The Thai government will introduce new energy-saving measures after the Songkran festival, including closing petrol stations between 10pm and 5am and expanding remote working mandates for civil servants, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said today.
The new operating hours for petrol stations are expected to take effect from April 20 onwards, allowing people to travel home during the Songkran festival, which begins on April 13.
The measures are aimed at further tightening national energy consumption as the conflict in the Middle East shows little sign of abating.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilprapunt revealed yesterday, following a special Cabinet meeting, that the government is exploring more aggressive ways to curb domestic fuel consumption while global energy prices remain volatile.
He said Anutin has authorised the use of certain provisions under the 1973 Emergency Decree on Fuel Shortage Prevention to manage the crisis, with several key measures set to be implemented soon to address logistical and energy concerns.
Pakorn said a government work-from-anywhere initiative will be rolled out to reduce commuting, confirming that civil servants can begin remote operations across government agencies immediately.
At yesterday’s meeting, the Cabinet also tasked the Committee for the Appropriateness of Fuel Cost Determination (also known as the Fuel Cost Committee), chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas, with conducting an urgent study on reducing refining margins and excise taxes.
“The committee must first approve the appropriateness of these cost adjustments before the government can move forward with any formal mandate,” Pakorn said.
The finance and energy ministries are currently reviewing the wholesale oil price structure, specifically looking to remove any inflated insurance and transport costs from the refining fee formula.
Energy Minister Akanat Promphan is expected to summon refinery representatives for talks today to negotiate a reduction in these margins to reflect actual costs.
Meanwhile, Anutin has pledged a comprehensive strategy to mitigate the impact of soaring global energy prices as the Cabinet prepares to address the nation’s economic stability.
Following the special Cabinet meeting yesterday, Anutin noted that the geopolitical situation is significantly disrupting global supply chains.
With Thailand importing approximately 50% of its energy from the Middle East, the government is bracing for a prolonged period of high costs for fuel, electricity and petrochemical products such as fertilisers and plastics.
“The conflict has escalated to attacks on production facilities and infrastructure. Even if the fighting stops tomorrow, restoration will take time,” Anutin said.
“We must adjust our way of life to face this reality. National unity is our most important social capital in these trying times.”
He also emphasised the need for transparency, saying the government has chosen to speak frankly about the severity of the crisis.
As part of its response, the government plans to shield the public from these external shocks through a three-pronged relief plan.
This includes reallocating the public sector budget by cutting non-essential spending and diverting those funds into relief programmes for citizens.
At the same time, authorities will prioritise energy price restructuring, focusing on revamping fuel and electricity pricing mechanisms to ease the financial burden on households and businesses as quickly as possible.
In addition, the government will roll out targeted economic stimulus measures, including the ‘Khon La Khrueng Plus’ (Half-and-Half Plus) scheme, the ‘Thai Help Thai’ programme and low-interest loans to support farmers, industry and small and medium-sized enterprises.
He described the situation as a global crisis requiring collective sacrifice to maintain national economic stability and urged the public to cooperate with energy-saving initiatives.
He expressed confidence that public cooperation will be key to maintaining stability and overcoming the disruption.
