Labor Groups Protest Fuel Crisis at Energy Ministry and Government House
On April 2, members of the Thai Labor Solidarity Confederation (TLSC), the State Enterprises Workers' Relations Confederation (SERC), the Thai Social Democratic Party (TSDP), and citizen networks staged protests at the Ministry of Energy on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road and later at Gate 5 of the Government House on Ratchadamnoen Nok Road, demanding urgent government action on the fuel shortage, rising electricity costs, and soaring consumer prices.
At the Energy Ministry in the morning, the protesters read a statement criticizing government policies for favoring private refineries and traders, accusing them of profiting from hoarded fuel and price hikes. They warned that the public bears the brunt of high costs while income remains insufficient.
Later, about 120 demonstrators delivered a petition to Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul via a government representative, outlining seven demands: controlling energy prices, halting privatization of state enterprises, disclosing production and import data, investigating fuel hoarding, granting emergency powers to the Prime Minister for energy management, regulating consumer goods prices, and canceling costly private electricity contracts.
TLSC president Sawit Kaewwan said the government must act immediately to relieve public hardship, warning that failing to lower fuel prices would be a betrayal of citizens who elected them.
The protesters spent about an hour at each site before moving from the ministry to the Government House to ensure their demands were formally submitted.
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