Anutin signed the Prime Minister's order establishing measures to prevent fuel oil shortages due to the Middle East war situation, ordering a temporary suspension of fuel exports until further notice, effective today. The order takes effect today, requiring traders to hold fuel reserves of 1.5% starting 31 March and 3% starting 30 April.
On 6 March 2026, the Government Gazette website published Prime Minister’s Order No. 2/2026 concerning the establishment of measures to resolve and prevent fuel oil shortages. Signed by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on 6 March 2026, the order states the following:
Given the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which has intensified into severe airstrikes on key strategic locations in the Middle East, along with heightened restrictions on shipping routes through the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz—critical transport routes affecting Thailand’s fuel supply—and considering the unpredictable duration of this situation,
to prevent and address fuel oil shortages, pursuant to Section 3 of the Emergency Decree on Fuel Oil Shortage Prevention B.E. 2516 (1973), the Prime Minister issues the following order.
Article 1 This order shall take effect from the date of publication in the Government Gazette onward.
Article 2 Fuel traders under the Fuel Trade Act must temporarily suspend exports of the following fuels outside the kingdom until further notice.
(1) Refined petroleum products including:
(a) Gasoline
(b) Gasohol / base gasoline
(c) Diesel oil
(d) Aviation fuel type Jet A-1
(2) Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Article 3 This order does not apply to exports of the fuels mentioned in Article 2 in the following cases: as detailed below.
(1) Exports to the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.
(2) Fuels imported for re-export and stored in bonded warehouses or duty-free zones under customs law.
(3) Fuels that do not meet the characteristics and quality standards prescribed by the Department of Energy Business and thus cannot be sold domestically.
Article 4 Fuel traders under Section 7 of the Fuel Trade Act B.E. 2543 (2000) must hold domestic-produced fuel reserves listed in Article 2(1) at rates of 1.5% starting 31 March 2026 and 3% starting 30 April 2026.
Calculations for reserve quantities, approval of storage locations, conditions for approved holders, delegation of storage to others, and other related procedures must comply with the criteria, methods, and conditions set forth in the Fuel Trade Act.
Article 5 In cases where fuel traders under Section 7 of the Fuel Trade Act present credible written evidence that compliance with the reserve rates in Article 4 is not feasible or would cause undue harm, the Director-General of the Department of Energy Business, with the approval of the Minister of Energy, may temporarily grant exemptions or reduce required reserve quantities for a specified period. The Director-General, with ministerial approval, may also set conditions for such exemptions.