Gas rate is under review

"The rate of Bt21.4 per million BTU approved by the previous government is not yet effective and it was approved when the commission was not functioning fully. We therefore need to review the rate and launch a new public hearing," said commission chairman Direk Lawansiri.

Currently, PTT charges Bt19.4 per million BTU, inclusive of the rates of Bt7.94 for offshore pipelines and Bt11.46 for onshore pipelines. The new transmission rate must be set to factor in PTT's additional investment in a third pipeline, which has increased the overall operating cost.

Direk said that the commission is in the middle of issuing six sets of regulations on energy business licences under the Energy Business Act BE 2007. The regulations will oversee the generating and transmission grids undertaken by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, Metropolitan Electricity Authority and Provincial Electricity Authority, as well as private companies. Natural gas pipelines operated by PTT and other companies will come under the regulations. Under the new energy law, the commission has taken over the issuing of licences from several agencies.