People queue up at a petrol station in HCM City’s Bình Thạnh District. Photo tuoitre.vn

HCM CITY – Fearing a sharp increase in fuel prices could take effect this afternoon (March 11), people in HCM City rushed to fill their vehicles up, resulting in long lines at petrol stations.

Trần Văn Trọng, an employee at a Petrolimex petrol station on Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai Street in District 3, said even those with more than half a tank of petrol left came and waited to fill up. Some even brought cans, but regulations did not allow filling them, he said.

Võ Quốc Hưng of Bình Chánh District said he and many people had to wait for an hour for their turn because it was unusually crowded.

Trần Thị Trinh of Gò Vâp District said she waited for 30 minutes at a petrol station on Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Street in District 3 to fill up her motorbike.

Like many others, she too had rushed to buy petrol on hearing prices would rise to VNĐ30,000 (US$1.29) a litre.

Trần Minh Tâm, a Grab motorbike driver, said in the past he could fill up with just VNĐ50,000, but now he needed VNĐ80,000, and from this afternoon it would cost even more.

The sharp increase in fuel prices has made many drivers consider changing jobs because their incomes have reduced by 30-40 per cent.

Now it costs VNĐ26,830 ($1.17) for a litre of RON95 and VNĐ26,070 for biofuel E5 RON92 after their prices were hiked six times in three months.

Many petrol stations in Gò Vấp and Tân Bình districts and Thủ Đức City have been crowded since Thursday morning.

Employees at a gas station in Gò Vấp estimated the number of customers had doubled from the day before.

Petroleum dealers and retailers continue to work closely with suppliers to ensure adequate supply to serve production, and other business consumer needs.

The city Department of Industry and Trade has said petrol stations should promptly report to it in case of limited or interrupted supply of petroleum. – VNS