TAK, Thailand – Local motorists in Thailand’s western border province of Tak rushed to gas stations on Monday, causing widespread fuel exhaustion across five districts and prompting authorities to suspend all sales to vehicles from neighboring Myanmar.
By mid-morning, most service stations in the Mae Sot district had declared a total stockout of all fuel types, with many facilities shuttering for the day as they awaited additional supplies.
The surge in demand began as early as 4:00 AM, with lines of vehicles spilling out of gas stations and onto the Mae Sot-Tha Song Yang highway, creating traffic snarls that stretched up to 3 kilometers. Local sources reported that some motorists had been camping out in their vehicles since Sunday evening to secure a position at the front of the queue. The situation became increasingly tense as crowds swelled, leading to several verbal altercations over queue-jumping and forcing local police and administrative officials to deploy personnel to maintain order.
In a bid to prioritize the local supply, fuel stations in Mae Sot have implemented a strict ban on sales to Myanmar-registered vehicles. While many stations remain closed for the 24-hour period, relief is expected by late afternoon when a fleet of tankers is scheduled to arrive to reinforce the area’s reserves. (TNA)
