Ekniti and oil traders assure ample domestic fuel, order urgent transport fixes

Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, said after the meeting of the Joint Management and Monitoring Centre for the Situation in the Middle East on March 15, 2026, at the Parliament building that the meeting had been informed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz remained severe.

On domestic oil supplies, the Ministry of Energy confirmed that crude oil could still be managed and would be sufficient to meet domestic demand for at least 96 days.

In addition, the Prime Minister today invited all oil traders in the country to join the meeting, including the Chief Executive Officer and President of PTT Public Company Limited, representatives of the private sector, and Section 7 oil traders responsible for petrol stations across Thailand, to exchange views on concerns over the sufficiency of domestic oil supplies.

All parties confirmed that oil remained sufficient, in line with the Ministry of Energy’s announcement, and that supplies at petrol stations were adequate for public use, so there was no need for concern.

“I want the public to be confident that there is definitely enough oil. Today’s discussion focused on why some people feel that prices are rising and that fuel is not sufficient. We have instructed the relevant agencies to clarify their communications and oversee transport, because the crisis in the Middle East may cause public panic and prompt people to rush to buy and stockpile fuel in advance. That may mean some stations have not stocked enough fuel under normal conditions. The Ministry of Energy will take this forward and manage supplies so that the public can be confident that there is no shortage,” Ekniti said.

Ekniti said enough crude oil had been prepared for refining in Thailand and distribution to oil traders, which would be supplied as petrol or diesel at various service stations in sufficient quantities.

He said today’s meeting had also discussed how to manage the situation.

Because there may be concern at the moment that fuel could run short, many people may be stockpiling in advance, resulting in smaller-than-normal deliveries of fuel to oil traders and service stations.

Today, it was concluded that the director-general of the Department of Energy Business should hold talks with traders so that the public can be assured that petrol stations have sufficient supplies in line with current demand, at a time when people may be worried.

He said everyone should be confident that there is definitely enough fuel for the public.

Sarawut Kaewtathip, director-general of the Department of Energy Business, said that, as of March 13, the department, together with provincial energy offices nationwide, had conducted 53 inspections covering 589 tanks across the country.

Thailand has 1.4 billion litres of commercial oil reserves and about 3.4 billion litres of legally mandated reserves.

Combined, these two parts account for 39 days of supply.

At the same time, there is oil currently in transit to Thailand equal to another 27 days, and oil that has already been procured equal to a further 30 days.

At a minimum, total oil availability stands at 96 days.

He confirmed that there is definitely enough oil for domestic use.

As public refuelling at service stations has increased significantly, transport issues have arisen.

The Prime Minister has therefore ordered the Ministry of Energy to discuss with relevant agencies how to speed up deliveries and ensure adequate supply without shortages.

For the industrial sector, the Prime Minister has also ordered talks with trader groups on how oil should be supplied to industry under fair conditions.

Kongkrapan Intarajang, Chief Executive Officer and President of PTT Public Company Limited, said PTT has a global procurement network for crude oil and is prepared for crises.

It can load crude from other ports that do not require passage through the Strait of Hormuz, or source oil from the United States, West Africa and Latin America.

He therefore confirmed that supplies can be secured in sufficient quantities, and reassured the public that PTT’s operations, which account for 60 per cent of the country’s total production capacity, are continuing to run at full capacity, with enough oil and refined product stocks available for domestic use.

Oil operators in Thailand, including PTT, Bangchak, PT, Shell, Caltex and Susco, who joined today’s press briefing, all gave the same assurance that every trader has sufficient oil to serve the public and is ready to coordinate with the government to ensure adequate fuel services for the public.