Thaksin had no role in Burma gas deal
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Good relations and perceived mutual benefit - and not the involvement of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra - were the reasons for Burma's rapidly agreeing to sign a petroleum concession contract with PTTEP in the New Year, Foreign Minister Surapon
Surapong and Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan discussed the matter with Burmese Energy Minister Than Htay in Naypyidaw when they accompanied Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to the 4th Summit of the Greater Mekong Sub-region last week.
The Burmese energy authority made a phone call last weekend to inform the government that it would be ready to sign a natural-gas concession contract with PTT Exploration and Production Co for the M3 block in the Gulf of Martaban by January 5 or 6, Surapong said.
Surapong said he did not know the details of the concession contract. Energy Minister Pichai will witness the signing ceremony.
The M3 block, in the Gulf of Martaban south of Rangoon, contains good quality natural gas, the by-products of processing which could be used as raw materials for the petrochemical industry, he said.
The Opposition Democrat Party has alleged that Thaksin, who was in Burma shortly before Yingluck’s visit, helped to pave the way for the contract signing because he has a personal interest in the gas deal.
Surapong said Thaksin had nothing to do with the negotiations, and that the government convinced Naypyidaw of the mutual benefits of cooperating on the energy project. Thailand can help Burma develop its petrochemical industry by using by-products of natural gas refining from block M3, the foreign minister said. The government would invite representatives from Burma to study the petrochemical industry in Thailand, he said.
In fact, PTTEP has dealt with Burma on the gas concession for a long time, but there was no progress during the previous government due to cold relations between the two countries at that time, Surapong said.
“Former Prime Minister Thaksin has no stake in the deal. If the Democrats can prove he has any interests in the concession, I would ask him to hand over the stake to them,” he added.
