Thailand looks to become LNG hub
The Energy Policy Administration Committee today (December 4) acknowledged the guidelines for turning Thailand into the regional trading hub of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The guidelines came about from a study assigned by the government-appointed energy reform committee to PTT.
Energy Minister Sontirat Songtijirawong said that the move was estimated to generate Bt165 billion for Thailand’s economy between 2020 and 2030.
The country is expected to start full commercial trading late next year or early in 2021.
Thailand has potential to become the regional hub due to its high demand of LNG and its geographical location as the centre of countries with high LNG demand, namely China, India, Japan, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
Moreover, Thailand has a supportive infrastructure to serve regional LNG trading.
Thailand is expected to provide services related to regional LNG trading in the first quarter of next year on a trial basis. The trial will also cover an LNG reload system and filling of LNG-fuelled vessels.
It will also revise the relevant rules and create intra-regional cooperation on the LNG trading.
