When Thailand “reopens” Monday, its logistical lifeblood will be snarled as tens of thousands of truck drivers idle to protest the skyrocketing price of diesel fuel.
As part of a widespread strike dubbed “Truck Power,” around 80,000 truck and tour bus drivers say they will stay off the road for up to seven days to demand the government cap diesel prices at THB25 per liter for one year.
Premium diesel today is recorded at THB34 per litre while other types of diesel are roughly THB29 per litre – prices which have leaped in recent weeks.
The number of participating drivers amounts to 20% of those under the Land Transport Federation, an association of private logistics companies. The federation said the government’s THB30 per liter cap is insufficient, as is its failure to come up with a better solution than to urge drivers to mix in cheaper biodiesel.
The strike could lead to several million baht worth of losses. Moreover, the strikers say it could be extended another week or more if the government does not meet their demands.
Thailand plans to reopen travel Monday to vaccinated travelers from several dozen nations.
