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Last week The Nation reported:
The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) is ready to invest at least US$6 billion (Bt208 billion) in two nuclear power plants in line with the power development plan, which includes the generation of 4,000 megawatts of nuclear power.
Perhaps I have not been paying attention, but this important story seems to have passed without much comment. A rather alarmed New Mandala reader alerted me to the story a few days ago:
I find it surprising that the junta has unilaterally decided that Thailand should have nuclear power, and that nobody in either the local or international stages has raised any concerns. What’s the vocal Thai environmental movement up to? Can any undemocratic country start nuke plans and not raise any concerns from the international community, just as long as they’re not N. Korea or Iran? Should the junta be making a decision that future governments for the next few decades will have to followup on? Are nukes consistent with self-sufficiency? Where are they going to build it, and will residents near the plant have any say?
Well said.
Who will actually operate the plants — Thailand does not have the manpower? Where is Egat going to store the waste, which will have to be taken very good care of for hundreds of years? I shudder seeing the mai pen rai attitude applied to nuclear power plants…
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I volunteer South Australia for the waste!
Haha, a SECURATIZED Thailand. Imagine if the peaceful Buddhists get a weapon! Have they signed the NPT?
Srithanonchai, with this mai pen rai attitude you speak of, how long would it take EGAT to build one of these plants??
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Srithanonchai is right to be skeptical. Thailand’s coal-fired power stations have already caused significant environmental degradation. The past record of EGAT gives no cause for confidence.
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It seems that key background documents were removed from the Ministry of Energy’s website just prior to the announcement of a public hearing on the nuclear power plants. The public hearing itself was held in a military compound surrounded by over a hundred armed soldiers.
Not surprising of Dr. Piyasawat – typical aristrocratic way of running things.
http://www.palangthai.org/en/story/83
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Well India has proven recently that the US won’t sign a free trade pact and allow your mangoes into the US unless there is a nuclear threat looming in the background, so I suppose going nuclear will be all the rage in the next “Doha” round.
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The nuclear issue is way overblown. Environmentalists like Greenpeace will rise up to defeat the nuclear power plant in no time. Don’t worry, it’s still at least 15 years away. This government will be long gone before any real decision is made, despite whatever the ever-changing Power Development Plan says now.
The real issue that Thailand needs to take seriously is its heavy dependence on natural gas for energy. While people are so opposed to coal, they appear to have no problem relying on gas imports from the military regime in Burma and an Islamist regime in Iran for the country’s electricity in the future. Thailand must think of its own national security, which should trump environmental needs at this stage of its development. It need not bear the cross, particularly when no other country is.
Besides, the environmental concerns of coal are not what they used to be. Sure, Egat’s first attempt in Mae Mo with lignite was a disaster for locals. But Thailand can learn from its mistakes and import cleaner coals from Indonesia and use technology that will make the environmental impact less severe. Malaysia, which also was formerly heavily dependent on natural gas, shifted to coal a few years ago because it knew the risks involved of relying too heavily on one fuel source, particularly with the geopolitical risks involved.
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locke, Thailand never learns from its mistakes. We repeat and aggravate our mistakes, and hope that good rhetoric will produce good outcomes. Witness the coup.
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Before pointing one’s finger at Thailand one should remember that there are already countries with civil nuclear capacities in the region like Vietnam for example.
Even Myanmar seems to be bargaining a deal with Russia to develop a ‘civil’ program.
Besides nuclear energy in Thailand is not coming out of the blue.Under Taksin’s government it was already discussed.
Nevertheless Thailand should be cautious not to scare some of its stakeholders. Tourism may suffer from a backlash if the plants are not wisely located.
But one should not forget that taming nuclear energy requires a strong technological basis. So the whole Thai industry may profit from such a development in the long term.
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Well know that the non-privatisation of Thai state firms is enshrined in law, a better question would be where on earth would EGAT get the money to build said power stations.
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Nobody is reacting…. because we all know that it’s utter bullshit.
It’s enough to read the comment of their propaganda bureau (TNA) : “When the construction is finished, the cost of producing electricity at the nuclear power plant will stay at Bt2.01 per unit, lower than the Bt2.05 per unit of the electricity produced by conventional coal-fired power plants.”
Basically, they would like us to believe that they know what will be the price of electricity in… 2020 !
It’s pathetic.
It’s just another toy-idea, like thai authorities have often, that will lead to some committees, sub-panels and a lot of working meetings along with studies, for the next 20 years.
In other words : a source of income.
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Re Locke’s remark:”Thailand must think of its own national security, which should trump environmental needs at this stage of its development.” I am truly horrified by this sentiment. The greatest risk to national security is present orgy of environmental destruction which will lead to internal displacements and unrest. Too often “national security” is effectively just an investment in stability, but stability becomes your greatest weakness when the ground is shifting under your feet (e.g. demographic change, resources depleted, rainfall patterns shifted etc.). What is needed is an approach of managed dynamic strategic planning and constructive cooperation. “national security” will descend into defending a shrinking pot, and will lead Thailand down the Burma road.
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Yeah, I saw that too, when it appeard in the breaking news of the nation. I was gonna send it to my friends, but then I thought it’s just all hot air. It’s a big step from producing tuk tuks to nuclear reactors and bombs.
On the other side with the help of the chinese, it could become possible. I am sure that Thailand because if its immense inferiority complex likes to show all the world what it ‘can or could’ do. Peaceful Buddhists, yeah my ass. Unpredictable dangerous kids is more like it.
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Thailand already has the solution to its energy problems and its not becoming a Detroit for Southeast Asia or some token nuclear capability.
It’s relocating what already works out in Bangkok to less congested rural locations where the quality of life is a lot better and the stimulation of the local economy would do a lot of good for rural folk. At the university that I worked at in rural Thailand I think the mixture of rural and city kids was one of the most productive and healthy things I’ve seen.
I know the Sufficiency Economy idea probably doesn’t include this idea of decentralisation so I’m not going to call it “Sufficiency Economy” but it seems like something that it should include.
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Whoops. The reasoning above might not be clear. I bet if you compared city dwellers with rural dwellers, city dwellers are a lot more fossil fuel dependent, because they ***need an automobile to go literally anywhere***. Even I, a committed pedestrian, would buy a car rather than brave the chicken poop puddles in Klong Toey market on the sidewalk to the subway station, or no sidewalks, or motorcycle taxi guys on sidewalks, carrying a child, for instance, or Morchit Bus Station, the only way back to the provinces for those without a car. In the provinces putting around on a small motorcycle is a national past time that makes life in a rural place like Chiang Rai a lot more pleasant than Bangkok, for instance.
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Thailand would be silly not to investigate nuclear power. For generation of electricity for it’s booming ecomony, nuclear will generate Kwh at a cheaper price than any other. I believe that this power plant would be turn key operation and would have experts from the manufacturer that would stay until Thailand and international feelings that they are comfortable with it’s safe operation.
Many coorporations have safely build and operated safe nuclear power plants across the world. Those type of coorporations will be determined by Thailand officials. Education and training for Thailand personnel should be brought into this equation.
The spent fuel storage can be determined in the future. Many nuclear power plants in America store that fuel onsite. This has been dictated becasue of political problems with Yucca Mountain.
The ability to use this spent fuel for a weapon in the future would be very difficult, and I am sure would fail in a Thailand economy. There are many agreements that Thailand can make on the international front to ensure this will not happen.
But with everything being taken into consideration, with global warming and such, nuclear power has made a comeback. This is because of it’s ability to generate electricity without harming the enviroment.
Thailand should also give education to it’s general population as to how nuclear power is safe and can be trusted. With the proper government oversight, nuclear power will save Thailand much money. And with Thailand’s decision to investigate this possibility, that was thier goal.
Thailand is a strong country and should continue and build it’s nuclear power plants.
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The national flag of Thailand is being defaced at the top of this article. We should holler about this the way the Thai flag was handled at a Manchester City game. So where are ye, all patriots?
Seriously, though, the idea of nuclear power should be explored systematically for Thailand. But I don’t see how that can happen, because in Thailand we are not interested in anything long except money. It does not seem probable that the subject of nuclear power will be given sustained study. Like a torch, it is likely to shine briefly, and is then gone. That, my friends, is how we Thais do things.
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If Thaialand were to develop the nuclear weapon I cannot forsee them using it in a threatening manner. I think they have too much respect for their Royal Family and any foolish use of a weapon could see that family toppled. Also, I dont think the King would allow it.
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Hello there,
Thailand goes nuclear power plant!
Who got hurt?
All oil production countries. True
All oil refineries. True
All electricity sellers. True
Who are those people?
Why Thailand stand still?
Thailand is rich in resources. Agricultural, food, natural gas, labors.
If Thailand goes full stream development with infrastructures, politically stable, clean food-good taste, less pollution.
Do you think that our neighbors love to see that? I don’t think so.
So wake up and do your best to develop our nation.
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EGAT files lawsuits against people opposing its power plants
Tue, 14/03/2017
On 13 March 2017, Pranee Tangseri, assistant head of EGAT’s legal office, revealed that EGAT filed 15 complaints to the police against people posting social media content accusing that its power plants are sources of pollution, which leads to sickness and deaths.
The agency accused them of violating Article 326 of the Criminal Code, the law against criminal defamation, and Article 14 of the 2007 Computer Crime Act, the law against importation of false computer content.
The EGAT legal office staff said that well-intended criticisms are acceptable, but she will not accept false accusations.
http://prachatai.org/english/node/7002
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