The Director-General of the Energy Business Department offered a sincere apology to the public over the issue of fuel shortages at gas stations. He accepted responsibility and revealed that the cause stemmed from middlemen, ordering fuel trucks to operate 24 hours a day to replenish supplies.
On 17 Mar 2026 GMT+7, Sarawut Kaewtaphip, Director-General of the Energy Business Department, held a press conference addressing the recent disruptions at gas stations nationwide over the past 3-4 days. Sarawut raised his hands in a traditional Thai gesture to apologize to the public for the incident, affirming that the department is taking the matter seriously and working hard to resolve the problem.
Sarawut explained that the root cause was a disruption in fuel deliveries to “jobbers” or middlemen traders, which led to the industrial sector not receiving fuel as planned. As a result, transport vehicles and factories resorted to competing for fuel at regular gas stations, causing household fuel supplies to be rapidly depleted in some locations. An inspection of 1,502 stations found that 150 were temporarily closed due to running out of fuel, while over 1,000 stations lacked certain types of fuel.
The Director-General added that to address the issue, the Prime Minister urgently instructed the Ministry of Energy to coordinate with relevant agencies. Key measures include having six refineries operate at full capacity—175 million liters per day—and extending fuel truck operations by coordinating with the police, transport, and interior ministries to allow continuous 24-hour deliveries without time restrictions. The Ministry of Commerce is also conducting nationwide stock checks to prevent opportunistic profiteering.
The Energy Business Department Director-General confirmed that Thailand is not currently facing an oil shortage. The country has a total oil reserve sufficient for 101 days: 42 days’ worth stored domestically, 29 days’ worth en route from Angola and the United States, and 30 days covered by confirmed forward purchase contracts. He urged citizens to continue their lives normally without panic buying; if everyone refuels only what is necessary, the situation will return to normal quickly.
Regarding the proposed tiered pricing adjustment, Sarawut said it has been discussed in Cabinet and a clear decision will come from the Security Operations Center meeting this afternoon. On importing oil from Russia, careful consideration is underway to ensure compliance with international sanctions, despite some U.S. sanctions having been partially lifted.
