Panic buying has triggered acute fuel shortages across southern Thailand, prompting Malaysia's consul-general in Songkhla to advise travelers to postpone trips during the Aidilfitri holiday period.
"If there is no urgent need, it is best to postpone travel temporarily," Ahmad Fahmi Ahmad Sarkawi told The Vibes, citing lengthy queues and depleted inventories at petrol stations across popular destinations including Hat Yai and Songkhla.
The disruption stems not from an actual supply shortage but from hoarding behavior triggered by Middle East tensions. Regional oil price spikes and fears of prolonged supply disruptions have prompted Thai consumers to stockpile fuel, depleting station inventories faster than distribution networks can replenish them.
Many stations have imposed strict rationing: 500 baht per vehicle, 80 baht per motorcycle. Others have temporarily closed until new deliveries arrive. Thai authorities insist that overall fuel supplies remain adequate for domestic needs and that the panic is unfounded.
But market psychology doesn't care about supply fundamentals. When everyone believes there will be a shortage, there is a shortage—even if tankers are full and refineries are running.
For Malaysian holidaymakers, the timing is brutal. The Aidilfitri holiday season typically sees hundreds of thousands of Malaysians cross into southern Thailand for shopping, tourism, and family visits. Cross-border traffic is a significant economic driver for Songkhla and Hat Yai, and the fuel disruption threatens to choke that revenue stream.
