Residents found it easier to buy gasoline on Wednesday morning in Ho Chi Minh City as many closed filling stations resumed operations while some others remained inactive after the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Finance adjusted petrol prices upward on the previous afternoon.

Large crowds and long waits were not repeated at filling stations on major streets connecting Go Vap, Binh Thanh, and Phu Nhuan Districts with the city center as observed by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters.

Many stations that had been listed as ‘running out of petrol’ by the Market Surveillance Agency of Ho Chi Minh City were also seen selling gasoline to customers on Wednesday morning.

A few other stores still had their gates shut. Their staff explained that these stores have yet to receive more fuel.

One of the opening filling stations, however, has capped purchases at VND50,000 (US$2) per motorcycle and VND500,000 ($21) per car.

Nguyen Thanh Ky, a staff member at this station, said that his store is selling the inventory supplied at 12:00 pm on Tuesday before the nationwide price adjustment, which means that it is operating at a loss.

In Thu Duc City, Pham Khiem, a local, said that he easily filled his motorcycle to the fullest extent with VND80,000 ($3.34) on Wednesday morning.

“I struggled to buy gasoline previously, but everything has improved today,” said Khiem.

“It took me only five minutes to fully fill my tank.

“I just think something might be wrong as petrol purchase is only difficult when prices are low, but is trouble-free when prices increase.”

On Tuesday afternoon, the Ministry of Industry and the Trade and Ministry of Finance hiked the retail prices of the popular RON95 gasoline and bio-fuel E5RON92 up by about VND560 to VND22,007 ($0.92) and VND21,292 ($0.89) per liter, respectively.

After sliding for four successive times, this is the first time that petrol prices have gone up in Vietnam since late August.

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