BANGKOK (Bernama): Thailand has assured that fuel supplies will remain sufficient during Songkran, the country’s traditional new year festival, next month despite rising demand and recent distribution disruptions, Energy Minister Auttapol Rerkpiboon said.
He said the government has secured more than 2.6 million barrels of additional crude oil from Angola and the United States and instructed refineries to boost production to meet higher consumption during the Songkran festival from April 13 to 15.
"Agreements were reached today to purchase nearly two million barrels from Angola and more than 600,000 barrels from the United States,” he told reporters after a Cabinet meeting at Government House on Tuesday.
He stressed that there is no shortage of fuel, attributing recent concerns to transportation bottlenecks, and urged the public not to panic or hoard fuel.
On potential crude imports from Russia, Auttapol said discussions are ongoing, noting that Thailand’s oil trade operates under a free market system that allows private traders to negotiate purchases independently.
He added that some refineries are operating at more than 100 per cent capacity to ensure adequate supply.
Addressing reports that certain petrol stations have limited refuelling to 500 baht per transaction, he said such measures were decided by individual operators due to delivery constraints and were not mandated by the government.
Local media reported on Sunday that some stations had capped refuelling at 500 baht (100 baht = RM12.09) for four-wheeled vehicles and 1,000 baht for larger vehicles, while prohibiting fuel sales into containers outside standard dispensing procedures. -- Bernama
