Vienna: The Ministry of Energy has moved to quell rumors of a fuel crisis, ordering refineries to hike production for the upcoming Songkran festival while confirming that crude supplies remain stable with a 101-day reserve.
According to Thai News Agency, Energy Minister Auttapol Rerkpiboon, speaking after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, clarified that Thailand's six refineries are currently operating at 100% capacity, with some exceeding that level to meet holiday travel demands.
He emphasized that recent service station closures were caused by distribution bottlenecks rather than a physical shortage of oil, as delivery trucks have struggled to keep pace with a sudden surge in consumer demand.
Minister Auttapol urged the public to avoid panic buying, noting that some stations' decisions to limit sales to 500 baht per vehicle were independent management measures to ensure fair distribution while awaiting tankers.
To bolster national stocks, Thailand recently secured nearly 2 million barrels from Angola and over 600,000 barrels from the United States. While PTT continues to source Russian oil through free-market mechanisms, the Minister noted significant hurdles remain, including payment transfer risks and a narrow 30-day U.S. waiver period for such transactions.