A large network smuggling over 36.5 million liters of oil by sea to Myanmar has been uncovered, causing tax losses exceeding 226 million baht.
On 13 July 2026, Pol. Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabutr, Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police and Director of the Fuel Crime Suppression Center, along with Pol. Lt. Gen. Kritthaphon Yisakorn, Commander of the Provincial Police Region 5, and Mr. Chawalit Puttipisut, Chief of Chiang Saen Customs, led forces to investigate a syndicate operating in Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai Province.
They found the group was illegally exporting fuel outside the kingdom, violating a Ministry of Defense announcement that classified fuel as a controlled commodity under the National Security Council’s resolution to prevent fuel smuggling to Myanmar. Such smuggling could support call center operations and transnational crime networks. However, investigations revealed that smugglers were falsifying export documents, claiming shipments were destined for Laos while actually sending them to Myanmar.
Pol. Gen. Thatchai disclosed that an initial inspection targeted one oil transport vessel bound for a foreign country. The Fuel Crime Suppression Center found the vessel was smuggling nearly 400,000 liters of oil to Myanmar, not Laos as declared. They believe several other vessels are similarly smuggling oil to Myanmar under the pretense of shipments to Laos.
Investigations showed this smuggling operation is a large-scale network, with total smuggled fuel exceeding 36.5 million liters. This has caused tax revenue losses to the state valued at more than 226 million baht.
Authorities are currently expanding investigations to trace the origins of the network and all individuals involved at every level, with plans to prosecute all responsible parties under the law.