Thaksin Shifts from Cheerful Power Broker to Cautious Strategist

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Energy Ministry takes proactive steps in time of crisis

By THE NATION

 

Sontirat Sontijirawong

 

The Energy Ministry has taken several steps to stimulate the Thai economy and has also extended a helping hand to consumers amid the Covid-19 crisis, which has had a harsh impact on the general public and small businesses.

 

Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong, meanwhile, is pushing for state investment in local power plants for the grassroots economy to help generate revenue for locals and create jobs.

 

If the Cabinet gives the green light to a recent proposed power plant, Bt70 billion to Bt80 billion can be spent over 2020 and 2021 on the first phase, which will produce 100-megawatts of power, the minister said.

 

He added that he has also called on the petroleum industry to invest in a joint venture between Bongkot and Erawan gas blocks to put up more oil-drilling rigs worth at least Bt10 billion. This project alone could create up to 2,000 jobs.

 

The ministry has also spent more than Bt66 billion to help 22 million electricity users nationwide. In fact, it is granting free power to those who use no more than 150 units per month, while households using 800 units or less monthly from March to May will be charged the amount they paid in February.

 

The ministry has also frozen the float time for electricity at Bt45.34 billion and cut bills for all users by 3 percent until the end of June.

 

In addition, operators of hotels and residential blocks have been allowed to suspend the payment of power bills for up to six months, while hotels and dormitories being used as field hospitals for Covid-19 patients will be given an additional 30 percent discount in their power bills.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30387670

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-05-12

 

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[cornishcarlos]

Still sounds like reactive rather than proactive to me !! But I guess proactive headline makes it look like he knows what he's doing... 

[AgMech Cowboy]

Very proactive. To reduce imports of gas and oil Thailand needs more development of their natural resource. He's proactively saying, prices are low for the rigs, equipment and services. Thailand are going to spend the money to develop resources at a lower cost. It will create more jobs or at least keep people from losing them here.

[Scott Tracy]

2 million tonnes of plastic 'waste' is generated per year, according to Wijarn Simachaya, president of the Thailand Environment Institute, a think tank. from the forum titled: Plastic piles up in Thailand as pandemic efforts sideline pollution fight.

This could be pyrolysed into useful fuels. Even if there was a 7000 litre for 12 tonne return, as shown elsewhere on Youtube, this would be around a billion litres of useful fuels.

 

This does not cure the over production issue, nor is it an alternative to reuse and recycle, nor is it sustainable in the long run, but it does get rid of some of the non-recyclable plastics piling up everywhere, and permits the reduction of imported fuel oils and gasses.