That perfectly illustrates the structural fragility of Thailand’s economy. Tourism isn’t just a sector here - it’s a lifeline. When anything disrupts inbound travel, the effects are immediate and very personal for people working in the tourism and service industry. It doesn’t take a global crisis either - currency swings, pandemics, spikes in airfare, or even a bit of geopolitical noise amplified by international media can all thin out visitor numbers almost overnight - look at the impact the reduction in numbers from China had. When the tourists stop, the income stops - there’s very little buffer. What often gets overlooked is how thin the margins are at the bottom end. Someone earning 150 baht per hour, with fixed overheads like rent and utilities, has almost no resilience. One bad month forces a complete reset of someones livelihood - thats why Thailand is still a developing nation - there just isn't the safety net, added to which the pension system, at 600 baht a month, is frankly symbolic rather than functional. Perhaps its time to get an EV !!! (just for the golf game !). On the fuel side, I’d say this is less about actual scarcity and more about how badly the situation has been handled. Yes, global supply chains are under pressure and the Gulf situation plays a role, but the immediate shortages we’re seeing in Thailand is largely self-inflicted. Poorly timed announcements, mixed messaging, chest-beating and posturing from officials trying to look decisive triggered panic buying. Once people believe there’s a shortage, they create one. Then capping fuel purchases only poured petrol on the fire (excuse pun), encouraging hoarding behaviour and repeated trips to fill up - a vicious cycle was created artificially. Thailand isn’t running dry - not yet anyway - but distribution and demand spikes have made it look that way. A more measured, transparent communication strategy might have prevented half of this chaos. Instead, we’ve got a situation where perception drove behaviour more than actual supply constraints. Regarding my EV comment (above) made in jest, but with an element of reality; when the weekly routine starts depending on volatile fuel pricing and availability - perhaps relying on electricity (and EV) which is primarily supported by locally sourced energy resources is a viable option.
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