Fuel Shortages Push Myanmar to Breaking Point

Myanmar is gripped by a worsening fuel crisis that has doubled the price of basic goods and thrown daily life into turmoil.

Queues of cars and trucks stretch for miles in Yangon, Mandalay and beyond, as pumps run dry despite the junta’s insistence that reserves will last another 50 days. Officials have taken to the streets with loudspeakers, urging drivers to stop panic buying, but scenes of frustration and desperation continue.

A container truck driver described waiting overnight just to secure enough diesel to reach Mandalay. With rationing in place, journeys that once took four days now take a week, driving up transport costs and pushing cement and gravel prices to record highs. “This is the main reason for soaring commodity prices,” he said.

For ordinary people, the crisis is devastating. Trishaw drivers, barred from official fuel stations, are forced onto the black market where prices are nearly triple the official rate. Many are reluctant to raise fares, fearing they will lose customers, even as they struggle to afford basic meals.

The junta has tried to impose order with rationing systems, limiting motorists to two refuelling trips per week and even sending government staff home on Wednesdays to save fuel. Yet prices continue to climb: premium diesel has jumped from 3,560 to 4,820 kyats per litre, while Octane 92 has risen from 2,830 to 3,610 kyats.

Airlines have cut domestic flights, but the military still appears to have ample aviation fuel for its ongoing airstrikes in resistance-held areas. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing chaired an emergency meeting this week, promising lower prices and adequate supply, while suggesting Thingyan festival-goers opt for “splash walks” instead of vehicle parades.

For many, such words ring hollow. As one trishaw driver put it: “This global crisis is making it hard for poor people like us to afford even basic meals.”

-2026-03-29