Prior to the announcement, Mr Anutin had ordered a 15-day diesel price freeze, which is due to expire in five days. Finance Minister Ekniti said that, with global oil prices continuing to rise, Thailand must adapt quickly to reduce reliance on expensive fossil fuels. Mr Santi said he had received a report that some businesses in Phangnga had experienced disruptions to their operations due to fuel shortages. "Rising fuel prices can affect other goods and services, potentially causing hardship for consumers," Mr Santi said. Separately, Korn Chatikavanij, Democrat deputy leader, called for the reintroduction of work-from-home measures to reduce domestic oil consumption as global oil prices surged above $110 per barrel on Monday.

Source: Bangkok Post March 09, 2026 22:51 UTC