At fuel stations in Mae Sot district, foreign-registered vehicles are prohibited from refueling. It has been found that Burmese people hire Thai locals to carry fuel containers around to refill at various stations.
Due to nationwide fuel shortages at various service stations, caused by poor management among responsible authorities who fueled rumors about shortages linked to conflicts in the Middle East and exaggerated information, the public became alarmed. This led to fears of fuel unavailability, causing many to rush to fill their vehicles, resulting in fuel running out faster than usual at stations. Consequently, shortages or fuel purchase limits were imposed, and fuel prices increased, causing disruption and hardship across all professions.
Regarding this, at 12:20 PM on 19 March 2026, reporters reported that the fuel situation in Mae Sot district, Tak province, remains critical as many people continue using cars and motorcycles to fill up at various stations without pause, forming long queues. Fuel stations have organized separate lanes for cars and motorcycles, but service still takes time due to the large number of customers.
Sources reported that at PTT stations, fuel sales are managed by designating separate lanes for rescue vehicles, ambulances, fire trucks, or emergency vehicles to refuel without waiting in line. This arrangement facilitates emergencies related to accidents, urgent medical care, and fire incidents.
Meanwhile, locals in Mae Sot district reported that the large number of people filling fuel has led stations to prohibit foreign-registered vehicles, such as those from Myawaddy township, Kayin State, Myanmar, from refueling. However, reports indicate that Burmese who have brought vans into Mae Sot hire Burmese residents or Thai locals to carry fuel containers to refill at various stations, including vehicles registered in Thailand, throughout the day. This makes it difficult to verify whether the fuel is resold to Burmese or used personally.