A dying trade

At midday, hearing a customer call out, Tran The Hung (born 1964, Cu Chi commune, Ho Chi Minh City) slowly props himself up on his bed frame. Having just returned from the hospital due to joint issues, walking is difficult for him.

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Mr. Hung is one of the very few remaining lighter gas refillers in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ha Nguyen

Out on the porch, he stands next to his old bicycle. Attached to the rear seat is a wooden box containing a few mini gas canisters and several used lighters. The customer, clearly in a hurry, simply drops off a lighter for refilling and quickly walks away.

In his neighborhood, Mr. Hung is known as one of the last people still holding on to the dying trade of refilling gas for lighters. He says the trade thrived when gas lighters became popular in Vietnam.

“At the time, refilling gas lighters became a booming business,” Hung recalls. “I’ve been doing this for over 30 years. In my younger days, I patched bicycle tires, but it was unstable work. Customers often delayed payments. Then some friends suggested I switch to gas refilling for lighters. I took their advice because I could earn cash right away, enough to buy rice.”

Back then, the job was novel and faced little competition. “I didn’t even need to go far - just sat at a coffee shop with my gas canister, and customers would come to me. Each refill was only 500 VND.”

Eventually, Hung also learned to replace flints and repair lighters. But the market changed. Cheap disposable lighters flooded in, and demand for refilling services plummeted.
Mr. Hung has worked in the trade for more than 30 years. Photo: Ha Nguyen

He also faced increasing competition from peers. To stand out, he built a small wooden cabinet containing his tools and mounted it onto the back of his bicycle.

Each morning, he would pedal around Phuoc Vinh Khang commune (now Cu Chi commune), searching for customers. When local demand dwindled, he ventured farther.

“In Cu Chi, there were no more customers. So, I biked to the old Cu Chi town center, then to Ben Cat (in what used to be Binh Duong), and Phu My Hung (District 7, former Ho Chi Minh City). People would ask how I managed to travel so far by bike. I’d tell them I always believe a customer is waiting ahead who needs a gas refill. That thought keeps me pedaling.”

“Recently, though, my joint pain flared up badly. My knees are swollen and it’s too painful to ride, so I’ve had to rest,” he shared.

Struggling to get by
Each day, Mr. Hung pedals his bicycle with a mounted wooden box full of lighter-refilling tools. Photo: Ha Nguyen

In recent years, Hung hasn’t had the strength to travel long distances. Even when he does, he rarely finds customers like before.

Today, he charges 5,000 VND per refill - just around 20 cents. On a good day, he might serve 10 customers, earning about 50,000 VND (USD 2). Many days, he barely makes 20,000 VND.

Still, he clings to the obsolete trade. It’s not just a job - it’s his only means of survival.

“People don’t refill lighters anymore,” he says. “They buy cheap ones and toss them when the gas runs out. Only collectors or enthusiasts with expensive refillable lighters come to me now - and that’s rare.”

“Others who once did this job have moved on. They had better health and could switch to different work. I’m old and sick. If I quit, I wouldn’t know what else I could do to earn a living. That’s why I keep doing this - even if I only make 20,000 to 50,000 VND a day.”
In addition to refilling gas, Mr. Hung replaces flints when needed. Photo: Ha Nguyen

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Holding on to a dying trade, Mr. Hung hopes to earn just enough for a kilo of rice each day. Photo: Ha Nguyen

Mr. Hung and his wife have one son, now married and living in Long An. Unfortunately, he’s also struggling financially and unable to support them.

For decades, the elderly couple has relied on each other in a run-down, self-built house. Mrs. Hung is also unwell and cannot do physical labor. While her husband is out pedaling the city, she stays home, hoping a neighbor might stop by to pump a bicycle tire and leave a small tip.

“Luckily, we managed to save up and buy a small plot of land long ago, so we have a home and don’t have to rent. That would’ve made things even harder,” he said.

Their household is classified as near-poor for the 2021–2025 period, allowing them to access subsidized medical care - an essential relief for the couple.

“Now, if I can earn enough for a kilo of rice each day, I’m happy. I just hope we don’t fall sick any more than we already are,” Mr. Hung confides.

Ha Nguyen