Three trailer drivers charged for oil fraud worth 3.6 million baht

2026-01-26 - 08:44

CHONBURI — Police in Chonburi Province have filed a report against three trailer drivers accused of stealing diesel fuel worth over 3.6 million baht (approximately £80,000). The drivers are alleged to have siphoned off the B-0 diesel fuel and replaced it with water before transporting it to an offshore oil rig. At approximately 18:00 on 25 January 2026, Thanaporn Udomratnukulchai, 35, the transport manager for Pattamwat Petroleum Co., Ltd., filed a complaint with Pol. Lt. Col. Natthapong Kanpanarat at Sattahip Police Station. He accused the drivers of diverting the fuel from three tanker trucks, each carrying 42,000 litres of diesel, totaling 126,000 litres, with a combined value of 3.65 million baht. The fuel was originally intended for delivery to a vessel set to depart for an offshore oil rig at the Juk Samet pier in Sattahip. When crew members aboard the receiving vessel conducted a routine inspection of the fuel around 19:30, they discovered that all three tankers contained only water instead of diesel. The three drivers, upon realising they had been caught, fled the scene before authorities could apprehend them. A subsequent investigation by local police confirmed the trailers had indeed been filled with water, rather than diesel. The trailers had originally collected the fuel from a storage facility in Mab Ta Phut, Rayong, earlier in the morning at approximately 09:30. Col. Komsan Kamtuenkaew, head of Sattahip Police, has instructed investigators to trace the GPS coordinates of the three tanker trucks, hoping to uncover any stops or suspicious activity along their route. The authorities are continuing their efforts to collect evidence and track down the suspects. The case remains under investigation, with authorities determined to bring the responsible drivers to justice.