Anutin held an urgent meeting with the Bangkok governor and governors of 76 provinces, ordering actions to resolve the oil price crisis. He instructed strict law enforcement against those hoarding fuel and profiteering from the public's hardship and emphasized overseeing safety during the seven dangerous days of Songkran 2026. Tags: [Anutin, oil price crisis, law enforcement, fuel hoarding, Songkran safety, provincial governors]
At 14:30 on 27 March 2026 GMT+7Tags: [date, time] Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of InteriorTags: [Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister, Minister of Interior] He chaired a meeting to drive key missions of the Ministry of Interior, attended by Deputy Ministers Songsak Thongsri and Sakda Wichiansilp, Permanent Secretary Arthit Sampantawat, Deputy Permanent Secretaries Santithorn Yimlamai and Phasakorn Boonlak, Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration Naruetcha Kosaesivilai, Director-General of the Department of Local Administration Theerut Supaviboonpol, Director-General of the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning Pongsnara Yenying, and Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Theerapat Kachamat. The meeting was held at Government House with all 76 provincial governors joining online.Tags: [Ministry of Interior, government meeting, provincial governors, Government House]
Mr. Anutin said today’s urgent meeting with all provincial governors nationwide was called to address pressing concerns of the people, especially the rising oil prices caused by conflicts in the Middle East region. Currently, Thailand’s daily oil demand in normal circumstances is about 67 million liters, while domestic refineries can produce approximately 77 million liters daily, which is considered sufficient.Tags: [Anutin, oil demand, refinery capacity, Middle East conflict, Thailand]
However, panic buying and massive fuel hoarding have pushed demand up to 87 million liters daily, far exceeding domestic production capacity. This panic demand due to the situation is the main reason the government had to stop price controls and allow oil prices to rise according to market mechanisms to prevent shortages. The government is also allocating additional fuel to each area to restore balance.Tags: [panic buying, fuel hoarding, government policy, price adjustment, fuel allocation]
“A consequent impact of the oil problem is opportunistic profiteering from public distress, including price hikes, fuel hoarding for resale at higher prices, and illegal fuel sales in border areas. I urge provincial governors to instruct district chiefs to monitor, supervise, and strictly enforce laws against violators to the fullest extent. We must urgently resolve these issues closely with the people to build trust and satisfaction. Please help explain the situation to the public, promote fuel-saving measures, and discourage hoarding,” he said.Tags: [profiteering, law enforcement, fuel hoarding, public trust, fuel-saving]
Mr. Anutin added that the core purpose of the urgent meeting is to restore local situations to normal as before the foreign conflicts began. Therefore, governors must closely monitor developments by establishing war rooms to receive updates from central and provincial levels, conduct field inspections of energy and fuel situations, and if any irregularities in quantity or prices are found, act according to the law and promptly report to central authorities. Proactive local management is essential, and governors can immediately direct and coordinate with all local agencies once sufficient information is available. With Songkran approaching, he expressed concern about public travel returning home.Tags: [situation monitoring, war room, legal action, proactive management, Songkran travel]
Finally,Tags: [] he emphasized that during a crisis, communication is paramount. He urged everyone to ensure the public understands that the government is not abandoning any groups, especially vulnerable ones, and is actively providing assistance to transport operators, farmers, and others. The government will implement comprehensive compensation measures for impacted costs and promote energy-saving initiatives.Tags: [crisis communication, vulnerable groups, government aid, compensation, energy saving] He encouraged cultivating careful energy use habits to raise full awareness through public broadcasting towers and all provincial communication channels to align understanding nationwide. When each province effectively manages its own issues, the overall situation will improve, and people will regain normal lives.Tags: [energy conservation, public communication, provincial management, national impact, public awareness]
Meanwhile, Mr. Arthit said the crucial role of provincial governors as the Prime Minister’s representatives in their areas requires them to implement today’s directives. These include preventing fuel hoarding, reducing public panic, inspecting refineries nationwide, and ensuring clear communication about the situation and government actions. Governors hold multiple authorities and must use them effectively as provincial executives to solve problems and support the people in all circumstances.Tags: [provincial governors, government directives, fuel hoarding prevention, communication, authority]
At the end of the meeting, the Prime Minister also instructed all 76 provincial governors and the Bangkok governor on safety measures for public road use duringTags: [Prime Minister, road safety, provincial governors, Bangkok governor] the 2026 Songkran festival.Tags: [Songkran 2026, festival, road safety] He emphasized the seven dangerous days, during which accident rates have recently declined. For the upcoming period, strict enforcement is required on road safety checkpoints, inspections, bans on drunk driving, and mandatory use of safety equipment such as seat belts and helmets. The government aims to rigorously apply laws to protect citizens’ lives and property.Tags: [seven dangerous days, accident prevention, law enforcement, drunk driving, safety equipment] He urged every province to set ambitious targets for accident reduction, noting that good results in each province contribute to national improvement since Thailand has no borders between provinces. The focus must be on managing and monitoring to ensure that provincial goals and directives are effective and yield real results.Tags: [accident reduction targets, provincial management, national impact, monitoring, effectiveness]
