Transcript of the above video: 

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing fuel usage being tracked via GPS in Thailand. Okay, let's preface this video. First of all, these initiatives are coming as a result of, well the narrative is coming as a result of fuel shortage issues emanating from the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. Fair enough, and as we'll get into, the thrust of this article that I'm going to cite is actually talking about the, in my opinion, the Government's rather laudable policy of trying to deal with the downsides to the public of interruptions in fuel. It looks like the Thai Government has figured out how to stabilize Thailand's energy supply chain; so that's the good news. 

However, there's a small piece of this article I'm going to quote that talks about the methodologies that they are using, and I find this a bit concerning, so let's jump into this. I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Thai Enquirer, that's thaienquirer.com, the article is titled: Thai Cabinet rolls out seven measures as fuel prices jump; opposition warns of Confidence crisis. Quoting directly: "The Cabinet has approved a package of seven measures to cushion the impact of surge in fuel prices as officials point to a sharp global oil price spike and mounting losses in the Oil Fuel Fund behind a sudden 6-Baht-per-litre increase in retail diesel prices. The measures include prospective cuts to fuel excise taxes, a temporary cash top up for low-income households, targeted subsidies for transport operators, support for farmers and fisherman, relief for contractors, and a 10-billion-Baht soft loan program for small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs." So on the one hand, I do want to say, I do think that the Thai Government stepped in here and probably made the right moves in all of this frankly, which was they started using reserves. They basically tried to cap out the price of fuel temporarily while there was uncertainty regarding the supply chain and then when developments came through, for example ships coming out now of the Strait of Hormuz bound for Thailand with oil on them, and then also discussions with the Russians regarding buying oil from them, it looks like Thailand is stabilizing their own supply chain. And the upshot of that is they have kind of allowed the market to again dictate prices which has, at least here in Thailand, has caused prices to go up by 6 Baht which is significant in Thailand. That is going to have ramifications in the broader economy here, but I think it's good policy to have done that if we know that the energy supply chain is actually going to be there and then it will allow the market to sort of shake out what it needs to do to be efficient basically. It's effectively, it's kind of like delayed price discovery is kind of the way I look at it. But that said, I want to be clear, I think the overarching policy here with regard to what has been done to sort of ease the shock of the global circumstances on the local Thai public, I think that was a laudable set of policies and I think it ultimately worked. 

That said, this next excerpt is to my mind worth noting because it brings up some issues of concern. Quoting further: "Under the plan, payments under the state welfare card will be increased by a 100 Baht -- from 300 baht to 400 Baht -- for one month during the caretaker period, pending review of the next government. The Finance Ministry has been tasked with determining the scope and duration of excise tax reductions. Transport operators -- including truck drivers, public buses, and motorcycle taxis -- will receive targeted subsidies based on actual fuel usage, tracked via GPS and paid directly through PromptPay. Smaller operators will be required to register to qualify." So again, they are going to be tracking and tracing the movements of the usage of this fuel to then pay it back through reimbursements or subsidization via PromptPay, okay.

Look, if we had had the Digital Wallet that was bandied about by Srettha's Government, then Paetongtarn's Government, basically the Pheu Thai faction of the last coalition that seemed to be heavily influenced by the World Economic Forum, if we had ended up with that, this was similar stuff, where they are tracking what you are buying, and then if you are in compliance, do they allow you to get your benefit, basically. That is a system that I am not necessarily saying that at the moment there's anything nefarious going on, but that is a system that is cause for concern because that can be used for all kinds of things.

And look, I don't know what the deal is with some of these for lack of a better term, globalist World Economic Forum types, but they really seem to like, they seem to use bad situations to further their own interests or their own agendas, and this is just one of those examples. This fuel shortage is being sort of utilized as a narrative backdrop for all of this kind of Orwellian type of initiative where they are tracking and tracing your fuel usage; again, it's cause for concern. Now in this particular instance, is it being used for anything Orwellian? It doesn't seem to be. But could it be? Yeah, I think it could. So I think it's something to keep a close eye on, and we will certainly be keeping folks updated on this channel as the situation evolves.