand.
“Out of stock” signs reach Bangkok
On Tuesday, pumps with “out of stock” notices were still visible in all provinces, including parts of Bangkok.
As a result, the issue shifted from a question of price and supply to an everyday problem for emergency services, commuters and businesses dependent on diesel.
Public debate over fuel priorities
The report raised the question of whether official messages aimed at calming the situation were still sufficient when even hospitals had to organise diesel “fuel hunts” for emergency power.
It also asked whether fuel sales should be more strongly prioritised during shortages, for example for clinics and emergency services, or whether that would be the wrong approach.
“Should sales be more strongly prioritised in times of shortage, for example for clinics and emergency services, or is that the wrong path?”
said the article, inviting readers to give their views.