ARANEE JAIIMSIN
Bangkok Post (Thailand)
Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand expects Thailand and Cambodia will be able to agree on a formula for petroleum exploration in an area that straddles their offshore border within the next year. His optimism is based on the results of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont's official visit to Cambodia last month.
Gas reserves in the Cambodia-Thailand joint development area are expected to be as large as in the Gulf of Thailand, Dr Piyasvasti said at the economic ministers' forum yesterday.
Although the government aims to reduce overall dependence on natural gas, the clean fuel would remain the main source of electricity generation in Thailand, he said.
Natural gas currently accounts for 72% of the fuel used to produce electricity but authorities hope to reduce the figure to 40% by 2015, when it is expected that the share of coal will have risen to 40% from 15% currently.
''However, it is difficult to obtain new coal-fired power plants in Thailand due to the environmental concerns of local people, so natural gas supply is crucial to ensuring energy security in the near future,'' said Dr Piyasvasti.
Thailand, he said, would rely more on imported natural gas or liquefied natural gas (LNG) due to the fact that local gas reserves are expected to last for only another 30 years.
The Natuna gas field in Indonesia is another potential supply source for Thailand, said Dr Piyasvasti.
PTT Plc is building an LNG depot and receiving terminal at Map Ta Phut in Rayong to handle imports of the fuel starting in 2011.
Discussing other policy issues, Dr Piyasvasti said the Energy Ministry would hold public hearings on whether subsidiaries of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) should be allowed to bid for new independent power projects (IPPs) next year.
The previous government has stipulated that the two listed subsidiaries - Electricity Generating Plc (Egco) and Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Plc (Ratch) - should be barred from the bids.
However, Dr Piyasvasti believes the best approach is to allow anyone who can offer the lowest price to bid on fair basis. In addition, he said, the electricity business needs to be overseen by an independent regulator to ensure fair competition as well as fairness to energy users.
Gas reserves in the Cambodia-Thailand joint development area are expected to be as large as in the Gulf of Thailand, Dr Piyasvasti said at the economic ministers' forum yesterday.
Although the government aims to reduce overall dependence on natural gas, the clean fuel would remain the main source of electricity generation in Thailand, he said.
Natural gas currently accounts for 72% of the fuel used to produce electricity but authorities hope to reduce the figure to 40% by 2015, when it is expected that the share of coal will have risen to 40% from 15% currently.
''However, it is difficult to obtain new coal-fired power plants in Thailand due to the environmental concerns of local people, so natural gas supply is crucial to ensuring energy security in the near future,'' said Dr Piyasvasti.
Thailand, he said, would rely more on imported natural gas or liquefied natural gas (LNG) due to the fact that local gas reserves are expected to last for only another 30 years.
The Natuna gas field in Indonesia is another potential supply source for Thailand, said Dr Piyasvasti.
PTT Plc is building an LNG depot and receiving terminal at Map Ta Phut in Rayong to handle imports of the fuel starting in 2011.
Discussing other policy issues, Dr Piyasvasti said the Energy Ministry would hold public hearings on whether subsidiaries of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) should be allowed to bid for new independent power projects (IPPs) next year.
The previous government has stipulated that the two listed subsidiaries - Electricity Generating Plc (Egco) and Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Plc (Ratch) - should be barred from the bids.
However, Dr Piyasvasti believes the best approach is to allow anyone who can offer the lowest price to bid on fair basis. In addition, he said, the electricity business needs to be overseen by an independent regulator to ensure fair competition as well as fairness to energy users.
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