BANGKOK, 26 July 2015 – A member of the National Reform Council (NRC) has highlighted the need for Southern Thailand to increase its power reserves to handle its rapidly growing demand.
In the wake of the recent outcry by the anti-coal power plant group in Krabi Province, NRC member for energy Mr. Manoon Siriwan commented that Southern Thailand could face power shortages in the next few years, if the region still relied on existing sources only.
According to Mr. Manoon, Southern provinces’ power usage has jumped five percent per year or about 200 megawatts, which is the second highest of the country following Bangkok. With the ratio of the yearly electricity production to consumption being 2,800: 2,300, there is the possibility that the region might experience an energy crisis in three years’ time.
However, the NRC member did not state openly if he advocated the much-debated construction of a coal power plant, but suggested that critics of coal-derived power help look for new energy sources that were more sustainable.
Mr. Manoon, also an energy expert, remarked that the palm oil-based energy production recommended by conservationists could be an eco-friendly alternative, but it could lead to price fluctuation in the event of material shortages. He indicated that consumers would bear the brunt of the unpredictable cost of this kind of renewable energy at the end of the day.
