VIENTIANE, Laos: Long queues formed at petrol stations across the Laotian capital Vientiane on Monday (Mar 16) as fuel shortages deepened, with the ripples of the Middle East conflict reverberating across landlocked Laos.
The Southeast Asian nation is dependent on neighbouring Thailand for fuel supplies, which initially announced it was suspending exports to conserve its holdings, but has assured Vientiane that fuel is on its way.
More than 40 per cent of the 2,538 filling stations in Laos were closed last week, according to the most recent government data.
AFP saw more than 15 petrol stations shuttered in Vientiane on Monday, with signs saying they had run out of fuel.
Others were rationing what little remained.
Vetthavixay Phaengvixay, a 29-year-old teacher living in the city, said three gas stations within five kilometres (three miles) of his home had all run dry.
“Sometimes, we have money but there’s no gas to buy,” he told AFP.
“We teachers usually have extra jobs apart from our main ones at school, which makes us need fuel more than ever.”