Vietnam says there is no petroleum shortage

Oil companies have assured the public that there is no petroleum shortage in the wake of a sudden closure of some filling stations in Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang in Vietnam. On June 2, some stations in Tan Binh, Hoc Mon and Binh Tan Districts in the city closed down without warning, inconveniencing many customers. Vuong Thai Dung, Petroleum Import Export Corporation deputy director general said, however, his corporation has sufficient stocks to supply the city. Any filling station that refuses to sell fuel to customers will have its license suspended, he warned. But he admitted there are loopholes in the regulations and distributors may take advantage of poor oversight by concerned authorities to speculate in petroleum products. Do Van Tri, director of the Tien Giang Market Watch Department, say his department has reported more than 20 local filling stations that suddenly closed down. (June 5, 2008)