PM holds tense two-hour talks with economic team on Middle East energy crisis

On March 16, 2026, at 1.52pm, Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Interior Minister, left Government House to carry out his duties as a minister of state on the occasion of Their Majesties the King and Queen’s official visit to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic from March 16-18, 2026.

Reporters attempted to ask about discussions on the domestic energy crisis after today marked the end of the 15-day diesel price freeze at 29.94 baht per litre, but the prime minister did not respond and immediately got into his car and departed.

Before leaving, however, the prime minister convened a meeting on the energy crisis. Those attending included Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister; Suphajee Suthumpun, Commerce Minister; Auttapol Rerkpiboon, Energy Minister; Vitai Ratanakorn, Governor of the Bank of Thailand; Danucha Pichayanan, Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council; Anan Kaewkamnerd, Director of the Bureau of the Budget; Lavaron Sangsnit, Permanent Secretary for Finance; Arsit Sampantharat, Permanent Secretary for Interior; and Pornpoth Penpas, Director-General of the Department of Lands.

The purpose of the meeting was to prepare measures to deal with the energy, financial and fiscal crisis as the conflict in the Middle East continues without resolution, directly affecting domestic energy costs. The meeting lasted for more than two hours. Immediately afterwards, all participants emerged looking tense and declined to speak to the media.

Commerce Ministry to propose public relief measures to Cabinet tomorrow

Suphajee Suthumpun, Commerce Minister, said after the talks at 1.45pm that she had been briefed on the situation regarding product prices, which have begun to rise in line with oil prices. She insisted that there was currently nothing abnormal, but said the government was preparing assistance measures to ease the cost-of-living burden on the public. She said she would submit those measures to the Cabinet meeting tomorrow without delay.

She also asked the public to await official details from the Joint Management and Monitoring Centre for the Situation in the Middle East (JMMC).

However, when asked about public concern that people had begun stockpiling consumer goods, the commerce minister did not answer directly and merely nodded before leaving Government House.

Finance Ministry says caretaker government faces legal limits on borrowing

Meanwhile, Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, said today’s talks were part of the government’s ongoing monitoring of the situation, particularly as the 15-day diesel price freeze expired today.

Regarding questions over whether the government could issue an emergency borrowing decree to bolster liquidity for the Oil Fuel Fund, he said Pakorn Nilprapunt, Secretary-General of the Council of State, had been invited to join the discussion in order to consider the legal issues in detail, as the government is currently serving in a caretaker capacity, which places limitations on issuing certain laws and financial measures.

He confirmed that, as of now, no borrowing has yet taken place. Meanwhile, Lavaron Sangsnit, Permanent Secretary for Finance, declined to comment further, saying the matter was for the finance minister to decide.