Thailand’s Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) will start looking into the legal aspects of a small modular reactor project this month to prepare Thailand for using nuclear energy.
The ongoing development of a small modular reactor within a new power generation facility in Hainan, China. (Photo: bangkokpost.com)
Bangkok (VNA) 🍒– Thailand’s Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) will start looking into the legal aspects of a small modular reactor project this month to prepare Thailand for using nuclear energy.
The move is made as observers voice concerns over a decline in domestic gas supply and uncertainty surrounding Thai-Cambodian talks on joint petroleum production in the overlapping claims area (OCA).
Thailand uses natural gas as a major fuel for power generation but the supply of natural gas is decreasing. As the result, the country needs to find new fuels while it is also committed to using more clean energy, as stated in its 2024 power development plan.
Secretary-General of the ERC Poonpat Leesombatpiboon said that the ERC expects to sign an MoU with the Office for Atoms for Peace to jointly study regulations needed for the country to push ahead with the nuclear project.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a small modular reactor (SMR) is a form of nuclear power technology with a capacity of up to 300 megawatts per unit, about one-third of the generating capacity of larger, traditional nuclear power reactors,
Under the 2024 power development plan, which will be enforced from 2024 to 2037, two SMRs, each with a capacity of 300MW, will be developed and commence operations towards the end of the plan, an official who requested anonymity was quoted as saying earlier.
SMRs are expected to be developed and operated by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT).
Speaking during a visit to Hainan in China to gather first-hand information at a 125-MW SMR project based on the island, EGAT governor Thapparat Theppitak said he believes SMRs will be a "game changer" in the global power industry.
The development cost of a SMR is currently 2-3 times more expensive than combined-cycle power plants, but the costs would tend to get cheaper in the future, he said, adding combined-cycle power plants use both gas and steam turbines to produce electricity.
Thapparat said that SMR has a service life of 60 years, compared with a gas or coal-fired power plant which can supply electricity for a period of only 25 years./.
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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is seeking cooperation opportunities with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp. (ENEC) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a bid to diversify the Southeast Asian country's energy sources.
Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is currently preparing a strategy for the development of nuclear power plants in the country.
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Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
