Thailand PM calls for energy saving as Middle East conflict drives price surge

Thailand’s prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, has called on the public to conserve energy, urging work-from-home measures and carpooling, as he warned of the impact of the conflict in the Middle East.In a statement posted on social media, Anutin said Thailand was exposed to the crisis because of its reliance on imported oil and gas, and the country could not be complacent.“I also request the cooperation of all citizens and the private sector to conserve energy in the same way, whether it’s through WFH (work from home) or WFA (work from anywhere), reducing the use of personal cars and switching to public transportation, carpooling, and using electricity responsibly,” he said.“Although Thailand has high oil reserves compared to other countries, we remain vulnerable as a country that imports a large volume of oil,” he added. “We cannot remain complacent and manage our oil resources as we have done in the past.”He said further measures may be announced and the government promised to do everything in its power to shield the public from the crisis.Across Asia, governments have taken steps to try to conserve energy, with countries such as Sri Lanka and the Philippines introducing four-day weeks for many public-sector staff, and Vietnam calling for employees to work from home.The Thai Government had already suspended most overseas trips for its workers, and instructed officials to wear short-sleeved shirts without ties, except during ceremonies, to reduce the need for air conditioning.The Thai commerce ministry has announced it will tighten crude palm oil exports and control bottled palm oil prices, starting from Tuesday, to protect domestic supplies as demand for biodiesel increases.Diesel prices in Thailand rose above 50 baht (about £1.15) a litre this weekend, up from about 30 baht a litre in late February. The soaring energy costs have caused misery for farmers as well as the transport and travel sector, which is gearing up for Songkran, Thailand’s traditional new year holiday.People often travel back to their home provinces for the holiday, which is also a draw for tourists who take part in water fights in the streets. However, some tourism businesses fear this year’s festivities will be quieter due to the rising cost of flights and disruption to aviation.On Monday, Indonesia announced a 28 percentage point rise in the surcharge on jet fuel and said it would allow airlines to raise domestic ticket prices by up to 13%.