Thailand believed to survive energy crisis in April

BANGKOK, February 22 (TNA) - Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan says if all parties join forces to cut power usage, he believes that Thailand will survive a national energy crisis in April 2013, when neighbouring Myanmar temporarily suspends its gas exports for maintenance of its production bases. As Thailand may face a national energy crisis from April 5-14, due to Myanmar's suspension of its gas supply, Charupong told journalists on Friday that the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) plans to buy more electricity from other neighbouring countries, including Laos, and increase power generation from hydropower, coal-fired and fuel oil-fired plants to meet domestic power demand. According to the interior minister, all concerned parties will soon have a new meeting, in which he will also participate and the Ministry of Energy and the EGAT will take leading roles, to discuss measures to cope with the possible energy crisis. The interior minister acknowledged that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has ordered all agencies in the public sector to cut their power usage, suggesting that people should not panic because the government is preparing measures to cope with the situation, and that Thailand will survive the possible energy crisis if all parties join forces to save energy. (TNA)