Bangkok: Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, assured the public that Thailand is not facing an oil shortage and has enough fuel stock to last over 90 days. The minister addressed concerns during an interview on the "Workers' News Talk" program, emphasizing that the nation's fuel reserves are adequate despite the current distribution issues.
According to Thai News Agency, the issue stems from delays in distributing fuel to service stations rather than a shortage of supply. Pipat highlighted that many independent gas stations are not selling fuel because they are incurring losses due to high procurement costs from refineries. These independent stations, which outnumber those with parent companies by a ratio of 2 to 1, face financial constraints, causing increased demand at major branded stations and resulting in chaotic situations.
Thailand's Ministry of Energy has confirmed the sufficiency of the country's oil stock and is working on solutions to support smaller gas stations, particularly in rural areas, to ensure steady fuel supply to farmers and small businesses. The ministry is exploring ways to facilitate fuel distribution, especially to the industrial sector, through wholesalers or "jobbers."
Pipat has called upon major oil retailers like Bangchak, PTT, and Caltex to collaborate in sharing delivery responsibilities to mitigate the crisis. Discussions with oil refineries are also underway to manage the financial burdens during this period, which might lead to market price adjustments reflecting actual costs.