ASEAN Starts Anticipating Energy Crisis, Laos Asks Citizens to Save Fuel

JAKARTA - Laos has started to curb energy consumption amid Iran's war against the United States and Israel and global supply disruptions from the Strait of Hormuz. Asia News Network (ANN) quoted on Friday, March 13, reported that the Lao government ensured that fuel supplies in the country were still under control, but still asked residents to save fuel because global supply pressures had not subsided.

The spokesman for the Lao government, Sonexay Sithphaxay, said that the national fuel reserves were still available for a certain period of time. According to him, the temporary shortage at a number of gas stations was triggered more by delays in distribution from storage to pumps, not because Laos actually ran out of fuel. The government is also coordinating with ministries, local governments, and neighboring countries to maintain imports and stabilize supplies. Thailand also said it had started to implement similar things.

Laos' main pressure comes from its full dependence on imports. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Chanthaboun Soukaloun, still from ANN, said Laos has no oil reserves or its own refineries. In the midst of the ongoing disruption, a number of oil shipping routes were reportedly closed, reducing global supplies by nearly 20 percent.

Although fuel imports this month only fell slightly, the government is starting to prepare short- and medium-term responses. One step that has been underway is a reduction of around 200 kip per liter for all types of fuel. Laos is also calculating the possibility of subsidies, especially for solar which is widely used in the transportation, agriculture, and production sectors.

In ASEAN, similar anticipation steps are also beginning to be seen. The Philippines has implemented energy savings in government offices, including a four-day work pattern and one day of work from home. Vietnam is also encouraging fuel savings through travel restrictions, encouraging the use of public transportation, and vehicle efficiency.

ANN also reported that the Lao government asked civil servants, business actors, and the public to reduce unnecessary travel, use public transportation, consider electric vehicles, and not hoard fuel. Laos insists that supplies have not entered a crisis. However, the country has begun to ask residents to curb consumption because all fuel needs still depend on imports amid global supply disruptions.