No Electricity Shortage Likely During Songkran: Energy Minister

[webfact]

Energy Minister: "No electricity shortage likely during Songkran"

BANGKOK, 8 April 2013 (NNT) – The Energy Ministry is confident that there will be no power shortage during this year’s Songkran festival while stressing the need for Thailand to seek alternative power sources.

Minister of Energy Pongsak Ruktapongpisal spoke during the weekly “PM Yingluck Government Meets the People” TV program on Saturday that the country’s overall electricity consumption on April 5, which was the first day of Myanmar’s gas delivery suspension, was lower than predicted due to cooperation from all sectors in saving energy.

The suspension of natural gas from Myanmar, scheduled during April 5 and 14, is feared to cause power outage in the country.

Mr. Pongsak stated the government will continue the power savings campaign while keeping a close watch on Myanmar’s gas pipeline maintenance.

The minister believes the annual maintenance will be completed on schedule, or April 14.

Mr. Pongsak added the government will urgently inform the public of its plan to seek alternative power sources for electricity generation, which includes the construction of new power plants and the natural gas-powered electricity generation, in order for Thailand to achieve sustainable energy security in the future.

-- NNT 2013-04-08

[Bluespunk]

That's not what he said yesterday. Has he been told to play the 'every things ok' card?

[Locationthailand]

A complete back flip from their ridiculous knee jerk reaction.

[Pib]

Let's see, a few weeks ago numerous officials were saying the electricity sky is falling, the electricity sky is falling, etc. Update: never mind, sorry we bothered everyone.

[Bluespunk]

hmmm, power just went off for couple of minutes in my building, thin end of the wedge?

[siampolee]

No chance Bluespunk, someone obviously forgot to put a shilling in the meter.

[MaxLee]

Songkran, the day in which the people of Thailand use electricity and water the most, because of,..... NOT aircon (alone), BUT, BUT, BUT,..... ESPECIALLY,...... GUESS WHAT,..........WATER PUMPS

It would be very hard to convince people NOT to use too much electricity, if their mindset is in party mode,...

BTW, in Samut Prakan, where I live, nothing with blackout yet....

Edited April 8, 2013 by MaxLee

[Ragzilb]

Just like the word Likely, kind a covers any incident

Edited April 8, 2013 by Ragzilb

[DocN]

Hmmmm...Songkran...

Open doors and running air-con and fans, big stereos out on the streets, water pumps, freezers to make ice for drinks and splashing- water....

Okay, everything is fine!

[h90]

Songkran, the day in which the people of Thailand use electricity and water the most, because of,..... NOT aircon (alone), BUT, BUT, BUT,..... ESPECIALLY,...... GUESS WHAT,..........WATER PUMPS:cheesy:

It would be very hard to convince people NOT to use too much electricity, if their mindset is in party mode,...

BTW, in Samut Prakan, where I live, nothing with blackout yet....

But factories and offices are closed.

With what industrial machines consume, specially if they heat something with electric you can run a lot pumps.

And not to forget the people on the streets don't use aircons.

[Thai at Heart]

I hope they got likely and unlikely translated correctly

[Bluespunk]

No chance Bluespunk, someone obviously forgot to put a shilling in the meter.

Would that someone be EGAT? ;-)

[rubl]

So we may safely ignore the previous warning, the one from four days ago?

[livinthailandos]

From all the mixed messages that get put out all the time I would only say this

never believe anything they say and only be 100% reliant on yourself. these points are especially ingrained even more into me now after being on koh samui last year and having no electricity for 3 days.

[OzMick]

The real question is not whether there will there be blackouts, but will there be more than usual.