Fuel rations and no air con: south-east Asian nations race to conserve energy

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Rebecca Ratcliffe and Guill RamosMarch 18, 2026 at 10:28 AM
Fuel rations and no air con: south-east Asian nations race to conserve energy

AI Summary

long article 4 min

Governments across south-east Asia are implementing measures to conserve energy and mitigate the impact of soaring fuel prices caused by the war in the Middle East. In Thailand, news anchors have ditched their jackets on air as the government calls for reduced use of air conditioning. The Philippines has introduced cash handouts for public transport drivers and instructed government agencies to cut electricity and fuel use by 10-20%. Vietnam has urged employers to allow staff to work from home. The crisis has already affected many, with income falling dramatically in countries reliant on imported energy. Governments are racing to find alternative supplies and protect the public from price increases, which have caused misery for drivers and commuters alike.

Keywords

energy conservation 90% south-east asia 90% energy crisis 80% oil market 70% fuel rations 70% supply disruption 70% price increases 60% soaring costs 60% work from home 50%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative
Score: -0.60

Source Transparency

Source
The Guardian - World News
Political Lean
Center-Left (-0.40)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
Classification Confidence
90%
Geographic Perspective
Philippines

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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