BANGKOK, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Friday issued a directive to all provincial governors, ordering immediate and uncompromising law enforcement against fuel hoarding, price gouging and cross-border smuggling.
During an urgent conference, Anutin mandated the immediate establishment of central and provincial "war rooms" to monitor energy supplies and market prices continuously.
Anutin instructed governors to enforce laws against opportunists exploiting the current crisis rigorously, adding that any irregularities in fuel volume or pricing must be met with swift legal action and reported to the government immediately.
Officials were also directed to utilize their full authority to inspect local oil refineries and prevent stockpiling.
Anutin clarified that Thailand's domestic fuel supply is fundamentally secure. Under normal circumstances, daily domestic demand is approximately 67 million liters, while the nation's refineries produce around 77 million liters per day.
However, public anxiety has triggered severe "panic demand," driving consumption up to 87 million liters daily, vastly exceeding production capacity, he said.
This unprecedented surge forced the government to unpeg fuel prices and allow them to float according to market mechanisms, a necessary intervention to prevent absolute nationwide fuel shortages and restore supply equilibrium, he added.
To mitigate the financial impact, the prime minister assured that the government is rapidly formulating comprehensive remedial measures aimed at supporting vulnerable demographics, the logistics and transport sector, and agricultural workers. ■
