*Thailand imported 1.15mn b/d of crude in Q1, the third highest on record and well ahead of Taiwan and Singapore (each around 900,000 b/d) as Asia’s number five crude importer – though well behind number four South Korea on 2.9mn b/d. Monthly import volumes of 1.39mn b/d for March were also the second highest on record (see table).
*2020 to date has seen a marked turnaround in import volumes from the multi-year low of just 702,000 b/d seen in Q4 last year. PTT’s 280,000 b/d Map Ta Phut refinery, the country’s largest, was offline for almost the whole of October and November last year. Extensive work at Thaioil’s 275,000 b/d Sriracha plant had already crimped imports in June and July 2019. (CONTINUED - 523 WORDS)
