The parliament heated up as Dr. Warong exposed the issue of over 700 million liters of diesel missing from the system, pointing to suspicious 'phantom fuel' and setting a deadline for ministers to clarify today or face possible jail time.
On 10 April 2026 at the parliament, Dr. Warong Dechkitvikrom, MP from the Thai Pakdee Party, held a press conference revealing irregularities in Thailand's energy sector. Following recent parliamentary debates, he discovered alarming data showing that between 600 and 700 million liters of diesel disappeared from the system in March alone. He called this conduct a national theft at a time when the public is burdened with high living costs.
Dr. Warong detailed that data from the Department of Energy Business showed highly abnormal figures in fuel deliveries to service stations nationwide. Comparing January's average daily delivery of 51 million liters, figures from mid to late March surged to 70 million liters—an increase of nearly 20 million liters per day—despite consumers facing fuel rationing during that period.
“For example, on 5 April, fuel depots dispensed 37 million liters; on 6 April, this jumped to 46 million liters; and on 7 April, it was 42 million liters. These figures clearly indicate a scheme inflating fuel numbers, which I call 'phantom fuel'—numbers recorded from refineries to depots but with no actual fuel delivered to the public,” Dr. Warong said.
He also questioned the investigations by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and the Ministry of Energy's task force, who examined GPS signals at fuel depots. He viewed their efforts as misdirected and likened them to a 'shell game' deceiving the public. He emphasized that verifying the truth is simpler through tax records and fuel flow tracking—from a few refineries in Thailand, through licensed traders’ depots under Section 7, to service stations—where every step is documented with clear records of quantities received and dispensed.
Dr. Warong sent a warning to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, in his capacity as director of the Center for Economic Situation Administration (CESA), urging them to explain the matter in parliament today. He warned that beginning the government's policy statement amid serious corruption allegations would undermine public confidence and could jeopardize the government's ability to proceed.
“I have been waiting for you since the other day until late, but you did not come. The more silence, the more I believe the information I have is true. If you cannot clarify this today and fail to punish the cheaters, I warn that once I exercise full authority as a parliamentary committee to investigate, the government will not survive, and some ministers may end their careers behind bars,” Dr. Warong concluded sternly.