Authorities plan to issue QR codes for vehicles with unreadable barcodes to allow fuel purchases

The Ministry of Energy announced that QR codes will be issued only for vehicles whose barcodes cannot be read at fuel stations, allowing their information to be entered and fuel to be purchased.

For private vehicles traveling long distances, additional fuel can be purchased at highway fuel stations by presenting the receipt for the fuel bought that day, without needing to scan the code again.

In order to prevent fuel shortages and ensure that those who really need fuel can purchase it conveniently, starting from March 12, fuel stations in Nay Pyi Taw Council Area, Yangon, Mandalay and Taunggyi will be using the QR code generated by the barcode on the wheel tax for vehicles and the wheel tax for motorcycles to check the amount using the application. The application’s software technology is being improved to make it more convenient.

On March 12, the application was tested at petrol stations in Nay Pyi Taw Council Area, Yangon, Mandalay and Taunggyi, and fuel to 62,017 vehicles and 56,080 motorcycles were sold smoothly. During the test, it was found that the wheel tax barcodes of some vehicles were difficult to scan due to the faded paint, some discrepancies were found between the vehicle information included in the wheel tax barcode and the system information, and some vehicles were tried to be bought again within a day. Therefore, coordination with the relevant departments is being carried out to ensure that the vehicle information is completer and more accurate.

For vehicles that cannot read the barcode, a QR code system will be implemented starting from March 15, allowing dealers to enter vehicle information and issue QR codes only for purchasing fuel. Vehicle owners who cannot read the wheel tax barcode must contact the Road Transport Department Administration as soon as possible.

The statement said that if vehicle owners want to fill up their vehicles for long-distance travel, they can fill up fuel at fuel stations on highways and other long-distance cities (over 100 miles) by showing the receipt for the fuel purchased for that day without having to scan it again.

The current situation shows that international fuel prices are rising rapidly day by day. A comparison between global fuel prices before the oil crisis and those on March 13 shows that gasoline prices have increased by more than 70 percent, while diesel prices have risen by more than 100 percent. Despite the sharp rise in international prices, the government and the Myanmar Petroleum Trade Association are working together to stabilize domestic fuel prices. According to the statement, compared with pre-crisis levels, the prices announced on March 13 have increased by only about 12 percent for gasoline and 23 percent for diesel.

The country currently has fuel storage capacity sufficient for about 40 days of gasoline and 50 days of diesel. At present, three oil tankers are docked at Thilawa for refueling, two tankers are in pilot, three more are on the way, and 12 tankers are waiting to be refueled, bringing the total to 20 tankers. In addition, plans have been made for 19 more tankers to dock during March. With public cooperation, the amount of fuel stored in the country is expected to increase further. The Ministry of Energy stated that it is continuously working to ensure that all citizens can access fuel fairly and sufficiently, and has called on the public to cooperate in these efforts.