Greenpeace activists outside the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) demanding that the company moves away from fossil fuel power and supports renewable energy.
Solar picnic a taste of Thailand's renewable energy future
Friday August 23, 2002, Bangkok: Greenpeace today demanded the
Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) immediately
overturn all approvals for new fossil fuel power stations, and to
take up the challenge to support renewables. But the demand came
with a sweetener - a solar-powered picnic for the company's
employees.
Greenpeace activists from Bangkok and an international crew from
the ship MV Arctic Sunrise hung a 45m banner on a railway bridge
over Bangkok's Chao Phraya river, reading "Thailand go renewable "
in both English and Thai. Another group of 23 activists served cool
drinks chilled by solar power to EGAT employees, while waiting to
meet the company's governor early this morning.
"We will be asking the governor to use Greenpeace's report
'Positive Energy Choices' launched yesterday in Bangkok, as a
blueprint for Thailand's future energy use," said Athena
Ballesteros, Greenpeace Southeast Asia campaigns manager, speaking
before the meeting. "The report shows that 35% of Thailand's
electricity demand could be met with renewable energy by 2020 -
even if consumption doubles."
Greenpeace is also demanding that the energy authority abandons
two coal-fired power stations planned for the Thai province of
Prachuab Khiri Khan. The 734 MW Bo Nok coal plant is proposed to be
built by Gulf and US company Edison while the 1400 MW Ban Krut
plant is proposed to be developed by Union Power, Hongkong
Electric, Tomen and other Japanese corporations. The Ban Krut plant
would run on coal imported from Australia.
"We want the Prime Minister to categorically state that these
coal plants are dead," said Ballesteros."The people of Prachuab
Khiri Khan have campaigned against these for 8 years. They have
made their choice - to reject dirty energy and embrace
renewables."
"Thailand has a choice. It can go down the clean energy path and
avoid the mistakes of more developed nations in relying solely on
expensive dirty energy technologies such as nuclear, oil and coal.
All it takes is strong political will and Thailand could be
pioneers of clean energy."
Greenpeace is calling on governments at the Earth Summit to make
a commitment to provide affordable renewable energy to the two
billion people around the world who live without electricity, to
phase out all subsidies to fossil and nuclear fuels, and to ensure
that 10% of energy is provided by renewable resources by 2010.
Greenpeace is also seeking a commitment that international
financial institutions be required to move 20% of their energy
investments to clean, renewable energy.
"Our report shows that it is possible to move to renewable
energy - even in developing countries," said Ballesteros.
"Governments at the Earth Summit in Johannesburg have no excuses
now. They must stop pushing the developing world to use fossil
fuels and embrace clean energy technology. Climate change is the
biggest environmental threat facing the planet and developing
countries like Thailand are most vulnerable to its effects on
agriculture, livelihoods and major ecosystems."
Today's solar picnic is part of the Greenpeace Choose Positive
Energy tour of South East Asia with the ship MV Arctic Sunrise.
Throughout the tour, the ship's crew, the staff from the Greenpeace
office of Southeast Asia and other Greenpeace offices have worked
with local communities in Thailand and the Philippines to fight the
development of dirty, polluting energy and promote clean renewable
energy.
VVPR info: Pictures will be available on request from John Novis in Amsterdam on +31 20524 9580 or Steve Morgan in Johannesburg on +27 828 58 3449.Visit http://www.greenpeacesoutheastasia.org