Myanmar Spring Chronicle – Scenes from March 29
(MoeMaKa), March 30, 2026
Global Fuel Crisis and Myanmar’s Predicament
Amid an already dire situation caused by civil war—where efforts to gain military advantage include restricting the transport of goods from territories under one side’s control to those held by the other, as well as imposing arbitrary taxation—the people of Myanmar are now forced to bear an additional burden: the global oil and fuel crisis layered on top of existing hardships.
On February 28, attacks on Iran by Israel and the United States triggered disruptions affecting countries that rely on oil and natural gas from the Gulf region. As a result, these countries began facing serious difficulties in transporting fuel supplies.
After Iran—engaged in conflict—blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a key route through which about one-fifth of the world’s crude oil passes, the crisis has deepened over the course of about a month. East Asian countries that depend heavily on oil and gas from the Gulf region now face the risk of fuel shortages.
Among these affected countries, Myanmar is not the worst-hit, but it is nevertheless experiencing severe consequences. Although Myanmar produces natural gas offshore, only a small portion is used domestically, with most exported to neighboring countries. The foreign currency earned is then used to import petroleum and liquefied natural gas.
Myanmar relies on importing refined petroleum products, often via countries like Malaysia and Singapore. With disruptions in transporting oil from the Gulf and Myanmar’s limited reserve capacity, the impact has been felt quickly and sharply.
Thailand, which also lacks domestic oil resources, has begun preparing for potential shortages. However, it has not yet reached the stage of widespread black markets, fuel rationing, or daily sales limits like those seen in Myanmar. In some Thai border areas and central regions, long queues for fuel have formed, but the situation has not yet escalated into a severe crisis.
A recent news story described how, in a small town in central Thailand, a family transporting a deceased person had to bring the body with them to a fuel station because diesel was not being sold otherwise. This incident highlights how restrictions and shortages are already creating significant difficulties in some areas. There have also been reports from Mae Sot, on the Thai-Myanmar border, of fuel being seized while being stockpiled for illegal export into Myanmar. While black market activity does exist in Thailand, it is not yet widespread.
Turning to Myanmar: beginning March 7, authorities introduced an odd-even vehicle usage system to reduce fuel consumption. This policy has had complex impacts across economic, social, and healthcare sectors. Subsequently, fuel sales were restricted further by requiring QR code scans of vehicle licenses, and more recently, weekly purchase quotas have been set based on engine power.
In a country with limited job opportunities, these fuel-saving measures have inadvertently created a new form of seasonal employment—people queueing to buy fuel and reselling it. Rather than prioritizing those who truly need fuel, the system has encouraged individuals to convert their purchasing rights into financial gain.
This is not new. Similar behaviors were seen 15–16 years ago when fuel was rationed, and people monetized their quotas. Today’s crisis has once again turned fuel purchase rights into an income opportunity for those able to queue.
Widespread distrust of the government and severe socioeconomic hardship have led people not to cooperate with regulations, but instead to exploit loopholes for survival. Not everyone benefits equally: while some profit, black markets emerge, allowing those with money to avoid long queues. Meanwhile, those who cannot afford higher prices must line up from midnight or endure hours in the scorching sun—sometimes fainting or even dying while waiting.
In such circumstances, it becomes difficult to blame people for lacking empathy, civic responsibility, or a willingness to prioritize those in greater need. People are struggling just to survive and provide for their families; under such pressure, values like compassion and mutual aid become luxuries.
In this era of crisis, where people collapse and die in fuel lines under the sun, survival itself becomes the priority. Opportunities are turned into means of subsistence, and instead of helping one another, people are driven toward shortcuts and exploitation in their daily lives.