Thailand to host AMER 2017 in early November

BANGKOK, October 16 (TNA) - Thailand, through the Ministry of Energy, will host the Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable (AMER) 2017 in Bangkok during November 1-3, in which energy ministers and delegates of 36 countries and 20 leading international organizations will discuss energy issues comprehensively. Thai Energy Minister General Anantaporn Kanjanarat told journalists on Monday that the 7th AMER will be held at the Shangri-La Hotel in the capital under the theme of "Global Energy Markets in Transition : From Vision to Action", as the participating ministers and delegates, including those of major oil and gas exporting and importing countries in the Middle East, the ASEAN Community (AC) and other Asian countries, will exchange their views on the regional energy situation, covering the oil and gas markets and a transition to the wider use of alternative energy and the relevant disruptive technology. For the oil market, General Anantaporn said that the upcoming three-day AMER will discuss stronger cooperation among member countries of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and impacts on the world and regional oil prices from the changing situation in several areas. For the gas market, General Anantaporn revealed that the upcoming AMER will discuss the development and the updated situation of liquefied natural gas (LNG), including the opening of a central LNG market in the region with the establishment of the LNG central price index in the future. Besides, the 7th AMER will discuss the transition to the alternative energy in the region, covering the wider use of the solar rooftop system and electric vehicles and the development of the energy storage system for the alternative energy, which should benefit Thailand, where there is a clear official policy on the more utilization of alternative energy. According to the energy minister, all Thais should be proud that Bangkok has been selected to host the 7th AMER and to work together with the International Energy Forum (IEF), reflecting Thailand's potential and leading role in the development and utilization of alternative energy, as well as energy conservation in the region due to the government's clear energy policy and plans, namely the Thailand Integrated Energy Blueprint (TIEB) and the Energy 4.0 Policy. (TNA)