The Deputy Leader of the People’s Party proposed a four-point plan to address the oil crisis after the Prime Minister urged families to save one liter of fuel. He pointed out that there were only apologies but no concrete response plans for the public and suggested incentive measures for exchange.
On 29 March 2026, Mr. Veerayut Kanchuchat, Deputy Leader of the People’s Party, proposed a response plan for the oil crisis Thailand is currently facing. This followed yesterday’s (28 March) admission by Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul accepting responsibility that the recent oil crisis was caused by the government’s 15-day oil price cap measure. However, the most crucial missing element is a “response plan” for this crisis.
Mr. Veerayut offered the “People’s Party version” of a crisis response plan to address immediate problems, divided into four areas: 1) oil price management, 2) measures to support public adaptation, 3) chemical fertilizer management, and 4) preparations for the Songkran festival.
1. Adjust taxes to manage oil prices in a stepped manner and penalize major offenders involved in smuggling or hoarding. The government should clearly announce the principles for future oil price adjustments, aligning them with global markets but avoiding sudden spikes. The Oil Fund should be used to cushion gradual price increases to prevent panic, like the sudden 6 baht per liter price jump on the night of 25 March.
Furthermore, the government must promptly use existing measures to reduce costs in the oil price structure per liter (prices as of 27 March 2026). Options include the excise tax costing 7.50 baht per liter for gasoline 95 and 6.92 baht for diesel, municipal tax costing 0.75 baht for gasoline 95 and 0.69 baht for diesel, value-added tax costing 2.92 baht for gasoline 95 and 2.45 baht for diesel, and the energy conservation fund levy costing 0.05 baht.
Mr. Veerayut said these must be evaluated alongside the impact on government revenue collection to ensure adequacy for fiscal year 2026 amid a slowing global and Thai economy. Additionally, anti-hoarding measures must be accelerated, including requiring oil traders under Sections 7 and 10 to report daily sales, prices, and stocks, and implementing real-time monitoring of oil transport routes to verify report accuracy and detect potential hoarding by comparing crisis-period sales with pre-crisis data.
2. Support measures for public adaptation. Although the Prime Minister and Mr. Anutin admitted management mistakes, they only urged families to save one liter of fuel without supporting adaptation measures. The proposal suggests that if the government wants people to increase public transport use, it must provide assistance such as partnering with private park-and-ride facilities and subsidizing parking fees. To encourage more work-from-home arrangements, subsidies for electricity and internet costs should be offered, along with incentives for employers implementing work-from-home systems.
For farmers needing to cut fuel use by one liter per day, there should be a program exchanging fuel-powered equipment like water pumps for electric or solar-powered ones, with incentives such as discounts to help farmers decide quickly. These tools will benefit long-term energy savings.
For SMEs operating small factories or logistics systems, the Ministry of Energy should collaborate with educational institutions to provide energy audit coupons, offering assessments and recommendations for energy reduction—such as machine tuning, process adjustments, or machinery replacement—paired with investment loans. This approach could enable many SMEs to save costs and enhance competitiveness.
Mr. Veerayut emphasized the need to expedite policies allowing energy-saving technologies to be financed through electricity bills (On-Bill Financing), such as solar panels, energy-efficient air conditioners, electric coolers, and energy-saving chillers, to increase access for the public and SMEs without requiring upfront funds.
3. Chemical fertilizer measures: He proposed that the Ministry of Commerce notify farmers of sale prices and enable them to verify if any retailers are overcharging. If overpricing is detected, the government should be informed immediately to take action. The government could distribute discount coupons to farmers, for example, 500 baht per rai, up to 10 rai per person, to ensure fair access, alongside price controls managed through existing Commerce Ministry mechanisms.
For medium-term measures, the government should advise farmers on reducing costs and improving fertilizer efficiency by offering free rapid soil testing services and tools to calculate fertilizer mixes independently. Incentives like discounts or trade credits should encourage farmers to adopt these practices. Additionally, to promote greater use of organic and bio-fertilizers, the government should streamline the registration process for these products to make it faster and more convenient.
4. Songkran preparation guidelines: Since Songkran is a crucial cultural and economic festival in Thailand, involving homecomings, family gatherings, and generating over 100 billion baht through tourism, dining, and transport businesses, the government must prepare in advance to support smooth and convenient travel during the festival with the following approaches.
Mr. Veerayut suggested the government ready public transport systems to facilitate travel, reduce costs, and lower fuel use by increasing bus and train services, ensuring safety and convenience at stations and service points, guaranteeing fuel supply to stations nationwide, and providing real-time information on fuel availability at each station. He also recommended fixing fuel prices during Songkran to prevent confusion and public concern.
Additionally, preparations should include emergency medical systems, medical supply reserves, and care for the workload and welfare of medical staff and volunteers. Given global uncertainties, the government especially needs clear measures in these four areas to help citizens live with confidence and plan their Songkran travel smoothly.