hailand to join APEC energy ministers meeting in Japan later this month

BANGKOK, June 6 (TNA) — Thailand’s Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul said Sunday he leaves for Japan in two weeks for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) energy ministerial meeting.

The APEC Japan 2010 Energy Ministers’ Meeting held June 19-20 in Fukui City aims at strengthening cooperation between 21 APEC member countries in reducing carbon use, reducing gas emissions, promoting energy conservation and alternative energy, cooperating in nuclear energy and boosting investment in gas emission-free green energy.

Mr Wannarat said he will brief APEC energy ministers on Thailand’s recent political turmoil, which eased after the security force operations on anti-government protesters on May 19, and on the government’s attempt to resolve problems at the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, Thailand’s biggest manufacturing park in the eastern seaboard province of Rayong.

Developed countries including Japan, South Korea and the United States showed interest in investing in alternative energy in Thailand, he said, adding that he would also confer with his American counterpart on Washington’s readiness to provide budget and encouraging Thailand to become a centre for construction materials to conserve energy.

Mr Wannarat said Thailand, Japan and Singapore will exchange information in developing a green community called ‘APEC low carbon model town’ before urging the rest of APEC to adopt the method in future. (TNA)