Nukes Must Be Part Of Thailand's Energy Policy

[webfact]

Nukes 'must be part' of energy policy

Suriyan Panyawai

The Nation

Govt strategy unrealistic, lacks direction: experts

BANGKOK: -- Nuclear energy has to be studied seriously by the government as a low-cost option in formulating a renewable-energy policy amid dwindling supplies of carbon-based resources, especially natural gas, academics said yesterday.

The government's environmental strategy still lacks a clear direction and is not in tune with reality, they told a seminar organised by the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning and Chulalongkorn University's Sasin Institute for Global Affairs.

The tax-rebate scheme for first-time car buyer was particularly flagrant in contributing to pollution and energy problems, they said.

Booncherd Suwantip, vice president of the Industrial Environment Institute, said nuclear energy could help reduce costs in industry and let Thailand have the advantage of carrying the low-carbon-footprint label.

Though nuclear power is cheap, it could be dangerous without an efficient management system. The government must think about the impacts in the future, as fuel reserves are being depleted and investment in drilling technology might lead to high costs, Booncherd said.

The country in the future should run a waste-management system that lets 30 per cent of waste be reused and should collect money to fund wastewater treatment, he suggested.

Mingsan Khaosa-ard, director of Chiang Mai University's Public Policy Studies Institute, said the natural-resource and environmental-policy plans for the next two decades did not analyse the crux of current problems.

For example, last year's flood crisis was ranked as the world's fourth-most-damaging, but the policy plan only stated that an unusually large amount of rainfall was the cause when in fact it was the water-management system that was to blame.

The plan for the next two decades should address key issues including global warming and the haze that hits the North and South.

Those in charge of the water-management system should talk with residents of designated water-retention areas. The concrete long-term plan should include zoning to tackle coastal erosion. Some 700 kilometres of coastline have already been lost, Mingsan.

Many government policies defied environmental conservation, such as the first-car scheme, he added.

Bunthoon Sedthirot, director of the Good Governance for Social Development and the Environment Institute, said the first-car scheme was like shifting into reverse. The government's economic development plan and policy were promoting a low carbon society, but increasing number of cars on the roads led to more energy consumption and environmental degradation.

Thailand needs to minimise impacts on natural resourcesand to prevent development from outstripping the ecosystem's limits, he added.

-- The Nation 2012-10-09

[asiawatcher]

This article is unbelievably stupid.

1. Nuclear energy to be studied - then

2. Tax rebate and first car buyers - then

3. Flood last year - then

4. Global warming - then

5. The haze in CM - then

6. The lost coast line - then

7. Development outstripping the eco system.

Phew. Glad Khun Panyawai, the journalist - has his thoughts all sorted - now what was the article about?

[sms747]

Thailand with nuclear energy would be like Homer Simpson running a nuke plant, hell they can't even lay a decent pavement or install safe electrical systems.

[Soutpeel]

Thailand with nuclear energy would be like Homer Simpson running a nuke plant, hell they can't even lay a decent pavement or install safe electrical systems.

They are already running a nuclear reactor.. and manage to run chemical plants, oil refineries, car manufacturing plants, natural gas etc without too many problems,,,but I understand what your saying Thai's are only good for picking rice in the paddies...

[Payboy]

Thailand with nuclear energy would be like Homer Simpson running a nuke plant, hell they can't even lay a decent pavement or install safe electrical systems.

Well you know boys, a nuclear reactor is a lot like women. You just have to read the manual and press the right button.

[jambodave]

Thailand with nuclear energy would be like Homer Simpson running a nuke plant, hell they can't even lay a decent pavement or install safe electrical systems.

Well you know boys, a nuclear reactor is a lot like women. You just have to read the manual and press the right button.

Women are more like hurricanes,when they come their wet and windy,when they leave they take your house.

[Soutpeel]

/quote]Women are more like hurricanes,when they come their wet and windy,when they leave they take your house.

Only your house

If your lucky...

[geriatrickid]

They are already running a nuclear reactor.. and manage to run chemical plants, oil refineries, car manufacturing plants, natural gas etc without too many problems,,,but I understand what your saying Thai's are only good for picking rice in the paddies...

Where does Thai nuclear waste go? Is there a secure waste processing and storage facility? At least more secure than the Thai military weapons and munitions depots which see large scale pilferage. Where are the Thais trained and who is in charge of compliance and vigilance?

Do you know the answers?

I doubt it.

Most Thais are unaware of the situation because Thailand's nuclear strategy is not transparent. I'd venture that if there was a nuclear event in Thailand, such as a leak or meltdown, the general public would be the last to know.

[redroo]

Thailand with nuclear energy would be like Homer Simpson running a nuke plant, hell they can't even lay a decent pavement or install safe electrical systems.

It would be safer with homer running it !

And with the coruption here ,you could just imagine where the spent fuel rods will end up....

[lonestarmango]

Thailand with nuclear energy would be like Homer Simpson running a nuke plant, hell they can't even lay a decent pavement or install safe electrical systems.

They are already running a nuclear reactor.. and manage to run chemical plants, oil refineries, car manufacturing plants, natural gas etc without too many problems,,,but I understand what your saying Thai's are only good for picking rice in the paddies...

.......Exactly where are these nuclear facillities??? Chemical facilities, car manufacturing etc, all with FDI OK, but nuclear energy ???

[Thaddeus]

I'd venture that if there was a nuclear event in Thailand, such as a leak or meltdown, the general public would be the last to know.

And the first to glow.

[fareastguy]

Nuclear plant.. dodgy concrete, have to read/understand & follow manuals, waste treatment.. aghhhhh

time to head west !!

[Soutpeel]

Thailand with nuclear energy would be like Homer Simpson running a nuke plant, hell they can't even lay a decent pavement or install safe electrical systems.

They are already running a nuclear reactor.. and manage to run chemical plants, oil refineries, car manufacturing plants, natural gas etc without too many problems,,,but I understand what your saying Thai's are only good for picking rice in the paddies...

.......Exactly where are these nuclear facillities??? Chemical facilities, car manufacturing etc, all with FDI OK, but nuclear energy ???

There is a reactor in BKK, and been running for many years

[fareastguy]

Will this reactor work under water or in a sink hole ??

Just curious that's all

[Soutpeel]

Will this reactor work under water or in a sink hole ??

Just curious that's all

Most reactors are underwater already dear boy...

[fareastguy]

Not on the outside "dear man" !!!

[Thai at Heart]

As much as i am not a greenie, with solar costs at an all time and land not exactly costly in Thailand, the should be investing massively in solar first.

Thailand doesn't need energy for residential heating at all, so in a country like this solar is of enormous benefit. As far as i know though they don't have a way for households to sell excess power they produce back to the grid.

Thousands of moobhans being built and i haven't yet seen over with solar integrated. Why is this?

[Pib]

BANGKOK: -- Nuclear energy has to be studied seriously by the government as a low-cost option in formulating a renewable-energy policy amid dwindling supplies of carbon-based resources, especially natural gas, academics said yesterday.

Since academics have said it, let it be so.

[jerrysteve]

There doesn't seem to be any NATURAL GAS SHORTAGE IN PARLIMENT.

[GentlemanJim]

As much as i am not a greenie, with solar costs at an all time and land not exactly costly in Thailand, the should be investing massively in solar first.

Thailand doesn't need energy for residential heating at all, so in a country like this solar is of enormous benefit. As far as i know though they don't have a way for households to sell excess power they produce back to the grid.

Thousands of moobhans being built and i haven't yet seen over with solar integrated. Why is this?

Decent solar panels are VERY very expensive and can take a decade to get a return on investment.

Thailand with nuclear energy would be like Homer Simpson running a nuke plant, hell they can't even lay a decent pavement or install safe electrical systems.

But Homer Simpson does run a Nuclear plant

[spirit47]

Sometimes I think they are completly "Braindead". Is it naivly, or maybe all the pesticides in the food, the poison-colour in Playgrounds, or only the sun, that shining to hot on some head....

Show them in the TV ( I don't look TV), in soapshows like Junglecamp, but please, don't print, what they talking...

[Halion]

The only" reactor" operating in Thailand is a tiny low yeild pilot plant for research. purposes in Bangkok. By industrial standards it is a mere match box.

As far as the safety record for the Thai chemical industry on the Eastren Seaboard, it is abysmal. Thailands compliance to Environmental standards is also in disaray. Water ,air and soil emmisions go relatively unchecked and unregulated.

It is a real Homer Simpson mentality. This country would need to make massive inroads in it's development, planning construction practice,education, compliance and Governance before this could even be considered.

At present , a bridge too far.

[Thai at Heart]

As much as i am not a greenie, with solar costs at an all time and land not exactly costly in Thailand, the should be investing massively in solar first.

Thailand doesn't need energy for residential heating at all, so in a country like this solar is of enormous benefit. As far as i know though they don't have a way for households to sell excess power they produce back to the grid.

Thousands of moobhans being built and i haven't yet seen over with solar integrated. Why is this?

Decent solar panels are VERY very expensive and can take a decade to get a return on investment.

Thailand with nuclear energy would be like Homer Simpson running a nuke plant, hell they can't even lay a decent pavement or install safe electrical systems.

But Homer Simpson does run a Nuclear plant

Well the prices are 50 euro cents a watt from 3 euro a few years ago. There is no better financial investment than a solar farm in Thailand at the moment. roi is as good as ever, particularly with lpg prices rising.

But why they aren't integrating more into new builds and selling excess back to the grid i don't know.

[spirit47]

Thailand with nuclear energy would be like Homer Simpson running a nuke plant, hell they can't even lay a decent pavement or install safe electrical systems.

They are already running a nuclear reactor.. and manage to run chemical plants, oil refineries, car manufacturing plants, natural gas etc without too many problems,,,but I understand what your saying Thai's are only good for picking rice in the paddies...

You mean "Rungthai" cars? They manage plants? This land is ful of managers and farmers, but the problem is, there are only a few professional craftsman.

See the reality...Nobody needs Manager here...

[spirit47]

What does a manager, with one screwdriver? Nothing. What he does with two screwdrivers? Eat rice.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

It may work if all employees at the plant are from outside Thailand (included the cleaners) and a Western company build the plant, but I think they will screw it up sooner or later any way, god bless us all.

[Unkomoncents]

Thailand with nuclear energy would be like Homer Simpson running a nuke plant, hell they can't even lay a decent pavement or install safe electrical systems.

They are already running a nuclear reactor.. and manage to run chemical plants, oil refineries, car manufacturing plants, natural gas etc without too many problems,,,but I understand what your saying Thai's are only good for picking rice in the paddies...

Because Thais are known the world over for their intellectual and scientific prowess. In fact, now that I think about it, before I moved to Thailand, I'd never known so many astronauts, Nobel laureates and scholars. What's the output of that reactor compared to any reactor in an industrialized country? I believe I remember reading that Thailand's nuclear reactor is more an about-face than a practical solution (Thailand's nuclear reactor is relatively expensive to operate but generates a tiny, tiny percentage of the country's electricity). Funny thing because Thailand has had no wars, no natural disasters (the floods in Bangkok, as his Dear Majesty the King noted, are completely man-made), and massive surpluses of food and, yet, somehow, I'm fairly confident that Thailand will never come close to managing the complexity that the Japanese have been coping with for decades. It's a good thing too, because, while I'm confident you're right and the Thais are consistently on top of everything (meaning nothing), somehow I'm not willing to buy into the ideas at the heart of your post: I think trading chickens for SAAB aircraft (see Thaksin's ridiculous idea with a quick Google search) is perfect way of summarising the Thai problem.

Edited October 9, 2012 by Unkomoncents

[steveyinasia]

"said the first-car scheme was like shifting into reverse".....That's Thai politics for you.....4 reverse gears and one forward.

[h90]

Thailand with nuclear energy would be like Homer Simpson running a nuke plant, hell they can't even lay a decent pavement or install safe electrical systems.

They are already running a nuclear reactor.. and manage to run chemical plants, oil refineries, car manufacturing plants, natural gas etc without too many problems,,,but I understand what your saying Thai's are only good for picking rice in the paddies...

did you miss the series of accidents in chemical plants?

[AleG]

It's a tragedy, a true tragedy, what we have the technology to produce cheap, safe, clean energy that would last thousands of years yet we are stuck with polluting, environmentally destroying alternatives because of ignorance.

If Thailand really wants to get her act together they should spearhead the use of Thorium reactors for energy production.