Laotians are flocking to Nong Khai, Thailand, to fill their vehicles with petrol in response to chronic fuel shortages in Laos.
According to Channel One 31, vehicles registered in Laos have become a regular sight at various petrol stations in Thailand, particularly PTT branded petrol stations, on the bypass road from Nong Khai to Vientiane
PTT Nong Khai petrol stations charge around THB 51.91 per liter for premium petrol, THB 44.50 for regular petrol, and THB 32.59 for diesel, which makes filling the tank much cheaper than in Laos.
Meanwhile, in Laos, premium petrol costs LAK 23,770 (THB 59), regular gasoline costs LAK 18,570 (THB 46), and diesel costs LAK 18,160 (THB 45).
Some have even dubbed this new type of tourism “fuel tourism,” emerging as a burgeoning fuel crisis sweeps across Laos.
Nong Khai Province in Thailand sits only 20 kilometers from Vientiane Capital and has plenty of fuel. Further afield, the shopping malls and hypermarkets of Udon Thani are only another 80 kilometers away.
