Marina Fuel Costs

[sweetmusic]

Have any of you noticed the differnce in cost buying fuel for a boat say at Boat Lagoon and the local pump prices.

It would appear there is currently something like a 50% loading on marina based fuel, of course it's difficult to get a boat to your local Caltex/BP station but come on 50% extra in an economy that is suffering and a country with a defined marine development strategic plan.

Are the tour operators accepting this or is it again just the 'visitors'.

Any Thoughts or experience.

[LivinginKata]

Not exactly on topic, but I need 95 benzine for my car. Hard to find, but I get at Shell near the Mazda dealer. Yesterday I paid 29.4/liter. Yet 91 benzine is something like 22/liter. This is a rip off.

[sweetmusic]

Only stightly off topic, which doesn't matter it's the same RIP off that needs bringing to someones attention.

What has 95 got the 91 hasn't?

[LivinginKata]

Only stightly off topic, which doesn't matter it's the same RIP off that needs bringing to someones attention.

What has 95 got the 91 hasn't?

Higher octane value ...

[Capex]

Have any of you noticed the differnce in cost buying fuel for a boat say at Boat Lagoon and the local pump prices.

It would appear there is currently something like a 50% loading on marina based fuel, of course it's difficult to get a boat to your local Caltex/BP station but come on 50% extra in an economy that is suffering and a country with a defined marine development strategic plan.

Are the tour operators accepting this or is it again just the 'visitors'.

Any Thoughts or experience.

There is no great conspiracy to defraud the consumer, I'm happy to relate.

There will always be a differential between the pump price at PTT, Caltex and Shell etc. and at your local marina. The marina's are not fuel company owned but are licensed to sell fuel by the government. They will always charge a premium of around 10% over the company owned pumps which pays for their infrastructure and labour costs but provides boaters with a dockside service rather than the unsafe filling practises of the local speed boat operators using drums and syphon hoses from the beach e.g in front of The Lighthouse in Chalong. There will probably be an exception to these margins when the wholesale price changes as quickly as it has done recently, which results in the bowser price changing overnight but the marina price will remain the same until all the old stock purchased at an earlier price, has been sold.

[sweetmusic]

To be clear I am sure no one worries about a 10% premium for Marina service fuel, I don't and consider that is fair margin, currently it's about 50% and I certainly didn't suggest that there was a conspiracy, profitering maybe.

Thank you Capex an interesting response, also plausable. Are you connected to any of the marinas by chance?

In reponse to your point I don't recall the Marina fuel ever being cheaper when prices where on the way up, suggesting that exceptional profits were made on the way up or stocks replenished more frequently maybe. Of course demand may of been much higher in the low season than now?

We are going to speak to the various marina fuel outlets over the weekend enquiring what their storage capacity actually is and also when they would anticipate the price would return to normal margin levels. If we can get the information I will post it here.

As for the 'local speed boat owners filling up from tanks along the beach' this should be illegal as it is as we know a most dangerous practice, along with an enviromental hazard but again happens until something 'happens'.

Thanks

[sibeymai]

What are you complaining about ? You are using a boat, a "luxury" item. In the US or any western country there is a similar premuin on fuel obtained at a marina.

If you don't like the price of fuel become a sailor. Save money and help the planet at the same time.

[thaiwanderer]

whats the pump price at chalong pier?