The Land Transport Federation submitted 10 demands urging Energy Minister Aeknat to cap diesel prices at 35 baht per liter and overhaul the entire energy pricing system. They warned of a 60-day deadline for progress and threatened to escalate by bringing truck convoys into Bangkok if demands are unmet.
On 4 Nov 2026 GMT+7, reporters noted that the Land Transport Federation of Thailand, together with 13 allied transport associations nationwide, organized the "TRUCK POWER V" event in front of the Energy Ministry to submit a letter and demand that the Energy Minister and government urgently address the high oil prices. The event was led by Mr. Thongyu Kongkan, Federation president.
Meanwhile, Energy Minister Aeknat Phonphan assigned Ms. Thitiphat Chotidechachainan, the minister's secretary, and Mr. Pongpol Yodmuangcharoen, the Energy Ministry spokesperson, to receive the letter on his behalf. Mr. Attawit Suwanpakdee, deputy leader of the United Thai Nation Party, also joined in receiving the letter.
The Land Transport Federation and its network presented 10 proposals to the government: 1. Fix diesel (B7) price at 35 baht per liter for one year to ease living costs and transport sector expenses. 2. Restructure oil, electricity, and natural gas prices to eliminate hidden charges like availability fees and fuel adjustment tariffs that burden consumers. 3. Abolish the current use of hypothetical reference prices that inflate energy costs. 4. Implement gradual price adjustments to avoid public shock, unlike past abrupt increases of up to 6 baht at once. 5. Urge the government to reduce excise taxes on all fuels to just 0.05 baht per liter, as done previously, to lower pump prices.
6. Request relevant agencies (EPPO, NEC, ERC) to regulate the Gross Refining Margin, which has continually risen. 7. Enforce legal control over fuel prices by having the Commerce Ministry and state agencies fully apply laws such as fuel price control acts to officially designate fuel as a controlled commodity. 8. Demand investigation into over 700 million liters of missing fuel in areas like Ang Thong, Surat Thani, Samut Prakan, and Bang Pakong, and hold responsible parties accountable. 9. Call for transparency and true consumer protection by the Energy Regulatory Commission. 10. Stress the need for a national state-owned oil reserve for energy security amid global geopolitical crises.
Ms. Thitiphat promised to forward all proposals to the Energy Minister for concrete solutions. She confirmed that Minister Aeknat has already taken steps to restructure energy pricing and partially reduce diesel taxes, understanding the hardships faced by all groups. Regarding demands to track down 'the masked figures' allegedly hoarding fuel, she affirmed ongoing investigations and showed documents from the Department of Special Investigation sent to the Energy Ministry identifying seven suspects involved. The next meeting will invite the Federation president to monitor progress.
Mr. Thongyu emphasized their stance, asking the government and Energy Minister to act on all demands within 60 days, setting a deadline after the royal ceremony. If no progress or clear measures arise by then, the Federation and nationwide transport operators will escalate protests fully, aiming to bring trucks into central Bangkok to show the government their intolerable situation.
Mr. Attawit expressed agreement to push the issue to the "end of the road," calling for a real end to referencing Singapore fuel prices, so citizens and the transport sector can access reasonably priced fuel. He proposed price ceilings of no more than 35 baht per liter for diesel and Gasohol 95. He noted that reducing B20 diesel prices is insufficient since trucks mainly use B7 diesel, which has reached 42.54 baht per liter. Continued high costs risk making some operators unable to run their vehicles, raising goods prices and burdening living costs.
He also urged a swift review of oil price structures, especially refinery profits, which have remained high throughout the year. He said refineries should share burdens with Thai people during these hardships to help reduce end-user fuel prices and keep the transport sector viable. He recommended the Energy Ministry coordinate with the Commerce Ministry to use price control mechanisms to cap diesel and main gasoline prices at 35 baht per liter while reviewing pricing structures to reflect true costs.
Mr. Attawit further encouraged both struggling operators and the Energy Minister working on solutions, urging continued efforts until results are seen. He stressed that what people truly await is lower fuel prices and reduced living expenses.