Listen
Facebook
Reddit
Copy Link
The Land Transport Federation of Thailand (LTFT) and 13 allied associations staged a rally outside the Ministry of Energy in Bangkok on Wednesday, demanding that the government take immediate action to address rising fuel prices.
Held under the slogan “Transport Workers Unite: Stop Robbing the People,” the rally featured trucks carrying banners denouncing energy conglomerates. Protesters also displayed a coffin and funeral flowers as symbolic gestures of opposition to the companies.
A stage was set up for speeches by energy experts and representatives of transport operators affected by rising fuel costs.
Thongyu Khongkhan, president of the federation, said the rally marked an escalation of the so-called “Truck Power” campaign, which was previously held in Chon Buri province.
He said the federation had submitted demands to the government earlier but had yet to receive a clear response. Recent diesel price increases had compounded hardship and raised operating costs across all sectors, particularly as people were still trying to recover from last month’s flooding, he said.
Following a recent one-baht price drop, retail diesel prices on Wednesday stood at 42.54 baht per litre for standard Diesel B7, 33.50 baht for diesel B20 and 49.05 baht for premium diesel.
The federation submitted 10 demands, combining earlier proposals with new measures. Key demands include capping diesel prices at 35 baht per litre for one year, overhauling the entire oil and energy pricing structure, and eliminating imputed costs.
Other proposals include cutting the oil excise tax to 5%, reviewing refinery margins, placing oil under price controls and investigating the disappearance of more than 700 million litres of fuel to identify those responsible.
The federation also called for the dissolution of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and the establishment of a national strategic oil reserve to strengthen energy security.
The government has been given about 60 days, covering November and December, to address the demands, Mr Thongyu said.
He added that any assistance must benefit the entire population, not just transport and logistics operators. The federation would reject any government package targeting only the transport sector, insisting that relief measures be distributed fairly across all sectors.
The LTFT president warned that a lack of progress by the deadline could lead to an escalation of protests, potentially in coordination with other groups or through a convoy of 500 to 1,000 trucks travelling to Bangkok.
Thitiphat Chotdechachaiyanan, secretary to Energy Minister Akanat Promphan, received the federation’s petition.
She said the ministry had received information from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and was pursuing legal action against 24 suspects allegedly involved in fuel hoarding and speculation in March.
The suspects include operators covered by Section 7 of the Fuel Trade Act. Six have already been formally charged, Ms Thitiphat said.
The Energy Ministry is scheduled to meet with the DSI next week to determine whether additional information or documents are needed to expedite the cases and hold those involved accountable.
In one notable case in Surat Thani, investigations found 57 million litres of diesel went unaccounted for during transit.
Average daily consumption of diesel in Thailand is about 65 million litres. Consumption of diesel, gasoline and gasohol combined is about 100 million litres a day.
