BANGKOK, Thailand – Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has issued a formal order for a nationwide crackdown on fuel hoarding after authorities seized over 330,000 liters of illegally stockpiled oil in Ang Thong province. He confirmed that the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), the Royal Thai Police, and the Department of Provincial Administration are authorized to take legal action against anyone found withholding fuel or essential goods without a valid reason.
The Prime Minister clarified that these enforcement units are not temporary task forces but are integrated operational teams that will enforce the law under the Prime Minister’s directives nationwide. He stressed that hoarding more than 300,000 liters cannot be considered an emergency reserve and constitutes a clear violation of the law.
The Prime Minister assured the public that crude oil imports would continue without disruption. He noted that the Joint Management and Monitoring Center for the Situation in the Middle East is monitoring consumption data to detect any signs of fuel diversion. He warned that anyone involved in such schemes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
The Prime Minister stated that although a Royal Command has appointed the new Prime Minister, the outgoing administration remains constitutionally obligated to address urgent national crises. He reaffirmed that the fuel shortage and hoarding are immediate emergencies, requiring continued executive action by the caretaker government until the new Cabinet takes office. (NNT)
