Transport, airlines, restaurants and e-commerce brace for price rises as oil shock bites

The surge in global oil prices triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East is rippling through Thailand’s economy, raising costs across water transport, road transport and aviation, and pushing up input and logistics expenses for food businesses and retailers—from small operators to major e-commerce platforms.

Chao Phraya boats warn of service cuts if losses persist

Charoenporn Charoentham, managing director of Chao Phraya Express Boat Ltd (CPX), said the operator has been hit by higher fuel costs and uncertainty over future supply volumes. He warned that sustained high diesel prices could force CPX to reduce services or even suspend operations.

CPX has also seen passenger numbers decline, including among job seekers and tourists, partly linked to government work-from-home measures. He said travel behaviour has shifted as passengers increasingly choose alternatives such as rail services, which have benefited from government fare support.

Charoenporn said CPX is currently buying diesel at around 35 baht per litre through wholesale traders, or jobbers—above a level it can sustainably manage.

“We are a private business. If we operate at a loss, we cannot keep doing it. If losses are long-term, we would not know why we should continue,” he said. “If it is short-term, we can still consider it. But if we must stop services because we are not allowed to adjust fares while fuel losses continue, the public may not be severely affected because river transport is only one option.”

In the short term, he said CPX is focused on internal cost savings and securing enough fuel to keep services running. Over the longer term, the company is studying the viability of investing in electric boats, and may consider reducing the number of trips if fuel prices remain high, while weighing the impact on demand.

State bus operator holds fares—for now

Suphang Sila-aphon, deputy managing director for bus operations at Transport Co, Ltd., said the operator is still able to manage fuel supply and maintain services smoothly.

“If oil prices remain elevated over the long term, it may affect operators’ cost structures and their ability to keep fares unchanged going forward,” she said.

She said the company has a long-term purchase agreement with PTT Plc, giving it a stable supply and avoiding shortages. The company has a fuel management system through service stations and can draw reserves from depots of around 100,000-120,000 litres per day, supporting an average of more than 200 trips daily.

“We confirm that services have not been affected and there has been no fare increase or reduction in trips, even though there have been reports of fuel shortages at some service stations in upcountry areas,” she said.

Thai Airways raises fares 10-15% as Jet A-1 soars

Chai Eamsiri, chief executive of Thai Airways International Plc (THAI), said jet fuel (Jet A-1) has surged from around US$80 per barrel to more than US$200 per barrel, forcing the airline to raise ticket prices by an average of 10-15%.

He said price adjustments cannot immediately cover all additional costs because many tickets were sold before fuel costs surged, creating a lag between costs and revenue. Thai Airways has partially cushioned the impact through fuel hedging at about 50% through mid-year.

A senior aviation industry source said fuel typically accounts for around 20-30% of operating costs. With jet fuel prices rising from about 25 baht per litre to 43 baht per litre, airlines have had to increase fares. Domestic routes cannot charge a separate fuel surcharge under Thai rules, meaning higher fuel costs must be reflected directly in ticket prices. For international routes, airlines can levy separate fuel surcharges, which also pushes up ticket prices.

The source said some airlines, including Thai Airways, have adjusted international fuel surcharges—supporting higher international fares while helping offset losses on competitive domestic routes, where weak purchasing power has limited the scope for significant fare increases.

Higher fuel surcharges are also pushing up the cost of overseas tour packages. For example, Vietnam tour prices were cited as rising by about 600 baht due to higher fuel-related costs.

Egg prices could rise again in early April

A source in the egg trade said egg pricing depends mainly on supply volumes and consumer purchasing power. On March 14, 2026, farm-gate prices for mixed eggs were raised by 20 satang per egg to 3.40 baht, or 6 baht per tray, effective from March 16, with cooperatives citing hot and unstable weather that reduced output.

Some traders said the increase ran counter to usual seasonal patterns, as prices typically soften during school holidays. However, large retailers were cited as expecting another increase of around 0.10-0.20 baht per egg in early April, largely due to rising transport costs—potentially hitting both consumers and food operators.

Restaurants begin lifting menu prices

A survey of food outlets in the Bang Son area on March 24, 2026 found small operators increasingly struggling with higher ingredient costs, particularly meat.

Prices cited included:

• pork: 150 → 155 baht/kg
• pork belly: 180 → 200 baht/kg
• chicken: 70 → 90 baht/kg
• beef: 250 → 260 baht/kg

Drinks and household goods were also rising, such as soft drinks (12 bottles) 130 → 135 baht, and packaged drinking water 60 → 65 baht.

One vendor said: “To keep the business going, we need to raise prices by 5 baht per dish, and explain it directly to customers, most of whom understand. We are also trying to manage other costs—such as electricity—by running the air-conditioning mainly during peak hours.”

Some outlets said they are still holding prices for now by tightening internal management to protect their customer base, maintaining ingredient quality and using loyalty vouchers to encourage repeat visits. However, if the situation drags on—especially if oil and inputs remain elevated—operators said promotions may need to be scaled back, and menu prices could rise by 5-10 baht per item.

With domestic fuel prices rising in successive rounds over the past week, further increases in logistics costs are expected, and more price adjustments across various goods are anticipated in early April.

Three e-commerce giants raise fees across the board

The impact has also spread to e-commerce, with three major platforms—Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop—moving in tandem to announce a new round of adjustments to their selling commissions and transaction fees.

Shopee announced a revised structure for selling fees and transaction fees, effective from April 7. This round focuses on Shopee Mall stores, raising commission rates across multiple product categories to reflect higher operating costs. For example, the electronics category has been lifted to 5.89%-15.52% (from 5.35%-13.91% previously).

The fashion category has increased its maximum rate to 15.52%, while lifestyle has risen to 12.84%-15.52%, and FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) and other categories have also increased to 15.52%.

In addition, instalment transaction fees for credit cards have risen across all tenors, with instalments of 10 months or more increasing to 7%. For SPayLater instalments of 2-12 months, fees have risen by an average of 1%, with a maximum of 7% for 12-month plans.

Shopee has also introduced fee discounts of 0.5%-1.50% for small sellers with sales of no more than 10,000 baht, but exclusions for high-value jewellery such as gold and platinum mean sellers in those categories still face heavy costs.

Lazada also announced a major fee overhaul, also effective from April 7, covering both the commission fee and the payment fee to align with market conditions.

Initial information suggests that standard stores and LazMall sellers may face maximum fees of up to 13% in some categories. Lazada is also changing the charging criteria for add-on programmes such as Free Shipping Max and Lazada Daily Rewards, shifting towards more “pay-as-used” billing, which could increase costs for sellers joining campaigns.

TikTok Shop began adjusting its policies earlier, from February 20, with implementation rolling out from late March into early April. Under a “win-win” strategy, TikTok Shop has raised its Commerce Growth Fee to about 6.42% (capped at 199 baht) and added an infrastructure fee of 1.07 baht per order.

It has also offered benefits in return, including exclusive coupons for Mall sellers and bonus coins aimed at boosting sales, as the platform tries to balance profitability with retaining its seller base.

As a result of this “domino” effect, online sellers are now facing total platform fees of around 10%-18% per order, a level seen as a serious threat to the margins of Thai SMEs—especially as consumer purchasing power begins to soften.

The rising cost pressures have also fuelled debate online, including criticism under the phrase “free shipping isn’t real”.

Domestic operators are shouldering higher energy and packaging costs as well as increased platform fees, while competing with cheaper imported goods supported by mass production and more efficient cost structures. Even as delivery firms begin using electric vehicles to reduce exposure to oil prices, consumers are questioning why delivery fees have not fallen and why fuel surcharges remain unchanged.

Commerce Ministry steps up price monitoring and expands “Blue Flag” support

Koranij Nonejui, an inspector and deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, said the ministry has been closely monitoring prices with businesses and believes most producers still have sufficient existing stock, meaning there is no immediate need for price rises.

The ministry is also considering expanding the list of price-controlled goods, particularly items affected by global developments, such as plastic pellets and bottled drinking water, while tightening rules so businesses must notify authorities in advance before raising prices, rather than after changes take effect.

The measures cover daily essentials such as toilet paper, tissues, shampoo, laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, sanitary pads and soap.

In addition, the ministry is running the “Blue Flag Budget Prices” scheme from March to August, and the “Green Flag Plus” programme to reduce fertiliser costs for farmers during the key planting season from May to July.

The ministry has also sent inspection teams nationwide—covering Bangkok, the metropolitan area and upcountry provinces—to check prices at 393 locations. It said some goods, such as meat, have risen in line with costs and weather, while vegetable prices remain stable and plastic packaging has shown signs of rising.

So far, authorities have found 13 legal violations across nine provinces, mostly involving failure to display price tags, and have taken legal action. The ministry said it will continue strict price oversight and consumer protection measures.