The Land Transport Federation urgently called a meeting of its members following a 6-baht increase in fuel prices, preparing to seek a resolution to mobilize the “ten-wheel truck protest.”,
Thongyu Khongkan, president of the Land Transport Federation of Thailand, said they are preparing to meet members on 27 March 2026 to consider raising transport fees to reflect actual costs, as they can no longer bear the burden. The meeting’s resolution and action plans will be officially communicated to the public later.
Currently, fuel costs make up as much as 45-50% of the total transport costs. According to guidelines, every 1-baht increase in fuel prices results in approximately a 3% rise in transport expenses.
Regarding government support measures for the transport sector, the federation agrees with the approach of providing direct compensation via PromptPay transfers to operators, similar to the Half-Half Plus scheme, which offers greater transparency and accountability.
Concerning the promotion of B20 fuel, which is about 5 baht cheaper per liter than B7, the federation views this measure as unappealing and unlikely to effectively reduce transport costs. This is because B20 contains palm oil, which is expensive; mixing expensive components does not result in lower prices.
There are also technical limitations with engines: B20 may be suitable only for older Euro 1 or Euro 2 vehicles. However, newer trucks, especially those meeting Euro 5 standards, cannot use B20 as it adversely affects internal combustion systems and causes damage.
Thus, B20 fuel might only benefit some industrial, agricultural, or commercial sectors. For land transport, it is not a sustainable solution to the current energy crisis.