BRUNEI, Sept 21 (MCOT)- Thailand's Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan met with his Cambodian counterpart in an informal conversation on the development of the overlapping oil- and gas-rich maritime zone which have stagnated since 2001.
The Thai minister met bilaterally with Ith Prang, Secretary of State, Cambodia's Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) energy ministers meeting now being held in Brunei.
Mr Pichai said he believes the two neighbours can push ahead with Thai-Cambodian petroleum project in the Gulf of Thailand and resume cooperation after being stalled for the past ten years.
For the next step, Mr Pichai said, the foreign ministries of the two kingdoms will discuss the moves.
Thailand affirmed that the talks will not be secret and the case is not linked with the land border demarcation, the Thai minister said afterward.
Mr Pichai explained that both governments must foster better understanding of the mutual benefits for their citizens. The move is considered crucial as natural gas reserves in the Gulf of Thailand could be used up in the next 16 years.
After the 16-year period, said Mr Pichai, Thailand must import liquefied natural gas (LNG) to replace the natural gas which will be running out, leading to higher electricity bills.
Mr Pichai said the energy minister will proceed with the matter once the foreign ministry begins negotiating with its Cambodian counterpart and it will take eight to ten years to utilise the natural gas.
The Thai minister referred to the Thai-Malaysian joint petroleum development which took 26 years of negotiation until a joint conclusion was achieved to jointly explore petroleum resources in the first area. (MCOT online news)
The Thai minister met bilaterally with Ith Prang, Secretary of State, Cambodia's Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) energy ministers meeting now being held in Brunei.
Mr Pichai said he believes the two neighbours can push ahead with Thai-Cambodian petroleum project in the Gulf of Thailand and resume cooperation after being stalled for the past ten years.
For the next step, Mr Pichai said, the foreign ministries of the two kingdoms will discuss the moves.
Thailand affirmed that the talks will not be secret and the case is not linked with the land border demarcation, the Thai minister said afterward.
Mr Pichai explained that both governments must foster better understanding of the mutual benefits for their citizens. The move is considered crucial as natural gas reserves in the Gulf of Thailand could be used up in the next 16 years.
After the 16-year period, said Mr Pichai, Thailand must import liquefied natural gas (LNG) to replace the natural gas which will be running out, leading to higher electricity bills.
Mr Pichai said the energy minister will proceed with the matter once the foreign ministry begins negotiating with its Cambodian counterpart and it will take eight to ten years to utilise the natural gas.
The Thai minister referred to the Thai-Malaysian joint petroleum development which took 26 years of negotiation until a joint conclusion was achieved to jointly explore petroleum resources in the first area. (MCOT online news)
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