Italian media: Fuel shortage: (Myanmar's new capital) Naypyidaw restricts traffic and promotes Chinese electric vehicles

To cope with the reduction in gasoline imports caused by the Middle East war, Myanmar will implement a new private car traffic control system tomorrow. However, electric vehicles are not subject to this restriction.

Yangon (Asia News) – Myanmar will implement a new fuel rationing system on March 7th, which restricts the movement of private cars based on license plate numbers. Vehicles with odd-numbered license plates can only travel on odd days, while those with even-numbered license plates can only travel on even days.

This restriction was introduced by the State Administration Council (SAC) to address the severe fuel shortage caused by the Middle East war, and the council has explained the measure.

This restriction does not apply to public transport, municipal vehicles, ambulances, and electric vehicles, a decision that has drawn criticism because the country's power system is extremely unstable. In many cities, power outages last all day, making vehicle charging almost impossible.

However, the government is vigorously promoting electric vehicles. The regime has banned the import of new gasoline or diesel cars, citing the need to protect foreign exchange reserves. Electric vehicles and their components enjoy tax benefits, and official media portray them as an attempt to modernize the country.

Therefore, the "odd-even license plate" system could become an indirect incentive for buying electric vehicles, which remain out of reach for most people. The high price of these cars, along with poor infrastructure and frequent power outages, hinders the adoption of electric vehicles beyond a small group of urban elites.

The energy crisis is not only affected by the Middle East war but also by developments in Southeast Asia. In recent months, Thailand has reduced fuel and electricity supplies to some border towns in Myanmar, including Myawaddy, in an effort to crack down on criminal networks involved in online fraud operating in the region. This policy, known as the "Three Cuts Policy," aims to cut off the financial resources of criminal groups running fraud centers.

However, this decision has already led to a series of side effects. Since individual travelers can still refuel when crossing the border, many Myanmar drivers head to the Thai city of Mae Sot, which is connected to Myanmar via the Friendship Bridge over the Mekong River. The increasing traffic flow has caused long queues at the border and heightened concerns among Thai residents about possible fuel shortages at gas stations.

For millions of Myanmar citizens, private cars are an essential means of transportation for commuting to work, markets, hospitals, and schools, especially in areas where public transport is scarce or nonexistent. New traffic restrictions have placed greater economic difficulties on workers, merchants, and small business owners. The government has neither announced financial compensation nor set a deadline for the cancellation of the odd-even license plate system.

Author: Gregory

Original: toutiao.com/article/1859049648329728/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.