The Ministry of Industry and Trade has instructed local authorities, particularly in border provinces, to strengthen inspections and strictly handle violations in fuel trading and transportation.
Refuelling at a petrol station (Photo: Manh Quan).
The directive follows recent media reports of individuals and traders in border areas, especially at Lao Bao in Quang Tri Province, allegedly stockpiling petrol from retail stations.
According to the reports, some have modified vehicles by installing additional fuel tanks to transport petrol across borders for resale at higher prices.
Authorities warned that if left unchecked, such activities could disrupt domestic supply and pose serious fire and explosion risks during transport and storage.
The ministry said retail fuel prices in neighbouring countries remain significantly higher than in Vietnam, creating incentives for smuggling.
Petrol prices in Singapore are the highest at around VND 70,328 per litre, while Thailand records about VND 35,468 per litre under government subsidies. Prices in Cambodia stand at roughly VND 35,849 per litre, also subsidised, and Laos at VND 50,112 per litre.
China maintains petrol prices at about VND 34,827 per litre under state control. In comparison, Vietnam’s petrol price is about VND 26,976 per litre, considerably lower than in the region.
For diesel, Singapore again records the highest price at approximately VND 86,985 per litre. Thailand’s diesel price is about VND 38,525 per litre, while Cambodia and Laos report VND 49,293 and VND 61,632 per litre respectively.
China’s diesel price is around VND 31,733 per litre under state regulation, while Vietnam’s stands at about VND 44,788 per litre.
The ministry noted that Vietnam’s fuel prices are generally lower than those in neighbouring countries, except for diesel, which remains higher than in China and Thailand, contributing to cross-border price disparities.
