Thailand to host “FUTURE ENERGY ASIA 2018”

BANGKOK, April 5 (TNA) - Thailand will, for the first time, host the “FUTURE ENERGY ASIA 2018” forum, through which at least 1.5 billion baht will be spent by participating parties. Thai Permanent Secretary for Energy Areepong Bhoocha-oom told a press conference in Tokyo on Wednesday during the GASTECH event that his ministry, in cooperation with Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and DMG Company, will host the next “FUTURE ENERGY ASIA” forum in the Thai Kingdom during December 12-14, 2018. Areepong said it has been estimated that combined energy demand among member countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should increase by 35 per cent by 2035, from the current level, in line with the growing regional economy. Based on a latest assessment of the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA), Areepong acknowledged that 60 per cent of a total fund of about 44 trillion US dollars needed for acquiring new energy in 2040 should still be relied on fossil sources, namely natural gas, coal and oil. Areepong pointed out that most ASEAN member economies remain depending on their agricultural sectors, including Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Thailand, their self-reliance through crop-based alternative energy, among others, should, thus, be promoted and supported to ease their dependence on imported energy and to sustain their balanced energy and economic development. According to the senior Thai official, participants in the “FUTURE ENERGY ASIA 2018” forum will include decision makers, producers and traders of energy products and technologies to jointly discuss approaches to serve rising energy demand in the region in a balanced way, taking both economic development and environmental conservation into consideration. Meanwhile, TCEB Director-General Charuwan Suwansart estimated that the “FUTURE ENERGY ASIA 2018” forum should welcome about 3,000 participants from a number of Asian countries who should also spend at least 1.5 billion baht, excluding the value of their energy trade deals consequently. (TNA)