• 
• 

Published on November 25, 2007

The SPP programme requires utilities to purchase electricity generated from efficient decentralised combined heat and power (CHP) plants. CHP can lead to huge reductions in fuel consumption by utilising waste heat from electricity production. I asked, "I understand from a recent Ministry of Energy presentation that 31 CHP applications totalling over 2,400MW of have been submitted. But that the ministry has capped CHP at 500MW. Is this understanding correct? If so, why has CHP been capped - considering industry's vigorous enthusiasm to build these clean, efficient plants? Finally, how does this relate to the ministry's power development plan, which includes only 200MW per year of CHP?"

Piyasvasti said: "It's true that that Ministry of Energy received over 2,400MW of applications from CHP. But some of these have transmission constraints. We have accepted nine of these projects without transmission constraints, totalling 740MW. Also, we have to await the outcome of the IPP bidding process, which will be determined in December."

That's an interesting response. Regarding transmission constraints, while it may be possible that transmission presents a constraint in special cases, it wouldn't be expected to be prohibitive in the majority of cases (22 out of 31). Indeed, international experience is that combined heat and power (like other distributed generation technologies), requires far less transmission investment than centralised generation - because CHP is smaller and geographically distributed in ways that tend to better match loads.

Looking deeper, "transmission constraints" is an excuse often given by utilities to kill competition. Who controls transmission in Thailand? Egat. Who also owns most of the generation in the country and is in the process of building thousands of megawatts more? Egat. The claim of "transmission constraints" should be thoroughly investigated by an independent group that does not have a vested interest in the Thai electricity-generation business.

His other answer, that "we have to wait for the results from the IPP bidding process", reveals a lot about his allegiances. The Independent Power Producer (IPP) bidding process is for 3,200MW of large coal and natural gas power plants that are at most 40 per cent efficient (the best coal plants) to 55 per cent efficient (the best combined cycle gas turbine natural-gas plants). By comparison, CHP plants are routinely 80 per cent or more efficient.

Why does small, efficient, decentralised CHP take second place in the queue behind large, comparatively inefficient, centralised power plants?

Earlier in his talk, Dr Piyasvasti said, "It is dangerous and irresponsible to deny energy options to address climate change".

I hope that he takes his own words into account when considering clean and efficient CHP in Thailand.

Chris Greacen

Director

Palang Thai

Bangkok

Loy Krathong is and always has been about fun

Re: "Less spiritual, more fun", News, November 23.

Do we have to assume a prissy and pious attitude over fun festivals such as Loy Krathong?

False piety, false modesty are the attitudes of the repressed and the guilt-ridden and most Thais are certainly not that way, and certainly not with our festivals.

Loy Krathong, the most joyous and fun of our festivals, has never been associated with "spirituality". In fact, none of our festivals are, including Loy Krathong, Songkran and Raek Na Kwan (the Royal Ploughing Ceremony). They are all a celebration of life.

Loy Krathong comes at the end of long, hard months of rice tending and harvesting. All the work is done and thus it is time to celebrate. The moon is full, and so are the rivers and canals, let us have fun.

Being a generous-hearted people, Thais always combine a little charity with our merry-making, thus we put a few coins in our krathongs since we know children will dive in and fight for them, making it all the merrier.

Floating our sins away - just in case we had any - is just a sure way of even happier days to come, and besides, we have Mother Water, Mother Earth etc, to look after us and keep us happy.

Even the ordinary Thai in the street understands that Nang Noppamas was a fictitious lady, invented to make Loy Krathong even more romantic. But even she started Loy Krathong for festivities' sake, which tourists have now come to enjoy.

So why do we have to put up with all this prissy talk, and see more and more "educated" Thais having to become all academic and pious about it.

Soon, there will be consternation from all "enlightened" quarters about how Thai villagers celebrate, say, a kathin ceremony in a temple and then go straight back home and kill a cow and make merry all night, what with us being Buddhists and all!

But look at it from another angle and you may see that for a villager to kill a cow or a buffalo is really to share his most prized belonging with others, and what is the point of "spirituality" without generosity of heart. I feel that it is ingrained in us Thais to be "spiritual".

Sunida

Bangkok

Military option can't be ruled out in Burma

The military junta in Burma is playing their usual games with the UN and Aung San Suu Kyi. UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari waited several days to personally deliver a private letter from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, but Than Shwe refused to meet him. To add insult to injury, the day Gambari left Burma, Than Shwe was seen on Burmese television seeing off his puppet prime minister at the airport as he left on a state visit to Laos. This episode was broadcast on nationwide television in America, on prime time, on the Public Broadcasting Network on November 8. Despite being treated rudely, Gambari pretends that his recent mission to Burma was successful.

Suu Kyi's policy of attempting to engage in dialogue with a dictator has accomplished nothing after almost 20 years. She is now being treated like a toy by the junta and used as "window dressing" in their propaganda war.

Asean is being held hostage by its investments in Burma. This is why the Philippine president was the only Asean leader who demanded the release of Suu Kyi. The Philippines does not have any significant investments in Burma. The UN can't help us. Asean, China and India won't help us. This is why we need surplus US army weapons and ammunition for 30 days of combat to fight for control of Rangoon. 

The restoration of freedom and democracy in Burma will require that all options, including the military option, be considered.

Myint Thein

Senior Adviser to the Burmese Resistance

dallas, texas

An appeal to taxpayers is not an appeal to everyone

Re: "No shock that people are willing to sell votes", Letters, November 24.

Populist policies put into practice by the government have proven popular with the poor during past administrations. The Bt30 healthcare scheme, the "one million cattle" plan and proposed education scholarships come to mind. This election campaign has seen promises of biblical proportions that cannot possibly come to fruition.

Eric Bahrt includes the promise to lower taxes as an example of a populist policy, however that policy should not be included in this group as published reports indicate that only about 5 per cent of voters actually pay their taxes.

David Barkdull

Bangkok