BANGKOK, 26 March 2013 Official data shows that Thailand’s imports of oil have shot up in February, mainly due to higher demand for petroleum products and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Energy Business Department Director-General Viraphol Jirapraditakul said on Tuesday that Thailand imported 987,000 barrels of oil per day in February, a 3% year-on-year increase.
The increase was driven by an 88% rise in petroleum product imports, or 84,000 barrels per day, and by a 96% surge in LPG imports, or 181,000 tons.
In terms of import value, February records stood at 108 billion baht, a 7% on-year rise.
Mr. Viraphol stated that Thai exports of petroleum products, at the same time, fell 134,000 barrels per day or 13%, with its total value also down by 14 billion baht or 14%.
Meanwhile, the Energy Business Department chief assured that Thailand will not be affected by Bangchak Petroleum Public Company Limited’s temporary shutdown of its Vacuum distillation unit since March 15, even though the suspension means around 1 million liters of benzene and 2.6 million liters of diesel are missing each day.
