Coup will not derail PTT's expansion
PTT Plc president Prasert Bunsumpun said yesterday that last month's coup would not interfere with his company's expansion plans.
"Our existing refineries, gas-separation plants and petroleum plants have been running at full capacity, while industrial demand is on the rise. No matter what government says, energy investment is essential to substitute for imports."However, the investment must be carried out with a keener focus on alternative fuels and effective energy consumption," Prasert said during a visit to PTT's Nakhon Si Thammarat's gas-separation plant. He said that while PTT stood ready to testify in Administrative Court in the case involving its state-enterprise status, the new government may not have time to look into the matter, as it has more urgent issues to attend to. Meanwhile, the Energy Ministry will soon submit its framework of policies to the new government. Among them are the second round of bidding for power plants, the construction of another natural-gas pipeline and the upcoming ban on sales of 95-octane petrol. "The cancellation of 95-octane petrol will take place on January 1, 2007, as planned. But the deadline depends on the new government's judgement," said Energy permanent secretary Pornchai Rujiprapha. The Nation
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