IRPC, OR deny Surat Thani oil-hoarding allegations

IRPC and OR have denied any involvement in fuel hoarding in Surat Thani, after investigators examined major oil depots in the province and online speculation sought to link one suspected site to IRPC.

The issue emerged after the Department of Special Investigation, or DSI, inspected six large depots in Surat Thani and found one location suspected of stockpiling around 2 million litres of fuel. Social media users then circulated claims suggesting the depot belonged to IRPC.

IRPC has since issued a clarification, saying the depot in question is not owned by the company. It said its role in Surat Thani is limited to leasing oil storage tanks, and that it has no involvement in hoarding.

The company said it is responsible only for managing the tanks it leases and has no authority to supervise, control or manage tanks belonging to other operators within the same depot complex.

IRPC added that its oil inventory is managed systematically, with stocks clearly separated, fully traceable and not mixed with fuel belonging to other operators. It said its receiving and distribution processes continue to operate normally and in strict compliance with relevant laws, regulations and standards.

The company also stressed that it places great importance on operational transparency and is ready to cooperate fully with state agencies in checking data and facts so that the investigation can proceed clearly and comprehensively.

It reiterated that every stage of its operations is carried out in strict accordance with the law, regulatory requirements and official rules.

OR also said it had fully cooperated with relevant authorities in inspections of its oil depots in order to reinforce confidence that fuel management is being handled to proper standards in a transparent and verifiable manner.

The company said that in March all of its petroleum and oil depots were inspected by a range of state agencies, including the Department of Energy Business, provincial energy offices, the DSI, the Excise Department, local police and the Department of Provincial Administration. OR said the results showed that all of its depots were operating properly, with fuel quantities managed in line with the required rules and standards.

Most recently, on April 2, 2026, DSI officials and investigators from Surat Thani Provincial Police inspected OR’s Surat Thani petroleum depot site 1 and site 2.

The inspection covered daily fuel intake and outflow records from March 1 to 31, 2026, as well as daily remaining stock volumes. It also compared the broader fuel volume picture between February and March 2026.

OR said the inspection was completed without issue. According to the company, the results showed that both Surat Thani depots met required standards, while intake, distribution and inventory figures were consistent with the data reported to regulators. It said no evidence was found of hoarding or any conduct that breached the law.

The company said it is managing fuel intake, distribution and transport to the fullest of its capacity, using a transparent and auditable system to ensure adequate supply for both the public and the business sector.

OR added that it remains committed to operating transparently, in line with required standards, while placing national energy security at the centre of its business operations.