Veerayuth is preparing to disclose information about the "masked man" hoarding oil tomorrow, assembling 30 MPs to join the debate after the government showed openness, and he recommends urgent targeted solutions to help the small-scale people affected.
On 24 March 2026, Mr. Veerayuth Kanchuchat, a party-list MP and deputy leader of the People's Party, spoke about the oil crisis due to the Middle East conflict, focusing on agriculture and fisheries. He said this is a major and urgent issue closely monitored by the People's Party. Tomorrow (25 Mar), they will submit an urgent motion to debate the matter and pass proposals to the government. Over 30 MPs are prepared to join the debate to reflect problems from various sectors. Currently, the government talks about releasing oil reserves or increasing oil supply in the system, but these remain isolated issues for small-scale people who have not been reached, such as farmers, fishermen, or delivery riders, since they have daily costs. Not being able to find daily fuel means losing their means of livelihood. Thus, we want to gather issues from all sectors for discussion in parliament to send proposals to the government.
"Right now, we want assistance to be more targeted rather than broad price controls; we want help focused on key areas because we see clearly where the distress lies." Mr. Veerayuth said.
When asked if he had spoken with the government side about the motion to be presented tomorrow, Mr. Veerayuth said it was a bit late since they submitted it last week due to the immediate hardship, but it was postponed to this week. From the signals received, the government is willing to listen and will have representatives join the debate. He invited people to follow the debate to see perspectives from both the government and opposition sides.
Regarding Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn's statement that next week every gas station will have fuel, Mr. Veerayuth said that data is crucial and has been demanded continuously. What will ease public panic is disclosing information about where fuel will be available so people can plan their lives. Two days ago, the Department of Energy Business Development announced plans to launch the Fuel Now app to provide this information to the public, but it has yet to appear. He urged speeding up this effort as well.
Mr. Veerayuth also expressed concern about the agricultural sector, especially fertilizer shortages, a root problem preventing farmers from planting. Even though there is the Green Flag project, which will be one of the topics debated tomorrow, assistance reaching farmers is limited. The Green Flag project has helped distribute 5 million kilograms, but the national annual fertilizer requirement is 5 million tons. This project covers only 0.1%, so it is insufficient and does not adequately reach the wider farming community.
When asked how the People's Party views solutions after reports that the Middle East plans to cut oil exports to Asia, Mr. Veerayuth said that in the short term, distributing oil widely is key. If there are over 100 days of oil reserves, as the government confirms, the crisis can be overcome. However, oil distribution and transparency are vital mechanisms to build public trust.
"People still ask questions the government hasn't answered, like where they can get fuel. Disclosing information serves two purposes: it reassures people in daily life and promotes transparency so any loopholes or hoarding (the 'masked man') can be identified." Mr. Veerayuth said.
When asked if the People's Party has received complaints about the 'masked man,' Mr. Veerayuth said they have information from multiple points and that tomorrow's debate will reveal these details.