On 26 March 2026, Korn Chatikavanij, MP and deputy leader of the Democrat Party, sharply criticised the government on Facebook after the announcement of a steep 6 bahts increase in the diesel price, taking it from 33 to 39 bahts per litre as of today.
“Today, I was in the House until 10pm. On my way home, I saw the news: tomorrow, the diesel price will jump by 6 bahts all at once, from 33 to 39 bahts per litre! It’s as if the government waited until the session closed to release the information,” he wrote.
He stresses that this decision confirms his warnings during the debates: the government must not make citizens and businesses bear the entire burden.
The Oil Fund is currently compensating up to 27 bahts per litre. Korn Chatikavanij acknowledges that maintaining such a level of subsidy indefinitely is not sustainable, but he criticises the government’s failure to crack down on speculation and massive fuel hoarding. In his view, this hike is primarily aimed at discouraging stockpiling, at the expense of heavy pressure on households and a knock-on increase in consumer goods prices.
“If the government [talks but doesn’t really act] and lets the diesel price float freely as announced by the Prime Minister, the [price] rise won’t stop there. We risk seeing the liter at 50 bahts in the near future,” he warned.
Meanwhile, amid tensions in the Middle East, Thailand has secured authorisation for at least one Bangchak Corporation oil tanker, stranded in the Persian Gulf since 11 March, to pass through the Strait of Hormuz on 24-25 March thanks to negotiations with Iran and Oman. The vessel, carrying crude oil, is due to arrive in Thailand in early April. A second tanker from SCG Chemicals is also being coordinated. However, one tanker of this size equates to just 1 to 2 days’ national crude oil consumption. Around 90 days remain in storage or in transit.
Korn Chatikavanij’s Facebook post & ThaiRath