Greenpeace calls for Samui and Pa-ngan Islands to use renewable energy

SURAT THANI, THAILAND, December 7 (TNA) - After a nearly-four-day blackout on Koh Samui and Koh Pha-ngan islands, Greenpeace Southeast Asia has called for the use of renewable energy on the renowned tourist attractive islands in Thailand's southern resort Surat Thani province to boost their energy security. A Greenpeace co-ordinator in Southeast Asia, Natwipa Ewsakul, suggested Friday if renewable energy, namely solar and wind energy, are added to the power system of the two resort islands, they will have more stable power supply, acknowledging that the blackout earlier this week showed the management of their existing power system needs to be improved. Natwipa pointed that the power supply system on the Samui and Pha-ngan Islands has been centred and has relied heavily on the provincial mainland so far. Natwipa noted, citing a study on wind energy from Surat Thani to Songkhla Provinces conducted by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), that wind in the area could produce around 10,000 megawatts of electricity. The Greenpeace regional co-ordinator said if such the two types of renewable energy were added to the existing power system, it would not only relieve the two islands' reliance on the provincial mainland power system, but it would also enhance their power security and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation which acts to help change people's attitudes and behaviours to conserve the environment and to promote peace. (TNA)