Chiang Rai Customs Affirmed That Oil Is Not Being Smuggled To Other Countries

[Jai Dee]

Customs points along the border in Chiang Rai affirmed that oil is not being smuggled to other countries

Customs points along the border in Chiang Rai have affirmed that no oil smuggling from Thailand to sell in neighboring countries is taking place at the moment.

Chuchai Udomphot (ชูชัย อุดมโภชน์), the chief officer at the customs point in Mae Sai (แม่สาย) district in Chiang Rai, spoke on concerns about smuggling of oil from Thailand to sell along the border. He said this would certainly not happen as there are state officials stringently overlooking the matter. He disclosed that in part of his Mae Sai customs point, oil exports to Chiang Tung (เชียงตุง) in Myanmar pass through the point due to the less difficult transportation for Thai oil imports, compared with the city purchasing oil from within Myanmar. He also said that the diesel price in Myanmar is now around 1-2 baht higher than that in Thailand.

In the meantime, customs officials in Chiang Saen (เชียงแสน) district revealed that exports of oil from the Kingdom is sent to Myanmar and Laos through the Chiang Saen customs point. They also affirmed that smuggling has not yet occured, while expressing confidence that the exports would not be affected by the increase in prices in the Kingdom.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 17 April 2006

[astral]

It is very difficult to affirm (confirm??) a negative.

They also affirmed that smuggling has not yet occured...........

A brave statement to make, at the least.

I wonder why it matters to Thailand anyway.

Surely exports and financial income from them are beneficial?

The opposite scenario is a different matter.