Transport boss announces boycott of PT petrol station
A Thai transport company owner announced a boycott of PT petrol stations, saying comments made by Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, a shareholder in the company, amounted to shifting the burden onto the public.
K.Laopilao company owner, 39 year old Daechawat, posted the instruction on Facebook, telling staff to stop refuelling at PT stations and to avoid using any services at the chain. In the same message, he told employees to return PT Fleet Cards.
Daechawat said he made the decision after watching an interview in which Phiphat spoke to Channel 3’s news programme. He said he could not accept what the minister said during the interview, prompting him to ban use of the petrol station brand founded by Phiphat.
Phiphat previously served as founder and an executive of PT petrol stations before stepping down to focus on politics. He remains one of the company’s shareholders. The business is now led by his younger brother, Phithak Ratchakitprakarn.
Daechawat said the minister’s remarks reflected an approach that placed the burden on residents. He said the government should prioritise the hardship faced by the public and local business operators, and called for measures to support residents rather than leading business operators.
He added that he was now encouraging employees to refuel at smaller petrol stations instead of large chains, saying he wanted to support local operators affected by the situation in the same way as his business.
In the interview cited by Daechawat, Phiphat spoke about a plan to reduce excise tax by one baht to help address a six baht fuel price increase on March 26. He said the plan had not yet taken effect because the government was waiting for approval from the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT).
The proposed reduction drew criticism from some members of the public, who said it was too small compared with the increase in fuel prices. Some critics also said the government was shifting the burden onto the public.
Responding to the complaints, Phiphat said a gradual approach was required and that the government also had to consider its own financial position.
He continued to face criticism, including claims that he should not hold the transport minister post due to his shareholding in the petrol station business.
In the interview, Phiphat insisted that neither he nor the business received any privileges or benefits from the fuel price rise. He said he did not know about the increase in advance, as some people might have thought, and said PT petrol stations continued to record steady benefits, adding that there was no sudden growth in profits.
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