Energy Ministry will require all tankers to install the radio frequency identification systems to monitor incoming and outgoing flows of oil and gas into the country, according to Energy Ministry.
Energy Minister Narongchai Akrasanee admitted that the ministry had no tool to directly monitor the smuggling of oil into the country and also had no information that could be utilised to solve the problem.
The ministry, therefore, has assigned the Department of Energy Business to install the automatic-tracking units on oil and gas tankers to establish information about the transportation of oil in the country, as the ministry currently does not have such information.
Imports and exports of oil and gas fall under the supervision of the Finance Ministry's Excise Department.
The smuggling of oil, particularly at sea, is widespread in the South while liquefied petroleum gas has been smuggled out of the country in the East and the Northeast.