CHIANG RAI – Provincial Energy officials in Chiang Rai say there’s enough fuel to meet normal demand. They’re asking people to stay calm, live as usual, and avoid panic buying that can trigger short-term outages at some gas stations.
On March 5, reports showed many residents rushed to fill up their vehicles after hearing worries about possible fuel shortages. As a result, a few stations ran low for a short period because demand spiked faster than deliveries could keep up.
To monitor the situation, Prasak Ngamsompak, Chiang Rai’s provincial energy officer, visited the PTT Station (Chommok Kaew branch) in Pa Ko Dam Subdistrict, Mae Lao District.
He was joined by Sutat Limwanichkul, the Mae Lao district chief, plus staff from the Provincial Commerce Office, the Chiang Rai weights and measures branch, local administration officers, police, and local government representatives.
While the team was on site, a fuel truck arrived to refill the station. The driver said he queued for loading at the Lampang fuel depot starting at 5:00 a.m. Then he drove more than 200 kilometers to Chiang Rai, which took around 4 to 5 hours because heavy trucks must follow legal speed limits.
Suchin Choncharoen, the operator of the PTT Station (Chommok Kaew branch), said the station typically sells about 10,000 liters per day. Under normal conditions, the supply supports residents and tourists traveling through Chiang Rai.
However, worries tied to tensions in the Middle East led many people to top off their tanks at the same time. That sudden surge pushed the station’s reserves below what it needed for a short window.
Even so, the operator said the station has already coordinated additional deliveries from the Lampang depot. With continuous replenishment, service should return to normal quickly.
Prasak confirmed that, overall, Chiang Rai has sufficient fuel supply. He also asked the public to rely on official updates. If fuel prices change, agencies will announce it clearly in advance.
For now, he said retail prices remain close to what they were over the past one to two weeks because the government has measures in place to help stabilize prices.
Officials also encouraged everyone to use fuel only as needed and not to stockpile. This helps reduce pressure on imports and supports national energy cost stability.
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