Bangkok: "Attawich" has voiced criticism against the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for its perceived distortion of the energy structure and has urged the Ministry of Energy to promote "liberalized solar power" in order to alleviate public burden. Dr. Atthawich Suwannabhakdi, an MP from the Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party, made these remarks during a debate on the 2027 budget bill for the Ministry of Energy.
According to Thai News Agency, Dr. Atthawich highlighted that despite the Ministry of Energy receiving the smallest regular budget among all ministries, it has been allocated significant funds this year from the 200 billion baht Energy Transition Loan Act and an additional 12 billion baht from the central budget to address the ongoing energy crisis. He recommended a 1% cut to the ministry's regular budget to enhance budget justification.
Dr. Atthawich pointed out the declining revenue of the Ministry of Energy, which has seen a decrease from 83 billion baht to approximately 70 billion baht, due to the exhaustion of major gas fields like Bongkot and Erawan. He called for expedited exploration of new deep-sea gas fields in the Andaman Sea and the promotion of the Thai-Malaysian Joint Development Area (JDA) to boost revenue.
He expressed concerns regarding the energy regulatory structure, which he believes has been skewed since the privatization of PTT. The lack of a dedicated regulatory body for the privatized oil business and the changes in the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) have resulted in a significant reduction in EGAT's electricity production share, from 77% in 2000 to 31% currently, with private power producers gaining market share.
Dr. Atthawich proposed that EGAT acquire biomass power plants nearing shutdown to help reduce agricultural waste burning and alleviate the PM2.5 dust problem, aligning with the Go Green policy. He also suggested establishing a Data Center industrial park, with EGAT collaborating with the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) to attract the semiconductor industry and the digital economy.
On the issue of electricity bills for tenants in dormitories and apartments, Dr. Atthawich proposed adjusting the billing system to directly cover tenants. He also advocated for the passage of a solar energy liberalization law to streamline the permit process, potentially reducing installation costs for solar power plants and enabling the Ministry of Energy's projects to progress.
Additionally, Dr. Atthawich recommended a 3% budget cut for the Department of Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce, and questioned measures addressing the palm oil issue following the Fuel Fund Act of 2019, which ends subsidies for bio-blended fuels by September 2026. He urged the committee to seriously consider this issue to mitigate potentially lower palm oil prices.