Bars To Close Early To Save

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Government eyes nightspots for energy saving closures

The government announced on June 4 that it could order the early closure of entertainment venues in order to bring down fuel costs, as the Ministry of Energy conceded that its energy saving measures had been largely unsuccessful.

Speaking after a joint public-private sector brainstorming session on how to save energy, Cherdpong Siriwit, permanent secretary for energy, announced a shift in focus in the government’s energy saving campaigns. Whereas in the past the government had relied almost solely on public cooperation, it would introduce more obligatory measures to cut fuel consumption.

Suggestions brought up in the meeting included floating the price of benzene, which would push up octane 95 to 21.07 baht per liter and octane 91 to 20.37 baht per liter. The price of diesel, however, would remain unchanged in recognition of its vital role in the economy.

The second suggestion was to close petrol stations, while the third was to close all entertainment venues by 1 a.m. Fourth, the meeting proposed switching off every other streetlight; fifth, to shut down television stations after midnight; and sixth, to switch off advertising billboard lighting after 9 p.m. Cherdpong said that the suggestions would be put before the next cabinet meeting to determine which would be implemented.

According to government estimates, oil imports could grow by 100 percent over the next 10-20 years. This year has already seen particularly high oil imports, with oil imports in May alone standing at 544 million liters. Oil imports in April were worth a whopping 6 billion baht more than during the same period in 2003. (TNA)