THE nation’s prime minister has slammed oil traders for “excessive profiteering”, blaming those stockpiling fuel or smuggling it abroad for shortages that have driven prices steadily higher.
“Authorities have found cases of fuel stockpiling and smuggling for sale in neighbouring countries,” Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said, adding the problem had cost the government 50 billion baht (RM6.16bil).
“This action (smuggling and stockpiling) amounts to excessive profiteering from rising oil prices during the global energy crisis,” he said, calling it “a major factor behind the nationwide fuel shortages seen in recent weeks”.
Evidence of hoarding and profiteering among large and medium-sized oil traders had been found on land and at sea, he said.
Anutin said some seaborne shipments had been deliberately delayed so fuel would not arrive on schedule, allowing sellers to wait for retail price increases.
Other shipments had been diverted for stockpiling and were thought to be destined for neighbouring countries.
More than 57 million litres of fuel were reported missing during sea transportation in southern Thailand, Minister of Justice Rutthaphon Naowarat said.
The Department of Special Investigation is pursuing the matter as a special case and investigations are underway, according to the prime minister.
The allegations of stockpiling come amid public outcry over successive fuel price hikes in late March and early April.
Fuel prices in Thailand have reached record highs, with unleaded gasoline at 57.51 baht (RM7.09) per litre and diesel at 47.74 baht (RM5.88).
The conflict in the Middle East, triggered by United States and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb 28, has caused disruptions to oil and gas supplies and price fluctuations across much of South-East Asia.
Vietnam has also hiked fuel prices again this week, bringing the cost of diesel to 46,200 dong (RM7.07) per litre – up more than 140% since late February.
Meanwhile, the price of regular gasoline was up more than 28% since the start of the war to 25,970 dong (RM3.97) per litre.
Hanoi has dipped into an emergency fuel price stabilisation fund and scrapped environmental taxes to ease pressure on fuel prices. — AFP
