Japanese media cited in the source text said the Sokimex announcement triggered a rush among tuk-tuk and taxi drivers to refill gas, while distributors of cooking gas were hit by a surge in orders despite existing shortages. That has intensified fears over fuel availability, particularly for lower-income groups who depend on LPG in daily life.
Cambodia’s Energy Minister, Keo Rottanak, moved quickly to calm public concern, saying Sokimex accounts for only around 3% of the country’s LPG market and insisting there is no nationwide shortage. He said other LPG suppliers were still importing and distributing fuel, and that new deliveries were expected during March and April. He also urged households to reduce LPG use where possible and switch to electric rice cookers and electric stoves in order to preserve supply for public transport drivers.
Even so, conditions on the ground point to growing strain. One LPG dealer in Phnom Penh said his supply of gas for vehicles had run out over the weekend, while cooking gas sold out by Monday afternoon. He said he did not know when fresh stock would arrive, particularly after Sokimex’s decision to stop sales.
The price of a 15-kilogram cooking gas cylinder has surged from US$17 to US$30, while many households using smaller cylinders are being forced to replace them several times a week.