The NIDA Poll revealed that more than half of respondents plan to stop traveling during Songkran due to the fuel shortage crisis, with 14.80% canceling all travel plans altogether.
On 22 March 2026, the NIDA Poll Center of the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) released results from a survey titled “Fuel Shortage: Even Talking to Your Partner Means Turning Off the Lights.” The survey was conducted between 17-18 March 2026 among 1,310 people aged 18 and over from all regions of the country regarding the national oil crisis.
When asked about their level of alarm concerning the national oil crisis, 31.76% of respondents said they were somewhat alarmed, followed by 26.64% who said they were not very alarmed, 23.89% who were not alarmed at all, and 17.71% who reported being very alarmed.
Regarding daily difficulties caused by fuel shortages, 33.90% reported facing no problems, 33.66% said they experienced some problems, 23.59% faced significant problems, and 8.85% said they did not use fuel in their daily lives.
On public confidence in the government’s claim that domestic fuel reserves would last 98 days (as of 13 March 2026) and that the government could procure additional oil, 44.28% expressed no confidence in the sufficiency of the reserves nor in the government's ability to find more. Meanwhile, 28.93% were confident both in the reserve duration and government procurement, 16.72% lacked confidence in the reserve duration but trusted the government to obtain more, 9.54% were confident in the reserves lasting 98 days but doubted the government's ability to find additional oil, and 0.53% did not respond or were indifferent.
Finally, when asked about their travel plans for the upcoming Songkran festival if the oil crisis persists, 57.56% said they already had no plans to travel, 14.80% canceled all travel plans, 12.06% planned to proceed as originally scheduled, 9.62% intended to travel but might change their mode of transportation, 2.98% planned to travel but might adjust both transportation and destination, 2.75% would travel but might change their destination only, and 0.23% did not respond or were indifferent.
