As Việt Nam’s nationwide shift to E10 biofuel takes effect, authorities are already cracking down on viral dissent and public skepticism regarding the new gasoline mandate.
The Latest: Hưng Yên provincial police announced on May 27 that they had summoned a man, identified as L.H.S., for sharing a video claiming that E10 gasoline damages vehicle engines. Authorities stated the content he shared was “not factual,” “not verified by competent authorities,” and “misleading.”
The Details: L.H.S., born in 1982 and residing in Tân Tiến Commune, used a Facebook account named Minh Quân to share the content in the “Đồng Tiến – Quỳnh Phụ – Thái Bình” group.
The post explicitly stated that “E10 gasoline can easily cause wear and tear and damage vehicle engines.” Through a “verification process,” local authorities determined the account belonged to him, noting that he “shared an unverified post in a group with many members.”
Hưng Yên police stressed that the claims “had not been verified by competent authorities and caused misunderstanding among the public.”
According to police, S. admitted that “due to a lack of legal knowledge,” he had committed a “wrongful act.” After being “educated and given explanations,” he “clearly recognized his violation,” voluntarily removed the post, and pledged not to reoffend.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Trade reported that it had not received any complaints about the gasoline.
The Background: Starting June 1, citizens are required to use E10 biofuel—a gasoline blend made of 90% conventional mineral gasoline and 10% bioethanol—under the government’s roadmap.
This rollout follows pilot programs conducted in Hà Nội and Hồ Chí Minh City in August 2025, where the results were reportedly assessed as unfavorable by the public.
Since the fuel began widespread sales on May 15, state media and social media have sharply differed in their accounts of public attitudes toward the transition.
Why It Matters: While state media have reported that people “positively received” and “agreed” with the use of E10 gasoline, many citizens and experts have voiced concerns.
On the evening of May 27, a VnExpress survey with nearly 50,000 responses had its results hidden after more than 93% of respondents said they disagreed with using E10 gasoline.
Left with no alternative, a “shake the gas tank” trend quickly spread on social media as people tried to “adapt” to the reported “phase separation” of the fuel.
Hoàng Nam wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on June 1, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyrights to the English translation.
