Oil export ban confusion leaves oil trucks queuing at border crossing with Laos

Dozens of Thai oil trucks have been queuing up at the Chong Mek border crossing into Laos since Monday, after being stopped by border officials following a report that the Energy Ministry may ban the export of crude oil and finished petroleum products to Thailand’s neighbour and other Asian countries due to the war in the Middle East.

Several of the truck drivers told the media that there are confused as to whether they would be able to deliver the fuel to Laos after the Second Army Region lifted the export ban on Sunday, which had original been put in place on December 14th, more than two months before the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

They said that, when they arrived at the border crossing on Monday, they were told by officials that they could not take the oil shipments into Laos, because the Energy Ministry has imposed a fresh temporary ban the export of crude oil and finished oil products to ensure sufficient oil reserves for domestic consumption, as external supplies are now threatened by the war in the Middle East.

Energy Minister Atthapol Rerkpiboon has, however, stated that oil deliveries to Laos will not be affected by the export ban, but such exports must be kept under tight control to prevent the oil from being diverted to other destinations, especially Cambodia. He also noted that Thailand relies on hydroelectricity from Laos.

Yesterday, motorists and motorcyclists in Shan state of Myanmar and in Laos flocked to petrol stations to fill up, concerned that Thailand will stop sending oil to their countries.

The rush led to long queues at petrol stations.