10,000 Litres of fuel 'evaporated'? Defence Minister demands answers
Phumtham urges responsible parties to investigate reports of 10,000 litres of military fuel “evaporating,” saying he remains unconvinced but has heard of such incidents before.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai addressed the media on Friday (May 23, 2025), following reports that a military unit had lost approximately 10,000 litres of fuel. He acknowledged that similar incidents had occurred in the past and stressed the importance of transparency and accountability to prevent future occurrences.
Phumtham stated that he had recently met with armed forces commanders and instructed them to investigate the matter thoroughly. While reports indicated that the incident took place in Bangkok, it remains unclear which branch of the military was involved. “I haven’t concluded whether the allegations are true or not, but we must get to the bottom of it,” he said.
When asked about the frequent claim that missing fuel had “evaporated,” Phumtham responded with scepticism: “Evaporated? Ten thousand litres? Any explanation must be reasonable. We’ll listen, but we must investigate.”
The issue came to light after a colonel, formerly Director of the Fuel Division, signed a purchase order for 9,000 litres of fuel from a private supplier. The unit in question, based in Bangkok, is responsible for procuring essential supplies—including food, clothing, and fuel—for other military units. It operates several 20,000-litre storage tanks and a small fuelling station for both internal use and distribution.
A document dated November 9, 2023, revealed an urgent request for 3,000 litres of gasohol 95 and 6,000 litres of gasohol 91, citing the need for an off-site seminar. Delivery was requested for the following day, November 10.
Several red flags were raised:
The signatory of the purchase order was the head of the Science Division, not the Fuel Division.
The urgency and volume of the order were unusual, as such events typically involve prior planning.
The colonel who signed the order had already been promoted and was no longer in charge of fuel logistics.
The unit’s commander did not approve the purchase, in violation of standard procurement protocols.
A military source revealed that prior to September 2023, tens of thousands of litres of fuel had been distributed without any written documentation. The issue surfaced during a handover meeting following the colonel’s promotion. The new Fuel Division director questioned the missing inventory, to which the colonel reportedly replied that the fuel had “evaporated.”
Despite clear signs of irregularity, no investigative committee was formed, even though the unit’s highest-ranking officer was aware of the matter.
The unexplained 9,000-litre purchase in November further fuelled suspicion among personnel, with some questioning whether it was intended to replenish the previously unaccounted stock.
Experts in the oil and energy sector have dismissed the evaporation claim. While small amounts of gasohol may evaporate during refuelling or prolonged heat exposure, large-scale evaporation from sealed storage tanks is virtually impossible. Properly sealed and maintained containers are specifically designed to prevent such losses.
