"Eknat" declared that oil refining costs have risen abnormally and must be reclaimed. He believes a clear conclusion will be reached tomorrow, and if discussions fail, he will exercise authority under the emergency decree to set prices himself.
At 10:00 p.m. on 6 April 2026 at the Government House, Energy Minister Eknat Phompunt said in an interview after the Cabinet meeting that he would immediately summon relevant agencies for talks tomorrow, as the Energy Policy Committee has raised several issues. He will convene the Energy Policy Committee meeting tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. Regarding the recent rise in oil prices due to the fund absorbing burdens, it must be clear that the burden is to help the public, not to carry profits for refineries. We see that the current situation is volatile, causing refining costs to surge. The Energy Policy Committee has already discussed and confirmed that the refining cost increase is indeed abnormal today.
Eknat also said that they have reviewed the actual costs of all refineries to determine whether the refineries' profits are excessively high after deductions. Regarding domestic mechanisms, if refinery profits are too high, it is necessary to quickly reclaim the excess or reduce prices at the refinery gate. The authority under the emergency decree to cap refinery gate prices can also be used immediately. Tomorrow, clear figures will be available. He affirmed that since the increase is abnormal, the excess must be reclaimed. Normally, refining costs should not exceed 3 baht. For abnormal situations, the appropriate figure must be clear. He wants the situation to be fair, especially in this crisis period, urging cooperation.
When asked whether oil prices would decrease during Songkran, the Energy Minister said it is necessary to separate external factors from domestic mechanisms.