Samui Island To Be Developed As Low Carbon Society

[webfact]

Samui Island to be developed as low carbon society

BANGKOK, March 12 - The Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre (APERC) has selected Thailand’s Samui Island as its first island to pioneer modelling a low carbon lifestyle to reduce the use of fossil fuel and boost efficient energy use, said Weerawat Chantanakome, energy policy planning councillor for the Ministry of Energy.

The low carbon island is part of the plan to cut Thailand’s energy use by 45 per cent by 2035, he said.

The APERC will send researchers and experts this week to stay on the island for the next six months to conduct a study on energy use, with local residents participating.

The campaign will cover both private and public transportation. After the study is completed, the results will be given to the Cabinet with the researchers recommendations.

The initial guidelines suggest using electric and hybrid vehicles and cutting the use of fossil fuel by promoting the use of gasohol and biodiesel.

Samui Island may adopt the model of China’s Tianjin, APERC’s first low carbon city. However, the study for an appropriate model of a low carbon society is needed due to the discrepancy in investment funds between China and Thailand, Mr Weerawat said.

About five million tourists visit Samui each year. This southern island is suitable for development into what some call low carbon societies due to the reduced level of carbon and the idea was welcomed by Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports as it will help reinforce the image of this tourist island in terms of energy saving and environmental conservation, he added.

Tax cuts for electric cars and energy saving equipment will be considered, as well as other measures such as construction of energy saving buildings and energy-conscious waste management. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-03-12

[itishothere]

I really don't want to be negative, but I am having difficulty working out how Samui could become a model for this project. I mean, the best method for us to save energy is do what we usually do ..... have a power cut! Maybe we are also pretty good at recycling plastic bottles, but what else?

And to adopt what Tianjin has done sounds strange, given that this is a city of some 12 million people in a totally different climate to us, not reliant on tourists.

Maybe it is the 6 month research project that is appealing; could be a nice job I suppose.

[livinthailandos]

About five million tourists visit Samui each year.

does that number include the amount of burmese who pass through the island as well. look i know thai officals like to put up ridiculous and lying numbers but 5 million, I'd love to know how they came up with that kind of unrealistic number. tourism here is less than 600,000 and on the decline. that number is based on from report from C9hotelworks.

low carbon island is part of the plan to cut Thailand’s energy use by 45 per cent by 2035

cut energy use + thai mentality =

look forward to reading further posts from everyone else on this topic

[blazes]

Well, at least Thai Air does a good job of keeping the tourists out. Have you ever noticed how the only fare you can buy for BKK-Samui is the Full Flex? Ditto Bkk to Phuket. Clever, very.

[angiud]

Low the carbon print...

with the 3000cc diesel engine of the pick up/suv running idle to keep the car fresh while shopping one hour at Tesco

(Thai and Farang as well)

[Boater]

Low the carbon print...

with the 3000cc diesel engine of the pick up/suv running idle to keep the car fresh while shopping one hour at Tesco

(Thai and Farang as well)

and all the old vehicles which would be illigal in the west pumping out god knowes !

[Tropicalevo]

Surely this is an advanced press release of an announcement to be made on the first day of April?

[PoorSucker]

Well, at least Thai Air does a good job of keeping the tourists out. Have you ever noticed how the only fare you can buy for BKK-Samui is the Full Flex? Ditto Bkk to Phuket. Clever, very.

Thai Air?

Bangkok airways own the airport.

[smokie36]

Skanks pony or roads full of horse shit?

Vote now!

[Boater]

well i have applied for the job, heard they are paying 500,000 THB per month for 6 months, full board at the Banyan Tree...

i think my graph will secure the job

[sscsamui]

Don't hold your breath....

[carmine]

This is about as ridiculous as the stories about David Beckham coming here on holiday.

<deleted>, they can't even sort the electric or finish tarmacing the roads

[newermonkey]

How rediculous... a place that does not have a problem to start with ! there almost nothing to fix. Try Bangkok or Pattaya then we'll be impressed! "Morons"

ps. I challenge them to make a firm commitment and stop ALL air transport too and from the island. "mOrOnS"

Edited March 13, 2012 by newermonkey

[harrycallahan]

They don't need to care. With little motorbikes so popular and a mostly poor population Thailand will always use less energy than the west.

[AL1508]

So thats why we have so many power cuts, to reduce those carbon emissions.

[rakman]

Fossile fuel are efficient. Try to run a passenger plane on a different fuel?

You want 45 percent energy reduction? Close the island to tourists, and cut the population in half. And no new growth.

[IsaanUSA]

plan to cut Thailand’s energy use by 45 per cent by 2035

by using electric cars? You're just switching from one form on energy to another.

So let's give them the benefit of the doubt and what they really meant was that they want to cut imported fossil fuel usage by 45 percent. OK so they want people to use more electric and gasohol. But where is this extra electricity capacity going to come from? Solar (expensive partnership with China)? Wind turbines? Natural gas power plant?

Anyways, it doesn't make any sense. The only way to reduce is to just use less.

EDIT: forgot wind power

Edited March 13, 2012 by IsaanUSA