FTI urges government to restore business confidence after worst blackout in over 30 years

BANGKOK, 28 May 2013 (NNT) – The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) is planning to present a set of measures to the government, in hopes of restoring investor confidence after last week’s blackout in the South.

FTI President Payungsak Chartsutipol said on Monday that the widespread blackout in 14 southern provinces on May 21 has considerably dented business confidence as numerous tourism businesses and industries are located in the region.

In order to restore confidence, the FTI is planning to ask the government to prepare sufficient electricity reserves for the whole country, set up efficient electricity system, and promote the use of renewable energy and public participation in electricity management.

Mr. Payungsak said he will meet with the Energy Minister to discuss these proposals next week.

President of the FIT – Southern Office Peera Petchpanich commented that the blackout, which was the biggest Thailand has experienced in over 30 years, might not have caused much damage to the industrial sector as the incident took place after operating hours, investor and business confidence has inevitably been affected.

Mr. Peera stated the frozen food business was the hardest-affected while more data on the damage is being collected before it is presented to related agencies later.


-- NNT 2013-05-28

Not the first time the Thai public has been kept in the dark

I thought the blackout was caused by a lightning strike that was nobody's fault?

Even the beautiful Ms Yingluck cannot control the gods.

Thailand is falling. into total darkness...

Quiet obviously the business concerned were all carrying fusion insurance , probably the same one's that never calculated each year for wage increases in their forward planning, and when the increases came along after 15 years, they all cried.

Not the first time the Thai public has been kept in the dark

+1 (I'm out of "likes.")

While the steps listed sound reasonable, they are not the sort of thing achieved overnight, 5 years is a more likely time frame. By which time electricity demand will have increased ~40%.

Einstein had a theory that if you ran around a tree at increasing speed, as you approach that of light you could f##k yourself. Voting PTP will do the same, more easily.

So, in a bid to restore confidence the Government have announced today

Mr Surapong said Thailand will also propose public utility development and energy cooperation including Thailand’s offer to sell electricity to Cambodia from 80 megawatts to 120 megawatts

Details on another thread,

That should help solve the countries electricity shortage then


I am not sure the left hand knows what the right hand is doing come to think of it, I am not sure if anybody at all knows what they are doing.

Edited May 28, 201313 yr by GentlemanJim

We have an esteem member that claims the Thai infrastucture is growing by leaps and bounds.

So, in a bid to restore confidence the Government have announced today

Mr Surapong said Thailand will also propose public utility development and energy cooperation including Thailand’s offer to sell electricity to Cambodia from 80 megawatts to 120 megawatts

Details on another thread,

That should help solve the countries electricity shortage then

I am not sure the left hand knows what the right hand is doing come to think of it, I am not sure if anybody at all knows what they are doing.

I 'm not sure!

that is not a blackout...

this is a blackout...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_blackout_of_2003

Measures issued to tackle power blackout
By English News



BANGKOK, May 28 – A new contingency plan for power blackouts demands a snap decision within seven seconds to nip the problem in the bud, according to preliminary instructions by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

The ERC yesterday set up an ad hoc committee to work on providing a clear line of command, measures to tackle blackout and the “centre of authority” for making an immediate decision.

The resolution came in the wake of last Tuesday’s blanket power outage in Thailand’s 14 southern provinces after a high-power transmission line which supplied electricity from the central region was struck by lightning.

The ERC yesterday met decision makers of three power agencies – the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), the Metropolitan Electricity Authority and the Provincial Electricity Authority.

ERC chairman Direk Lavansiri said the line of command including a decision within seven seconds was part of the measures to ensure power stability and public’s confidence in the nation’s electrical power system.

Last Tuesday’s power blackout spread to 14 provinces due to unclear lines of command and decision-making procedures.

Pallapa Ruangrong, an ERC member, said the outage was possibly caused by natural phenomenon beyond human control.

If it is EGAT’s fault, the ERC will demand compensation from the agency, she said.

Payungsak Chartsuthipol, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), said the blackout has shaken investors’ confidence and caused damage to their businesses.

The FTI will wrap up the total damages and called on the Energy Ministry to ensure sufficient power reserves nationwide, he said.

The Federation of Southern Industries initially estimated the damages in 14 provinces at Bt300 million, he said. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-05-28

Thailand already imports gas for electricity generation from Burma and electricity from Laos when the new dam is complete. There is no authorised plan for new power stations at the moment. Some fanciful talk among MP's of going for nuclear power generation but is not policy or planned. The really big issue here, in respect to creating

back-up and flexibility, is the absense of spare generating capacity. (I mean there is none nor can there be at the moment) This is because of the absence of a national energy strategy and

the fact that Thailand already consumes all of the avaiable Gas supply. In due course this should be ameliorated when Chevron Thailand completes the Gas production platforms N-East of Ko Samui and/or the reserves in the Gulf along the Thai Cambodian border are proven and on line.

Edited May 31, 201313 yr by indyuk