Thai government prioritizes national interest in petroleum concession

BANGKOK, February 23 (TNA) - The government bases its decision on national interest and takes all relevant factors into consideration regarding its new-round petroleum concession. Thai Deputy Government Spokesman Major General Sansern Kaewkamnerd told journalists of the policy on Monday, elaborating that the government will take timeframes, national energy security, investors' confidence and investment worthiness into account. The deputy spokesman stressed that the final decision of the issue is the authority of the government, which is open to public opinions but it will not tolerate any demonstration on the issue. The deputy spokesman said he expects that a joint committee should be formed within this week to discuss pros and cons of the Thai government's 21st round of petroleum concession, as Minister Attached to the Prime Minister's Office ML Panadda Diskul was inviting concerned parties to sit in the panel. The deputy spokesman foresaw that about 10-15 representatives of the Ministry of Energy, opponents to new petroleum concessions, academics and legal experts should be in the committee, expected by Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha to finally find a way out of the issue. According to the deputy spokesman, everything that will happen in the committee will be a common stance and will be proposed for the prime minister to make a decision before March 16, 2015, noting that the prime minister does not want to make a decision without listening to opinions of concerned parties. (TNA)