By Htet Soe Lin / MPA
New regulations imposed by the Thai government have led to long queues and confusion for Myanmar drivers seeking fuel in the border town of Mae Sot.
Following a directive issued on 10 March, Thai authorities have introduced fresh restrictions on selling fuel to vehicles entering from the Myanmar side of the border. By Wednesday, 18 March, the impact of these rules was clearly visible as Myanmar motorists struggled to find stations willing or permitted to serve them.
The new measures have left several petrol stations near the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge No. 1 and along the Mae Sot Prison road largely deserted. In stark contrast, a few designated stations in the Mae Sot market area were overwhelmed, with long lines of Myanmar-licensed cars and motorcycles waiting hours to refuel.
The restrictions come at a time of heightened economic sensitivity at the border. Local drivers involved in cross-border trade and transport services say the new rules have severely disrupted their operations.
“It feels like being back in Myanmar,” one driver noted, referring to the chronic fuel shortages and long queues that have plagued Myanmar’s domestic economy since the 2021 military coup.
While Thai authorities have not officially detailed the full security or economic rationale behind the sudden tightening of fuel sales, the move is seen by observers as an attempt to regulate the informal flow of goods and resources across the volatile frontier.
Mae Sot remains a critical lifeline for trade and a refuge for thousands of Myanmar nationals. However, these new logistical hurdles are adding fresh pressure to an already strained cross-border economy.
