Abhisit urges the government to channel profits from oil refining into the fuel oil fund, stressing the need to review the entire energy price structure to lessen the impact on citizens. Korn highlights a threefold profit increase over 10 days and expresses concern over heavy debt burdens on the fund.
12 Mar 2026 GMT+7 Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, party-list MP and leader of the Democrat Party, posted a clip on his Facebook page calling on the government to use the additional revenue from increased oil refinery fees to address the energy price crisis. He noted that refining fees have nearly tripled compared to February.
: He said that these refining fees should be allocated to the fuel oil fund to reduce future burdens on the public, especially since the government is currently using measures to cap diesel prices. Currently, the oil fund is spending nearly 16 baht per liter, which is a very high figure. In the current energy crisis, the government must review the entire energy price structure—not only for oil but also for gas and electricity—to lessen the impact on the people. He emphasized that no one should seek profit or gain in the present economic conditions.
Meanwhile, Mr. Korn Chatikavanij, party-list MP and deputy leader of the Democrat Party, posted on Facebook on the same issue, stating that the public may not realize that stable fuel prices at service stations are due to the oil fund compensating the difference. On 11 March, the fund compensated diesel by 16.97 baht per liter and Gasohol 91 and 95 by 7.41 baht per liter. The government announced a diesel price cap at 29.94 baht per liter for 15 days, ending on 17 March 2026. If the situation does not improve, prices may need to rise to reduce the fund's burden and encourage market mechanisms to promote fuel conservation.
"However, one issue the Ministry of Commerce should not overlook is the refining fee, which has increased threefold in the past 10 days—from 2 baht to 6 baht per liter. This means public money is being used to pay increased profits to oil refining companies. If the Ministry of Commerce can control refining fees at the normal level of 2 baht, fuel prices could drop by up to 4 baht per liter immediately."
