Phob Phra District in Tak Province has implemented strict measures to control fuel prices, opened a 24-hour complaint channel, and is working to prevent illegal fuel exports across the border after a surge in fuel purchasing.
At 1:00 p.m. on 4 Mar 2026 GMT+7, reporters reported that residents of Village 2, Phob Phra Subdistrict, Phob Phra District, Tak Province, have raised complaints about fuel shortages impacting their livelihoods and agriculture.
Today, Mr. Sirikasem Supha submitted a letter to Mr. Thanpawat Purivatmeth, the district chief of Phob Phra, who received it and ordered Mr. Pradap, the senior district official, to coordinate with military and police units alongside local administration to inspect along the border. They also coordinated with the Phob Phra Police Station chief to organize traffic control.
After facing severe fuel shortages affecting daily life and occupations, especially agriculture, the complaint letter from local residents highlighted hardships caused by the shortage in Phob Phra and nearby areas. Many people have been unable to refuel vehicles and agricultural machinery adequately. They proposed three urgent measures to alleviate the problem as follows.
1. Limit fuel purchase quantities: Service stations in the area should only allow refueling of vehicle tanks and permit the purchase of an additional two 30-liter containers per person for agricultural water pumps, to reduce unnecessary hoarding.
2. Crack down on illegal border fuel transport: Relevant agencies—including security forces, military, police, and local administration—are urged to collaborate in intercepting fuel smuggling across the border, which may be a cause of the rapid fuel depletion in the area.
3. Control fuel prices and stock: State agencies should monitor and regulate sales prices and manage fuel stocks fairly to meet local demand. In just two days, both Thai and Burmese people crowded border areas in western Tak Province to purchase fuel, severely impacting agriculture.
Residents reported that farmers are directly affected since fuel is essential for water pumping, farming, and transporting produce. If the situation persists, it could harm crop yields and household incomes significantly.
At the end of the complaint letter, Mr. Sirikasem Supha signed, expressing respect and hope that government agencies will urgently address the situation.
Recently, local administration and security agencies have accelerated measures to control the situation. Mr. Kawin Waenkaew, senior district official of Phob Phra, stated that the district chief has assigned teams to explain and clarify the situation to community leaders, instructed village heads along the border to set up strict checkpoints, and integrated operations with local administration, military, and police to patrol and seriously prevent illegal fuel exports to neighboring countries.
Phob Phra District has announced four strict measures in its 4 Mar 2026 GMT+7 declaration to prepare for and mitigate impacts from the Middle East regional conflict, which may affect energy prices and living costs. Key guidelines include:
1. Control prices of goods and fuel: Food, drinks, essential consumer goods, fuel, and cooking gas must be sold at fair prices. Hoarding or unjustified price hikes are prohibited, with violations subject to strict enforcement under the 1999 Price of Goods and Services Act.
2. Mandate strict inspections: Subdistrict chiefs, village heads, local government organizations, and related agencies must regularly inspect fuel stations and markets, reporting irregularities immediately to the district Damrongtham Center.
3. Promote public understanding: Citizens are urged to rely on official information and avoid panic, with assurances that the government has energy reserves and is maintaining price stability.
4. Open a 24-hour complaint channel: Citizens can report incidents at the Phob Phra District Damrongtham Center (District Office, 1st floor) at 055-569-104 or via hotline 1567, available around the clock.
Under the command of Police Colonel Anusorn Dankong, the Phob Phra Police Station has assigned traffic officers to assist and regulate traffic around fuel stations, intensifying law enforcement and cracking down on illegal fuel transport along the border.
Monitoring the effectiveness of these measures
Nevertheless, the fuel situation in Phob Phra District remains a concern, especially for farmers directly affected by shortages of fuel for machinery and water pumps. The government confirms it will closely monitor the situation and announce any additional measures as needed.