Bangkok: Today, the Royal Thai Police (RTP), spearheaded by Pol. Gen. Samran Nualma, Deputy Commissioner General, and Pol. Lt. Gen. Nophasil Phoolsawat, Commander of the RTP Secretariat, initiated a collaborative operation with officers from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), the Special Cases Division, the Department of Energy Business, and provincial commerce officials. The operation focused on inspecting three target locations: a small-scale refinery and oil storage company across three provinces, specifically in Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, and Rayong. The inspection, led by the Department of Energy Business, primarily involved police forces, with support from excise officers, DSI officers, and provincial commerce officials.
According to Thai News Agency, the inspections were prompted by police monitoring the critical oil price situation and discovering irregularities in the entry and exit records of oil tankers at these locations. Some sites reported unauthorized entries and exits of oil tankers, while others noted unusually high volumes of oil usage and dispensing. Additionally, discrepancies were observed in electricity consumption calculations, which are based on oil movement. However, there has been no connection found between these locations and the 57,000,000 liters of oil reportedly missing off the sea in Surat Thani province, nor with the six oil storage companies in the same region.
Reports indicate that representatives from the inspected facilities will be required to submit relevant documents to the investigating team. Officials from the Department of Energy Business are authorized to request business operation documents, including accounting records, oil sales and inventory levels, customer and partner lists, and transport invoices. This documentary evidence will be scrutinized to verify the facts regarding oil stockpiling and inventory levels during the oil crisis and the reduced fuel fund compensation period. Initial slow inventory levels that later surged after price increases may suggest speculative hoarding, delayed sales, or regulatory violations. It remains to be clarified whether the company is storing oil for unauthorized purposes. Additionally, the small-scale refinery in Samut Sakhon might be involved in fuel adulteration.
In Lam Luk Ka District, Pathum Thani Province, the target area includes a fuel depot company with 24 fuel tanks. While the exact volume of fuel inside is unknown, each tank is reported to hold at least 1 million liters. The tanks' location along the pipeline raises concerns about potential fuel extraction and storage before being released at a strategic time.
At 2:00 PM, Pol. Gen. Ruddhaphol Naowarat, Minister of Justice, is scheduled to announce further details of the ongoing investigation into the oil hoarding case.