Dry pump fear spikes demand

Several petrol stations across the country have run out of fuel, while others started imposing limits on fuel purchases on Sunday, as motorists rushed to fill their tanks amid fears of a possible shortage and a price hike sparked by the war in the Middle East.

In Tak’s Mae Sot district, motorists began queuing at petrol stations as early as 5am. Heavy trucks, farm machinery, private cars and motorcycles formed queues stretching more than two kilometres at some petrol stations, forcing traffic police to block off two lanes to minimise the impact on local traffic.

Most petrol stations in the province have capped fuel purchases at 500 or 1,000 baht per vehicle and banned the filling of portable fuel containers in the wake of the supply disruptions, but many ran out of petrol a few hours after opening on Sunday.

Similar scenes were reported in other provinces. In Nong Hin district of Loei, a PTT petrol station temporarily closed on Sunday, with its operator displaying a sign saying fuel had run out due to abnormal circumstances. Some stations limited diesel purchases to 300 baht per vehicle to ensure fair distribution.

Stations run by private operators in Chumphon and Ranong reported fuel demand rising by 200–300%. Operators capped diesel purchases in containers at 50 litres to prevent hoarding, as some traders were stockpiling fuel ahead of a possible price increase on Wednesday, after the current diesel price subsidies expire.