Krabi coal plant is the wrong energy solution
Sad to hear that Thai industry executives still have their heads in the sand of 100 years ago and are voting for coal-powered electricity in southern Thailand.
I’ve visited the Krabi region every few years since 1979. Sure it’s gone downhill in some ways, but there are still areas of natural beauty. Two years ago I saw a troop of wild monkeys in trees on the Hat Railay peninsula, and with lucky you can see monitor lizards. I saw a dark blue bird doing a bird-of-paradise-like dance in front of its love interest. However, even those dwindling bits of indigenous fauna are on the way out. People, dogs and chickens have taken over.
There are workable ways to generate electricity from the sun, from wind, even from rivers, waves and tides. I experienced first-hand the ability of waves to generate electricity when strolling on a segmented floating jetty in Krabi that was heaving 70 centimetres up and down. Such undulations can be harnessed to generate electricity. The technology already exists, particularly in Portugal and Scotland. But don’t expect the varicose-brained heads of Thailand’s FTI or Egat to understand that. Maybe their kids or grandkids will understand, but by that time they’ll have to buy the technology from more advanced Western countries.
Ken Albertsen
