Energy reform group petitions NLA against petroleum bills
A PETITION was submitted to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) yesterday opposing two petroleum bills proposed by the Energy Ministry.
ML Kornkasiwat Kasemsri led members of the People’s Alliance for Energy Reform to submit the petition to NLA chairman Pornpetch Wichitcholachai.
The group appealed to Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to put on hold the two bills, which have been approved by the Cabinet and the Council of State and are set to be submitted to the NLA for debate.
The group believes the two bills do not adequately protect the interests of the public and the country because of numerous loopholes that may lead to corruption.
The alliance plans to propose parallel petroleum bills for consideration and comparison with the legislation proposed by the Energy Ministry, and suggest public hearings on such legislation.
Kornkasiwat said the two government-backed bills had not undergone a public hearing. Moreover, the alliance believes the draft legislation proposed by the Energy Ministry would likely benefit the private sector in terms of profit-sharing.
Meanwhile, Dusit Krue-Ngarm, adviser to the Energy Reform Committee, announced the ERC’s reform proposals on alternative energy sources, recycled energy and energy conservation, covering six areas.
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The first area defines the pub
lic as the user, producer and distributor of energy, emphasising the rooftop-solar-panel project for homes and businesses.
The second area covers the reform of laws and regulations pertaining to alternative or recycled energy sources.
The third area pertains to research and development of alternative and recycled energy and energy conservation, and promoting Thailand as a bio-energy hub in Southeast Asia over the next 10 years.
Fourth, building codes should ensure maximum energy efficiency to reduce Thailand’s concentrated energy consumption to 20 per cent within 10 years via promotion of efficient buildings in the public and private sectors, the use of energy-management firms by state agencies, and establishment of energy-consumption regulations for buildings.
The fifth proposal covers energy consumption by the logistics system, including promotion of the use of electric vehicles, which the NLA has proposed to the Cabinet.
The final proposal is the segregation of the Department of Alternative Energy Development from the Energy Conservation Department, reporting to their respective regulatory agencies, and amendment of the Ministry Improvement Act 2002 and the Energy Conservation Promotion Act of 1992 to ensure the laws are in line with current duties and activities and authority of the Energy Conservation Department.
