After a long day of working as a driver in Ho Chi Minh City, Nguyen was upset to find that half of his earnings went on fuel. He explained that he made 240,000 Vietnamese dong (around £9.11) in seven or eight hours but spent 120,000 Vietnamese dong (about £4.56) on petrol. He said, “I can’t survive with this amount of money in the city.”
Many gig workers in Vietnam are struggling due to rising fuel prices caused by the ongoing war involving Iran. Normally, Vietnam gets about 80% of its crude oil from Kuwait, but supplies have decreased, making fuel more expensive. Diesel prices have more than doubled, and petrol costs have risen nearly 30%. This affects the cost of getting around, particularly in Ho Chi Minh City, which has over 7 million motorcycles.
In response to these problems, the Vietnamese government has introduced emergency measures. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh announced he would suspend an environmental tax on diesel and petrol until mid-April to help control prices. Researchers believe these steps are necessary to avoid further public anger over rising living costs.
Transportation and businesses are increasingly affected. Public transport is overcrowded, while companies are losing money despite raising prices. Many drivers need to work longer hours but lack protections such as minimum wage. As authorities seek short-term solutions, they must also plan for greater energy independence in the future.
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