Bangkok: The Director-General of the Department of Energy Business has confirmed that Thailand possesses sufficient oil reserves to meet national demand for at least 101 days and has urged the public not to hoard fuel. Despite current delivery challenges, additional oil is actively being shipped to ensure continued supply.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Sarawut Kaewtathip, the Director-General, assured that the Ministry of Energy is effectively managing the country's energy situation. The current reserves include 25 days' worth of legally required reserves and 17 days' commercial reserves, totaling 42 days. Moreover, there are ongoing shipments of 625,000 barrels from the United States and 1.9 million barrels from Angola, along with another 30 days' confirmed supply. Inspections across 23 provinces revealed adequate domestic reserves, though 150 gas stations have temporarily closed due to fuel shortages. Mr. Kaewtathip urged the public to maintain normalcy and conserve fuel during this period.
The Director-General elaborated on the operational capacity of Thailand's six oil refineries, which collectively refine 175 million liters per day. These refineries process 32-33 million liters of gasoline and 75-80 million liters of diesel daily, with the remainder used for jet fuel, fuel oil, and liquefied petroleum gas. Fuel is distributed through Section 7 traders to various gas stations and wholesalers. However, recent delivery issues have prevented wholesalers from receiving adequate fuel for industrial distribution, prompting increased fuel purchases at gas stations. In response, the Ministry of Energy, guided by the Prime Minister, is coordinating with refineries and monitoring production to avoid shutdowns. They are also negotiating with traders to ensure steady supply to wholesalers. Additionally, cooperation with the Royal Thai Police, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Interior, and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration aims to extend fuel delivery times during this period to facilitate distribution . The Ministry remains vigilant in preventing fuel hoarding to maintain stability.