Thai military feels the heat over plan for solar farm

[webfact]

Thai Buddhist monks at a solar power plant about 60km from Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: EPA

 

● Blessed with sunshine, Thailand’s embrace of solar energy seems a no-brainer. But the entrance of the country’s powerful military into the sector may be doing the cause more harm than good

 

● Critics fear that once the army gets a slice of the pie, it could use its stake to gain political influence – an idea that does not sit well in a land rocked by pro-democracy protests

 

Jitsiree Thongnoi

 

With up to 2,700 hours of sunshine a year, the “land of smiles” Thailand has much to be happy about.

 

Not only is its year-round tropical climate a magnet for tourists, its ever reliable rays have the potential to provide a near-inexhaustible source of energy.

 

Bright though the future of solar power appears to be in the country, the sector is showing signs of stalling and Thailand has fallen behind its neighbour Vietnam, which is now the biggest solar energy producer in Southeast Asia. While Vietnam produces seven times more than Thailand’s 2,249MW-capacity across its operational and planned solar plants, according to the Stimson Centre think tank in Washington, it pales in comparison to China, the world’s largest solar power producer.

 

Critics blame the lack of progress on errors in government policymaking; rural areas have found themselves largely bypassed by the solar revolution, while even in cities, individual households have found that installing solar panels simply doesn’t pay.

 

Full story: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3153777/thai-military-feels-heat-over-plan-solar-farm

 

-- © Copyright South China Morning Post 2021-10-27

 

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[RichardColeman]

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

● Critics fear that once the army gets a slice of the pie, it could use its stake to gain political influence – an idea that does not sit well in a land rocked by pro-democracy protests

 

Since nearly all the officials in the government seem to have names prefixed with the word 'General', this is a worry only for if they ever get voted out and want to influence anyone in power. Which considering the banning of opposition parties and fixing senators in advance, is unlikely.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Not only is its year-round tropical climate a magnet for tourists

WAS

[Scott Tracy]

Isn't the army answerable to the Government? If the government is so <deleted> scared of the army having solar panels on some of its land, take the land away and let a private, or state energy company run it.

Or, perhaps even more contraversially, get a grip of the army.

 

I read that the army, or what's left of it in UK, also has their own solar power station. But the army in UK is small enough for the government not to be too concerned about them.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-58742833

 

Edited October 27, 2021 by Scott Tracy

[zzaa09]

6 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Since nearly all the officials in the government seem to have names prefixed with the word 'General', this is a worry only for if they ever get voted out and want to influence anyone in power. Which considering the banning of opposition parties and fixing senators in advance, is unlikely.

The crux - for ages. 

A dominate presence of militarism naturally melded with the civil/social order as well as traditional patronage. 

Terribly destructive and contradictory within the confines of a Buddhist culture. 

[robertson468]

The military should confine their business to the defence of the Country and NOT enter into businesses for profit.  I also believe that Army Generals are eminently unsuitable to run businesses, as they also should not be members of Parliament, unless they have relinquished their rank and are addressed as the Rt Hon Mr.  One of Thailand's main problems is they are obsesses with wearing uniforms - politicians, teachers, local politicians et al, simply because they feel the uniform gives them a special auro of authority, which they lack the natural leadership to achieve.

[Partenavia]

Solar is an obvious way forward in Thailand, however, you will never see private solar feeding the national grid, not allowed here. It is also very expensive to install, and as usual, poor quality.

[Nicholas Paul KNIGHT]

Simple remove all land NOT ESSENTIAL for training from Military control and place it in the hands of the people whose job it is to supply power to the NATION ( which is certainly not the  Military ) . If the Army complain , ignore them they are BUT Servants of the People NOT the other way around . !!

Edited October 28, 2021 by Nicholas Paul KNIGHT
sp;elling

[brianthainess]

I thought Some generals wear their own personal panels to charge watches, etc. on their fingers and shoulders.

.

 

[mikebell]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

Critics blame the lack of progress on errors in government policymaking

Solar is a no-brainer in Thailand but there will be squabbles over which families get to control the profits.  Decisions are taken at Gov level on how much commission is to be made; look at the vaccine delays while jockeying for positions took place.

[happy me]

15 hours ago, Scott Tracy said:

Isn't the army answerable to the Government? If the government is so <deleted> scared of the army having solar panels on some of its land, take the land away and let a private, or state energy company run it.

Or, perhaps even more contraversially, get a grip of the army.

 

I read that the army, or what's left of it in UK, also has their own solar power station. But the army in UK is small enough for the government not to be too concerned about them.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-58742833

 

The UK government aren't worried about the UK army having solar power stations simply because the army works under the UK government. Rather than the army running the government like here in Thailand. Oh and ps, I did get the sarcastic comment about small UK army. As in underdeveloped etc. https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7930/

 

Thailand armed forces staffing; 

As of 2020, the Royal Thai Armed Forces number 360,850 active duty and 200,000 reserve personnel,^[15] nearly one percent of Thailand's population of 70 million. This percentage is higher than that of the US, but lower than that of nearby Vietnam.^{[16]: 5 [17]} The Thai military has more than 1,700 flag officers (generals and admirals), roughly one general for every 212 troops, a bloated number for a military of its size.^[18][19] By comparison, the US military as of 1 November 2018 had 920 active duty general and flag officers (GFOs) for a force of 1,317,325 personnel, or one flag officer for every 1430 troops

[Sir Swagman]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

Critics fear that once the army gets a slice of the pie, it could use its stake to gain political influence – an idea that does not sit well in a land rocked by pro-democracy protests

Luckily that hasn't happened so far......

[placeholder]

16 hours ago, Partenavia said:

Solar is an obvious way forward in Thailand, however, you will never see private solar feeding the national grid, not allowed here. It is also very expensive to install, and as usual, poor quality.

Do you mean that solar is expensive to install in general and of poor quality, or are you referring specifically to Thailand?

[paul1804]

Why on earth would the military get involved in Solar energy, they are the military paid by the elected government of the day to defend the country and secure its borders. With the amount of illegal border entries into Thailand they are obviously under performing so can you imagine if they controlled a solar energy farm how that would go!! I guess then the government of the day could then employ some real soldiers to protect the Thai borders whilst the current Thai military look after a solar energy farm! What next Thailand, I guess this is a clear indication of the mindset the Generals currently at the helm!

[placeholder]

In Thailand there is no meaningful difference between the military  and the government.

[sniggie]

13 hours ago, Nicholas Paul KNIGHT said:

If the Army complain , ignore them they are BUT Servants of the People NOT the other way around . !!

Are you serious? TiT

[it is what it is]

22 hours ago, Partenavia said:

Solar is an obvious way forward in Thailand, however, you will never see private solar feeding the national grid, not allowed here. It is also very expensive to install, and as usual, poor quality.

 

as in other countries the government needs to take a lead with a coherent renewable energy strategy aligned with government policy; investment in infrastructure, subsidies and grants to individuals and businesses, education of the population... a plan!