Energy ministry plans to encourage NGV use

Energy Minister Poonpirom Liptapanlop said Deputy Permanent Secretary Norkhun Sittipong would be in charge of the plan, which would include a proposed sum for investment. The road map will include strategies for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Royal Thai Army to find locations for new NGV stations. It would also entail medium and long-term development plans.

"Our mission is to have an NGV station every 175 kilometres nationwide," she said.

Standard engine retrofit garages would also be increased in number from 30 at present. While the short-term measures under the plan would be completed in July, the medium-term and long-term plans should be accomplished at the end of this year and 2012, respectively.

NGV consumption now totals 1,600 tonnes per day and it would be increased to 2,281 tonnes in July and 5,000 tonnes at the end of the year. Easing the higher demand would be new stations along the gas pipelines to serve large vehicles.

High energy prices are also forcing the industrial sector to adjust technology, hence sparking the demand for energy technocrats.

According to Bundit Fungthammasan, director of the Graduate School of Energy and Environment at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, from 140 graduates with master's and doctoral degrees, one-third are now working for the industrial sector. Normally they become lecturers.

He noted that the government should prioritise which recyclable power sources should be promoted in relation to the potential of each.