Thailand Imposes Petroleum Export Ban and Activates Emergency ‘War Room’ as Gulf Crisis Deepens
Energy Minister Auttapol Rerkpiboon orders coal plants to full capacity and suspends fuel exports to safeguard the Kingdom’s 60-day strategic reserve
- Thailand has banned all petroleum product exports with immediate effect in response to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
- An "Energy Emergency Surveillance Centre" has been activated to manage the crisis and safeguard the nation's 60-day strategic fuel reserve.
- To reduce reliance on imported fuel, coal and hydroelectric power plants have been ordered to operate at maximum capacity, and domestic gas production is being increased.
- The government will use the National Fuel Fund to subsidize pump prices to protect the public from a surge in energy costs.
Energy Minister Auttapol Rerkpiboon orders coal plants to full capacity and suspends fuel exports to safeguard the Kingdom’s 60-day strategic reserve.
The Thai government has banned the export of all petroleum products with immediate effect, as the Ministry of Energy moves to a total security footing following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Energy Minister Auttapol Rerkpiboon announced the emergency directive on Sunday, 1 March, alongside the activation of the Energy Emergency Surveillance Centre.
The move is designed to hoard domestic supplies and insulate the public from a predicted surge in global crude prices.
To further protect the economy, the Minister confirmed that the National Fuel Fund will be deployed to subsidise pump prices and prevent a spike in the cost of living.
Sixty-Day Strategic Buffer
Despite the regional turmoil, the Ministry provided a reassuring audit of the nation’s current fuel security. As of today, Thailand holds a combined total of 7,660 million litres of crude and refined oil, which is sufficient to sustain domestic demand for 60 days.
The inventory includes:
On-hand Reserves: 4,877 million litres currently held in domestic storage (38-day supply).
In-transit Stock: 2,783 million litres currently on vessels—including 1,666 million litres that have already successfully cleared the Strait of Hormuz (22-day supply).
Maximum Power Generation
In a significant shift in energy policy, Auttapol has ordered the nation’s coal-fired and hydroelectric power stations to operate at maximum capacity.
This "total power" strategy aims to reduce the Kingdom's reliance on imported Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) for electricity generation.
Furthermore, the Department of Mineral Fuels has been instructed to ramp up gas production in the Gulf of Thailand, with all scheduled maintenance at gas fields postponed indefinitely to ensure an uninterrupted supply.
"We can confirm that the unrest has not yet impacted our physical reserves or domestic pricing," Auttapol stated. "However, these pre-emptive measures are essential. We urge the public not to panic, but we do ask for a nationwide effort to conserve energy. Reducing consumption now will lower our import burden and help stabilise costs for everyone."
The Ministry will continue to conduct physical inspections of storage facilities across the country to ensure that reserve levels remain compliant with national security requirements.
