PM Anutin pledges to listen to protesters demanding fuel price cuts
Energy Ministry officials will arrange to receive a formal petition, but have made no commitment to the protesters’ demand for a THB10-per-litre price cut.
- Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has affirmed the government's readiness to listen to protesters demanding fuel price reductions and has instructed officials to engage with them respectfully.
- While protesters are demanding a THB10-per-litre cut in fuel prices, the Prime Minister expressed caution, stating he must consider whether the consequences of such a cut would cause greater harm.
- Energy Ministry officials have met with the protest leader to arrange for the Energy Minister to personally receive their formal petition, though they clarified this was not yet a negotiation.
- The government noted that any price cut must consider global market prices and the tax structure, and pointed to an existing excise tax reduction on B20 fuel as a measure already taken.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reaffirmed the government’s readiness to hear fuel price protesters’ demands at Government House on Monday (November 9, 2026).
Energy Minister Akanat Promphan was also ready to listen, Anutin added.
The government would work with protesters on issues where solutions could be found, as they were all fellow Thais.
Anutin reported receiving regular updates from the national police chief and the Metropolitan Police Bureau commissioner on the protest led by Mano Khrueakaew, known as “Kamnan Mano”, of the People’s Revolution Coalition to Protect the Land (NPP).
He had instructed officials to respect people’s rights and Cabinet members and civil servants to respond to the protesters’ demands with reasoned explanations.
The prime minister had also instructed Interior Permanent Secretary Arsit Sampantharat to urgently arrange mobile toilets and shower facilities to accommodate the demonstrators’ needs.
Addressing the demand for a THB10-per-litre reduction in fuel prices, Anutin said he would like to make the cut if possible, but had to consider whether its consequences would cause greater harm.
An alternative measure had already reduced excise tax on B20 fuel by around THB9, according to Anutin.
Efforts were also being stepped up to promote oil palm production so that as much palm oil as possible could be used in biodiesel blending.
Thitiphas Chotidechachainant, secretary to the energy minister, and Energy Ministry spokesperson Pongpol Yodmuangcharoen met Mano at Chamai Maruchet Bridge in front of Government House the same day.
They exchanged telephone numbers to arrange the formal handover of a petition for submission to Akanat.
Pongpol clarified that the visit was solely to hear proposals and coordinate administrative arrangements.
It did not constitute negotiations or a commitment, as Akanat first needed to see the details of the formal proposal.
Mano maintained that he would be willing to begin negotiations and meet the prime minister in person if the ministry agreed to cut diesel prices by THB10.
Pongpol stressed that any consideration of a fuel price cut had to take account of global market prices and the tax structure.
The ministry was using every available tool to address the issue and had worked to change the energy pricing structure, removing more than THB18 billion a year in costs the spokesperson described as artificial.
Akanat would need to address whether the requested cut was possible.
Thitiphas confirmed that the government and the ministry could schedule the handover as soon as the protesters were ready.
Akanat would come to receive the petition personally.
