Thailand’s Treasury Department has signed an MOU with PTT Public Company Limited, allowing the state-owned oil and gas company and one of the country’s biggest corporations, to use 13 rai (2.08 hectares) of public land to establish more natural gas vehicle (NGV) service stations, reports the National News Bureau of Thailand (NNT).
Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong, along with Treasury Department Director-General Narit Chaiyasut, and PTT Senior Executive Vice President for Gas Business Peerapong Achariyacheevin, signed the MOU. Four land areas in Phra Khanong, Bangkhuntien, Chom Thong, and Lak Si will be used for the NGV service stations. A PTT spokesperson advised NGV Global News that the 2 rai area at Phra Kanong will be the first to be developed, with completion sometime in 2013.
The cabinet has earlier allowed the PTT to use 10 areas for the NGV stations, however six of these locations were later deemed unsuitable for NGV station development due to the proximity of schools. The Treasury Department is searching for six more appropriate locations to be allocated to the energy company.
The MOU is part of the government’s policy to promote the use of natural gas for transportation as an alternative to petrol.
PTT advises there are currently 459 NGV service stations in Thailand (including 390 PTT owned NGV stations).
