Myanmar to cut gas exports to Thailand

Than Htay said the 200 million cubic feet of natural gas will be used to meet domestic electricity demand. During a meeting on improving domestic electricity supply, held in the third week of September, the minister said, “While there is not enough natural gas in the country, all oil and natural gas should be used for the country without accumulating them.” The minister said that the government has adopted an energy policy in which oil and natural gas will be “prioritised” for domestic use. 

As the new administration is bound by the commitments of the previous government and the buyer countries, the present government is negotiating to adjust the export volume of natural gas.

Htay Aung, director-general at the Ministry of Energy, said, “The government will amend the contracts on export of natural gas as domestic demand is rising. All the stocks of oil and natural gas will not be exported. Only after meeting the domestic needs, these natural resources will be processed into value-added products for the export sector.”

Electric power consumption (kWh per capita) in Myanmar is lowest when compared with neighbouring countries. 

According to the statistics of Ministry of Energy, consumption per capita is 3,614 kilowatts per hour in Malaysia, 2,613kWh in China, 2,045kWh in Thailand, 928kWh in Vietnam, 530kWh in Indonesia, 131kWh in Cambodia, and 104kWh in Myanmar.