The Thai Government quoted on Saturday by AFP reported that it had concluded an agreement with Iran that would let safe transit of Thai tankers through Iran's blocked Ormuz Strait. Southeast Asian countries have major supply problems due to the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran.
"An agreement has been concluded that will enable Thai tankers to safely sail through the Ormuz Strait, which will aid alleviate concerns about fuel supply to Thailand," said Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul during a press conference without revealing details. "We are convinced that thanks to this agreement we will no longer gotta experience specified disturbances as those from early March," he added.
South-East Asian countries are suffering from supply problems caused by a month-long war in the mediate East. In Thailand, as in another countries of the region, fuel is costly despite the efforts of the authorities, and supply problems have caused long queues to form on petrol stations.
Thailand is not the first country to study on the reaching of an agreement on shipping by Ormuz, a strait blocked by Iran in retaliation for the US and Israel raids launched on 28 February. The trade way through this strait is crucial for the global transport of oil and liquefied natural gas.
On Thursday, Iran's MFA chief Abbas Aragchi announced that ships of Iraq, India, China, Russia and Pakistan may be on this route. Iran's Ambassador to Seoul besides reported that Iran considered South Korea to be a friendly country and that South Korean ships could overcome the Strait provided this was done in coordination with the Tehran authorities.
APW, PAP
