The Department of Internal Trade (DIT) has taken action in response to news of people filling up their tanks at gas stations and not receiving the amount of fuel specified by flow meters. Representatives of all petrol station brands have been invited to a discussion on the matter and told to ensure that fuel nozzles remain in good condition.
DIT Director-General Wattanasak Sur-iam presided over the meeting with representatives from 12 gas station brands in Thailand. All representatives pledged their cooperation in inspecting the quality of equipment at their pumps.
The DIT Director-General noted that fuel station service providers were urgently inspecting about 450,000 fuel nozzles at some 24,000 petrol stations throughout the country. They are required to report their findings to the DIT by August 11, after which monthly fuel nozzle inspection reports will be sent to the DIT on the 10th of every month.
The DIT will also dispatch officials to all petrol stations to carry out its own inspections. Legal action will be taken if fuel nozzles are found broken, uncertified or inaccurate. The DIT chief noted that each instance of these offenses entails a prison term of up to six months, a fine of up to 20,000 baht, or a combined penalty.
He added that his department will also penalize fuel station managers or franchises by taking action such as revoking contracts. Intentional cheating or modification of fuel nozzles can entail a seven-year prison sentence, a 280,000-baht fine, or both.
Over the past seven months, the DIT conducted about 7,800 inspections on fuel service stations and some 170,000 fuel nozzles. 802 nozzles were discovered to be problematic, with most discharging more fuel than indicated by flow meters. Some of the meters also had expired certificates, with 210 legal cases in total emerging from these findings.
People who discover irregularities with fuel nozzles can report their findings by calling the hotline number 1569. (NNT)
