Anand says his government did its b

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Anand says his government did its best 

It tried to develop gas fields in Gulf

Chakrit Ridmontri
Bangkok Post
Feb. 17, 1998

The chairman of the panel organising hearings into the
Thai-Burmese gas pipeline project yesterday felt compelled to
respond to a statement made by project opponents which
referred to the government he once led.

During the third day of the scheduled 10-day hearing by the
public information panel, opponents tried to prove that there
were enough gas reserves in the Gulf of Thailand to render the
pipeline from Burma unnecessary.

They said past governments had neglected to develop the
reserves, particularly from fields in the Thai-Malaysia Joint
Development Area, while pressing ahead with the Thai-Burmese
project which was potentially harmful to the environment.

Former prime minister Anand Panyarachun, who chairs the
panel, responded:

"Past governments, especially the Anand 1 administration, tried
to develop the gas exploration with Malaysia, but little was
achieved. The Thai-Malaysia project has just begun because our
partner just has the need to develop it."

He said the incident indicated that the government had to spend
decades to acquire gas for the country.

Mr Anand replied to the opponents' argument that the reserves
in the gas fields in the Gulf were enough for the country's energy
needs, especially during this economic slowdown, saying he
wanted the group to produce evidence to back up their claim.

"You have to be aware that the gas reserves which you claim to
be plentiful in the Gulf are only an estimation. We will know
which gas field we can develop and use only when we can prove
that the cited gas quantity exists," he said.

The panel was appointed by Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai last
week to sort out differences about the project details between
groups opposing the project and the Petroleum Authority of
Thailand (PTT), the state enterprise in charge of pipeline laying.

Mr Anand asked an opposition representative to withdraw his
words after accusing the PTT of cheating on the gas price.

Withoon Permpongsacharoen, secretary-general of the
Ecological Recovery Foundation, charged that the PTT distorted
the gas price it would sell the Electricity Generating Authority of
Thailand.

Egat is the sole customer of the pipeline, taking all 550 million
cubic feet of gas per day to feed its 4,600 megawatt power plant
in Ratchaburi.

Mr Withoon accused the PTT of adding the cost of building the
pipeline from the Gulf as well as the Thai-Burmese pipeline itself.

"Please withdraw you words, which undermine the dignity of the
PTT," Mr Anand said, adding that he had to breach the etiquette
of the chairman in interfering in the testimony because the
accusation was groundless.

The PTT admitted on the second day of the hearing that it misled
the public in saying that the pipeline construction must be
completed by July 1 or pay a hefty fine.

The state company now said it could start taking gas delivery as
late as August 1 without incurring the fine.

The PTT admitted that Egat may not be able to finish building the
power plant by July 1, the first day of gas delivery.