The Secretary-General of the Council of State revealed that the Cabinet is discussing principles for managing energy prices and plans to discuss allowing oil transport trucks to operate continuously. He acknowledged that support can only be provided to a certain extent. Currently, all countries are facing rising prices; even Malaysia is no longer cheaper than us.
At 09:35 on 17 Mar 2026 at the Government House, Mr. Pakorn Nilprapan, Secretary-General of the Council of State, spoke before the Cabinet meeting about energy measures. He said the Cabinet is expected to adopt principles to help manage energy prices and determine what support to provide. Regarding complaints about oil shortages, the Energy Minister confirmed in the 16 Mar meeting that there is no shortage of oil; the problem lies in logistics. Currently, people are panicking and filling up their tanks excessively, doubling daily oil consumption. This caused shortages for delivery trucks. They discussed how to allow oil trucks to operate continuously, as previously they could only operate during limited hours.
Additionally, on managing oil prices, the Prime Minister has assigned the Ministry of Energy to determine possible adjustments. It must be understood this is not a normal situation, and all countries face similar challenges. The government will do its best to manage the situation. Many countries have greater problems and have allowed oil prices to float freely. We are trying to manage prices fully for now, but price management must adjust to changing conditions because the budget for energy subsidies during these periods is quite large. We have past experience during COVID-19 and the Ukraine war when supply prices rose significantly, leading to subsidies costing hundreds of billions in deficit. That was concerning. Therefore, the correct approach may be to seek public cooperation to conserve energy and slightly change consumption behavior in this situation.
When asked whether oil prices would continue to be fixed, Pakorn said the Energy Minister would provide details since the Prime Minister has assigned the ministry to examine this. Regarding prices of goods and services, the Prime Minister is concerned and has assigned the Ministries of Interior, Commerce, and Energy to work together to prevent shortages, especially of controlled goods. The Ministry of Commerce will organize teams to collaborate with the Ministry of Interior, led by provincial governors.
When asked if prolonged issues might lead to issuing a royal decree to borrow funds, Pakorn said the government would do its best. Supporting prices is a market intervention, and while it can be done to some extent, it should not be excessive. Supporting prices fully is not feasible anywhere in the world. All countries face rising prices; even Malaysia, which we thought had cheaper oil, is no longer cheaper than us.