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Thailand: Restrictions hit fuel consumption
Daily consumption of fuel in the May 1-11 period fell sharply across all types, mainly attributed to the government lockdown and travel restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus, according to a report by the Energy Business Department.
Total gasohol and petrol consumption dropped 11.3% to an average of 28 million litres a day from last year’s 31.6 million litres a day in the same period.
Consumption of Gasohol 91 plunged 22% to 7.36 million litres a day from 9.42 million litres; Gasohol 95 dipped 0.7% to 13.6 million litres a day from 13.5 million litres; Gasohol E20 fell 15.2% to 5.43 million litres a day from 6.40 million litres; and Gasohol E85 plummeted 40.7% to 788,000 litres a day from 1.33 million litres.
Total diesel consumption dropped 1.6% to 67.9 million litres a day from 69 million litres a day during the period.
Consumption of diesel B7 dropped 28.7% to 43.7 million litres a day from 61.3 million litres a day, and premium diesel plunged 27% to 1.18 million litres a day from 1.62 million litres.
But diesel B20 consumption actually rose by 30.2% to 3.34 million litres a day from 2.56 million litres.
Department director-general Nantika Thangsuphanich said demand for diesel B20 rose because of a 5-baht-per-litre government discount under B7 that was implemented to address an oversupply of palm oil.
Bunker oil consumption declined by 60% from the same period last year, to 5.30 million litres a day from 2.12 million litres.
The Energy Policy and Planning Office (Eppo) reported that fuel consumption dropped 6% in the first quarter of this year compared with the year-earlier period.
Eppo director-general Wattanapong Kurovat said the first quarter only represented the beginning of lockdown measures that started on March 24, and a far greater consumption contraction is expected in the second quarter.
The National Economic and Social Development Council predicts that oil and natural gas consumption will drop 1.5-2.5% for the full year.
Mr Wattanapong said the biggest drop in consumption came from jet fuel, down 16.2%, in the first quarter after air travel slowed considerably and incoming tourist numbers declined by 38%.
Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1918956/restrictions-hit-fuel-consumption