AFTER A Myanmar man was caught trying to smuggle oil from Kanchanaburi’s Sangkhlaburi district to Payathonzu border town where there is a dire shortage local officials imposed strict control on sale and storage of fuel, TV Channel 7 said today (Mar. 10).
At 9.30 p.m. last night Mr. Suriyasak Mueang-aum, Sangkhlaburi’s district chief, was informed of a security team having caught the unnamed Myanmar suspect just as he was driving a motorised tricycle without a licence plate carrying four 30-litre gallons of oil, totaling 120 litres, for sale in Payathonzu and handed him over the police for legal action.
Security units found out that this Myanmar border town is suffering from a shortage of all types of fuel because the Myanmar authorities have stopped transporting them to this area.
This led to all three petrol pumps not having any oil to sell for two to three days now leading to prices skyrocketing to 80 baht a litre. The shortage spurred attempts to smuggle fuel from Sangkhlaburi to sell for profit, taking advantage of the nearly double price difference.
This arrest led to Suriyasak holding talks with Pol. Col. Santi Phitaksakul, superintendent of Sangkhlaburi police station, chiefs of Lat Ya Task Force, Border Patrol Police Unit 134, Sangkhlaburi customs department, and other relevant agencies with an agreement reached to impose these measures:
– Stationing officials at petrol pumps to impose a limit of 1,000 baht per fill-up;
– Those who want to buy oil in various gallon sizes have to get permission from the official at the petrol pump to do so with only urgent purchases being allowed such as farmers requiring fuel to run their agricultural machinery;
– Strict legal action will be taken against those smuggling oil out of the country, with others helping them such as by allowing them to use short-cuts too facing legal action;
– Government agencies needing oil for their duties will be provided with appropriate documentation. All projects must be reported to the district office for approval with only the amount needed to be permitted and hoarding prohibited.
These measures may be changed, supplemented, or relaxed depending on the situation in this border district. Maximum penalty for violating these regulations, including storing more than 40 litres of oil without permission, is one month imprisonment or a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both.
CAPTION:
A security team checking a tricycle loaded with oil that was being smuggled across the border. Photo – TV Channel 7
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