Thailand is considering enforcing overnight closures of petrol stations beginning later this month, the prime minister said Tuesday, an effort to preserve fuel as the Middle East war has driven fears of shortages. 

Anutin Charnvirakul, whose new cabinet was sworn in late Monday, told reporters in Bangkok that his government was weighing shutting down sales at petrol pumps from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am, as early as April 20.

The prime minister assured Thais they would still be able to travel to their hometowns during the Songkran holiday period, officially observed from Monday to Wednesday next week.

“Petrol station closing hours may start after people return from their Songkran trips and resume normal life,” Anutin said.

Many Thais celebrate the annual Songkran new year festivities by road-tripping to their home provinces to visit family.

Anutin asked the public on Monday to conserve energy by working from home and using public transit, as the US-Israel conflict against Iran continues to strain global fuel supplies.

“Although Thailand maintains oil reserves at a relatively high level compared with other countries, we remain vulnerable as a nation that must import large volumes of oil from various oil-exporting countries,” he said in a statement.

“We cannot be complacent or continue managing oil matters in the same way as before.”

Last week, the conservative leader slammed oil traders for “excessive profiteering”, blaming those stockpiling fuel or smuggling it abroad for shortages that have driven prices steadily higher.

The allegations come amid public outcry over successive fuel price hikes in late March and early April.

AFP