Thai aims for Asean's electricty trading hub

BANGKOK: Thailand aims to become an electricity trading hub in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Thai News
Agency (TNA) reported.

Energy Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal made the remarks at a seminar on The Power Grid Development in Thailand, organised here on Thursday by Thailand Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

He noted that Thailand has potential to become an electricity trading hub in the region by connecting its power grid with other Asean member countries, including Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Pongsak pointed out that the power networking will result in mutual benefits and expanded cooperation among Asean member states, as well as the development of standard electricity grids and adequate power supply in the region.

He however noted that it is necessary to woo public support for the construction of more coal-fired, hydropower and nuclear power plants in the country, as the Gulf of Thailand is foreseen to run out of natural gas over the next nine years.

"70 per cent of electricity generation in the Kingdom now depends on natural gas. So we need to look for alternative energy for domestic power production," he added.-- Bernama