Thai petrol queues lengthen as price cap expires

Motorists queue up at a Bangchak petrol station in the southern Thai province of Narathiwat on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. -- Photo by Madaree TOHLALA / AFP

CHIANG RAI, Thailand (AFP): From the capital Bangkok to Chiang Rai in the far northern reaches of the country, drivers and riders in Thailand queued for petrol Tuesday as shortages worsened and price rises loomed.

Authorities imposed a cap on the retail price of diesel after the US-Israeli war with Iran disrupted shipping and damaged petroleum facilities in the Middle East, raising global oil prices.