“Lorry,” the Energy Ministry spokesman, countered Korn’s criticism as easy to make but hard to implement. He declared that for 22 years no one dared to touch the phantom cost of 10.8 billion baht. Today, “Eknat” removes it and urged not to undervalue the real benefits the public receives.
31 Oct 2026 GMT+7 Mr. Pongpol Yodmuangcharoen, spokesman for the Energy Ministry, posted on his personal Facebook to clarify the case of Mr. Korn Chatikavanij, party-list MP and deputy leader of the Democrat Party, who criticized the Energy Ministry’s revised oil pricing criteria as “not a restructuring” and “having no effect on pump prices,” also accusing the government of insincerity in solving fuel price issues.
Mr. Pongpol stated that since 29 Oct 2026, the price of diesel B7 has dropped by 1 baht per liter and gasoline 91-95 by 0.50 baht nationwide after the Energy Ministry removed transport, insurance, and assumed loss costs for oil transported from Singapore from the pricing formula used since 2004, and adjusted the oil reserve costs to match actual reserves, permanently saving the public 10.8 billion baht annually.
“For 22 years, Thais paid transport, insurance, and loss costs for ships that never actually sailed. If this isn’t called restructuring, I’m not sure what else to wait for.”
Meanwhile, the Energy Ministry spokesman noted that these costs were included in every government’s formula, including when Mr. Korn was Minister of Finance and a government leader in 2009. Had they been removed then, oil users would have saved about 170 billion baht. “What is easy to criticize today was never easy to implement.”
Regarding accusations that the government is insincere because it reduced taxes only on B20 and E20 fuels, Mr. Pongpol explained that Mr. Korn’s figures were inaccurate. Data from the Department of Energy Business show B20 averages about 6 million liters daily, not 3 million. E20 is used in motorcycles and small cars nationwide, while B20 is used in freight vehicles and agricultural machinery. This measure thus directly assists low-income people, farmers, and the transport sector, while also reducing long-term dependence on imported crude oil. “No one knows when the war will end—one year or five—but Thais can produce ethanol and biodiesel themselves.”
He also questioned sincerity by recalling that in 2009 Mr. Korn opposed lowering excise tax on oil out of fiscal discipline concerns, but on 21 Apr 2011, the government reduced the diesel tax to 0.005 baht per liter just 19 days before dissolving parliament, leaving lost state revenue for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration to manage. “Which stance truly shows sincerity?”
The Energy Ministry spokesman emphasized that the government chose not to use tax funds for blanket fuel price caps but took targeted measures, including reclaiming 31.8 billion baht in excess refinery profits under the 1973 Oil Shortage Prevention Act, reducing taxes specifically on B20 and E20, and removing phantom costs worth 10.8 billion baht per year.
“I once worked alongside the Kla Party because I believed in ‘we come to take action.’ Today, Minister Eknat Phanthun and the new generation have taken action by eliminating 22 years of phantom costs no one dared to touch. No need for praise—just don’t undervalue the real benefits the people receive.”