Bangkok: The Federation of Thai Land Transport is urging the government to urgently find measures to address the oil crisis, following problems with both oil production shortages and continuously rising oil prices. The committee of the Federation of Land Transport of Thailand, led by Dr. Thongyoo Kongkhan, President of the Federation, held a meeting to discuss the impact of fluctuating global energy prices resulting from the conflict in the Middle East. This directly affects the transportation, logistics, and overall economy of the country.
According to Thai News Agency, following the meeting, Dr. Thongyoo stated that the committee had resolved to submit four proposals to the government, in addition to the eight previously submitted. These proposals include freezing the retail price of diesel at gas stations to no more than 30 baht per liter for 60 days to alleviate operating costs and allow all sectors time to adjust. Furthermore, the government should urgently address the fuel shortage at gas stations and end quota restrictions or the two-price system. Another proposed measure is to manage fuel prices to ensure stability by limiting the price difference between major and minor retailers at the refinery to no more than 2 baht per liter for fairness. The Federation also emphasizes the urgent need to resolve traffic congestion within Laem Chabang Port by limiting the entry and exit times for trucks to no more than 3-4 hours per trip in order to reduce costs and energy loss.
If the government fails to take concrete action to resolve the issue, future protests may be escalated, such as a "bus strike." Several measures have been prepared to pressure the government, but details cannot be disclosed yet pending clarification from all nine partner organizations. The transportation operators emphasized that they have not yet decided to increase transportation fees and that this is a last resort to avoid further burdening the public. They also requested cooperation from manufacturers, particularly those in the nine consumer goods and industrial sectors, to avoid taking advantage of the situation by raising prices.
Furthermore, they refuted reports of oil shortages in some areas, confirming that it was not due to transportation problems but rather the result of the "quota system" and the behavior of some refineries that may have hoarded oil in anticipation of price increases, creating an artificial shortage in the market. The Federation therefore urges the relevant agencies, especially the Ministry of Energy and the Department of Energy Business, to clarify the facts to the public, thoroughly investigate the refineries, and take immediate action if any unfair practices are found.