Overall fuel consumption sees a slight decline in first half of the year

Total fuel consumption averaged 156.68 million litres per day from January to June, marking a 0.05% decrease compared to the same period last year. This downturn was primarily attributed to a 0.9% drop in petrol consumption.

However, the energy landscape showed mixed trends. While diesel sales increased by 3% and commercial aviation fuel consumption soared by 17%, other fuels like fuel oil and NGV experienced significant declines.

The rise in commercial jet fuel consumption was directly linked to the rebounding tourism sector, bolstered by government initiatives such as visa relaxation and increased flight options.

The department director-general, Sarawut Kaewtatip, noted that the EV market's expansion, coupled with the launch of new public transportation lines, contributed to the reduced demand for petrol.

Despite the overall decline, the petrochemical sector's LPG consumption surged by 8.7%, driven by increased demand. Conversely, NGV consumption plummeted by 16.8% due to the recent price freeze.

Thailand's fuel import volume decreased by 2.3% year on year to 1,045,345 barrels per day, while refined oil exports climbed by 4.8% to 162,741 barrels per day.

The report also highlighted the tourism sector's recovery as a key factor in the increased jet fuel consumption. Recent government initiatives, including visa-free policies for 93 countries and tax deductions for secondary city tourism, have contributed to this growth.

LPG consumption patterns varied across sectors, with increases in the petrochemical and transportation sectors, but decreases in industrial and household use.

As Thailand continues to promote electric vehicles and expand its public transportation infrastructure, these trends in fuel consumption are expected to evolve further in the coming years.