Bangkok: The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior has signed an order to appoint officials tasked with inspecting the price display and possession of fuel by retailers, in a bid to prevent hoarding and fuel shortages. Mr. Arsit Sampanrat, the Permanent Secretary, revealed this initiative as part of the implementation of Prime Minister's Order No. 3/2569, dated March 20, 2026, which aims to address and prevent fuel shortages arising from conflicts in the Middle East.
According to Thai News Agency, this order assigns various high-ranking officials, including the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, Mr. Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, and others to monitor oil traders under specific sections of the Fuel Trading Act B.E. 2543 (2000). These officials are designated under the Fuel Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act B.E. 2516 (1973), empowering them to appoint personnel to execute this directive.
The Ministry of Interior's announcement on March 21, 2026, underlines the appointment of officials such as the Deputy Permanent Secretary, the Head of Internal Security Affairs Group, and others. Their responsibilities include ensuring that fuel retailers comply with the Prime Minister's order by displaying prices clearly and verifying the accuracy of fuel quantities held and sold. They are also tasked with monitoring for hoarding and irregular sales practices.
The Permanent Secretary further stated that provincial governors are instructed to have the provincial energy offices report any fuel price adjustments and data on fuel production and sales. Oil retailers, including refineries, must report daily on production volume, stock levels, sales volume, and customer lists, especially for transactions exceeding 3,000 liters, to the Department of Energy Business by 6:00 PM. A copy of these reports is also required to be sent to the Ministry of Interior.