The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior urgently instructed provincial governors nationwide to coordinate with provincial police chiefs to allow oil transport trucks to operate around the clock, alleviating public difficulties in fuel demand.
On 18 Mar 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Atsit Sampanrat, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, revealed that Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul has emphasized integrated efforts across all agencies to enhance measures monitoring the country's energy situation. This is to prepare for impacts from tensions in the Middle East region. He instructed the Ministry of Interior to serve as the main mechanism supporting the Ministry of Energy in managing essential resources for citizens’ livelihoods, especially ensuring continuous and comprehensive fuel energy supply nationwide.
The Permanent Secretary stated that the Ministry of Interior received information from the Ministry of Energy about a meeting with oil traders on 16 Mar 2026 GMT+7 to assess the situation and devise measures to address fuel distribution shortages at service stations. The oil traders expressed a desire to increase the frequency and volume of fuel shipments from storage to service stations. However, current restrictions on operating hours and routes, imposed by local traffic authorities under road traffic law, limit delivery speed amid the global tension.
Therefore, to support efficient fuel distribution, the Ministry of Energy sent a letter to the Royal Thai Police Chief requesting consideration to permit oil transport trucks to operate 24 hours daily for one month. The Ministry of Energy also asked the Ministry of Interior to coordinate with provincial governors nationwide to discuss with local traffic authorities about relaxing transport regulations. This aims to ease the public’s hardship during the current conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
The Permanent Secretary added that, to ensure smooth, prompt local implementation meeting public needs, the Ministry of Interior issued instructions for all provincial governors to emphasize to provincial police commanders, who serve as local traffic authorities, the importance of granting this special relaxation on oil transport operating hours during this situation. This is to ensure seamless movement of energy resources from oil storage to community service stations.
“This traffic regulation relaxation represents a crucial collaboration among the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Energy, and Royal Thai Police, following the Prime Minister’s integrated work policy to address the current conditions. It aims to prevent regional fuel shortages. The Ministry of Interior will continuously monitor the situation and is ready to facilitate all aspects to minimize the impact on the public from this international conflict crisis,” he said. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior concluded his remarks.