Int'l bidders to contest for Thailand's new energy exploration

BANGKOK, February 14 (TNA) - International bidders, 13 of them so far, including a French firm, will contest in Thailand's 21st round of bidding on concessions for oil and gas exploration. Deputy Prime Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula told journalists of the update, following his talks with French Ambassador to Thailand Thierry Viteau at Bangkok's Government House on Friday (Feb 13). MR Pridiyathorn said the French top envoy told him that France will participate in the bidding, through a company called Total Co., Ltd. MR Pridiyathorn announced that bid applications will have to be submitted by February 18, 2015, as the Ministry of Energyis amending the Petroleum Act, in which the Thai government will switch to a production sharing system, instead of concession as practiced now, as proposed by academics and activists who claim that the current practice has put Thailand at a disadvantage. According to the deputy prime minister, he also invited France to join in an investment plan on the development of a new bus system in Bangkok, with bidding to be held later. (TNA)