Samut Sakhon fishing crisis: fuel price hike forces boats to dock
Samut Sakhon fishermen face dockings as ‘green oil’ price rises 6.5 baht per litre
The Samut Sakhon fishing industry is under mounting financial pressure as the price of ‘green oil’ rises by 6.5 baht per litre on March 22, forcing many fishermen to dock their boats and prompting growing calls for government intervention.
Mongkhon Mongkhontrilak, chairman of the Samut Sakhon Fisheries Association, said the price will rise from 34.3 baht to 40.8 baht per litre for cash purchases, with credit purchases carrying an additional 10 satang on top of that. The increase is placing immense pressure on fishing fleets, particularly trawlers already facing operational challenges.
Samut Sakhon currently hosts around 120 trawlers, with about 20% already docked. Should the price hike proceed, more than 50% of trawlers may be permanently grounded by the end of March. Other vessel types are equally affected, with rising fuel, labour, and maintenance costs leaving docking as the only viable option, despite the added costs of restarting operations later.
Mongkhon noted that while some fishermen are still attempting to continue operations, the burden is becoming unsustainable.
“Alternative fuel options, such as purchasing cheaper diesel from petrol stations, are limited due to availability issues.”
The fishing community’s hopes now rest on the government providing a direct fuel supply, as discussed in recent talks. Without that support, the industry’s outlook remains bleak.
In another separate incident, a Chiang Mai rescue foundation leader is urging petrol stations to lift a 500 baht daily fuel cap for ambulances, warning it limits emergency crews to just two to three calls before needing to refuel. The Phetkasem Foundation says the restriction risks delays in reaching patients across Thailand.
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