Vietnam, Thailand Hold Second Energy Forum in Bangkok

The second energy forum between Vietnam and Thailand took place in Bangkok on October 6-7, seeking ways to achieve the common goal of developing clean and sustainable energy, VNA reported.

The Vietnam - Thailand second energy forum in Bangkok on October 6. Photo: VNA

Permanent Secretary of the Thai Ministry of Energy Kulit Sombatsiri said his country wishes to promote substantive cooperation in energy with Vietnam.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Dang Hoang An said since the first forum was held in Binh Dinh province in 2015, bilateral energy cooperation has reaped many encouraging results.

Thailand is an important energy investor in Vietnam, he said, elaborating that its businesses have been investing in wind, solar and thermal power plants in many Vietnamese localities.

The Vietnam Oil and Gas Group and the national oil and gas firm of Thailand, via its subsidiaries, are also working together in some oil and gas exploration and exploitation projects in Vietnam and Algeria, he added.

Affirming the importance of the energy partnership with Thailand, An held that the organisation of the second forum was necessary amid numerous difficulties facing the global energy industry as it helped the two sides learn each country’s energy cooperation demand, strengthen energy cooperation, and contribute to their countries’ enhanced strategic partnership set up in 2015.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Dang Hoang An and Permanent Secretary of the Thai Ministry of Energy Kulit Sombatsiri along with delegates at the forum. Photo: VNA

At the forum, participants discussed and shared experiences in many important energy development issues of Vietnam and Thailand, which have the common target of shifting to clean energy to minimize climate change impacts.

They also talked about opportunities for energy business partnerships in the future, the expansion of trade and investment links, the exchange of knowledge and technology, innovations in petroleum exploration and clean energy production, and the development of new fuels like hydrogen and ammonia so as to jointly promote energy security and sustainable energy.

They also highly valued the investment climate in Vietnam and held that the country is a potential market with high profitability in the energy sector.

Businesses of Vietnam and Thailand also met one another to seek partnership chances.

Also, the Thai Ministry of Energy has announced it would stop work on the long-delayed 1,320 MW thermal power plant project in the central province of Quang Tri.

VNS quoted Vo Van Hung, chairman of the provincial People’s Committee on Thursday while he attended the energy forum.

The project’s investor is the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) International Company Limited. The company was granted an investment license in 2013 but the project has yet to be implemented.

The plant was planned to be built on an area of 450ha in the Dong Nam Economic Zone in the province.

Hung said that the decision was made after considering the recommendations of the committee, assessing the factors causing obstacles in the financial arrangement and equity of the project, as well as the implementation of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) commitments to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 of the two Governments of Vietnam and Thailand.

The Thai Ministry of Energy also said that it will soon send an official document about the cancellation of the project to the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and Quang Tri Province.

The Thai Ministry of Energy suggested the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the province continue to create favorable conditions for the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) International Company Limited in the future so that the company can seek more opportunities to invest in other renewable energy projects or invest in infrastructure for the implementation of other renewable energy projects in Vietnam and Quang Tri in particular.

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