July 7, 2023
BANGKOK – The Japanese government has pledged to provide 1.6 billion baht for the Mineral Fuels Department to study how to capture and store carbon emissions in Thailand, a senior Thai official said.
Sarawut Kaewtathip, director-general of the Mineral Fuels Department, said Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has pledged the funding for his department to research how to trap carbon emissions in six geosynclines in the Gulf of Thailand and two geosynclines in the North.
Sarawut first reported the funding from the Japanese ministry at a government subcommittee on technologies for carbon emissions reduction at the end of June.
Sarawut said the subcommittee was coordinating with other government agencies to study technology for carbon capture technology, utiilisation and storage (CCUS) to reduce carbon emissions.
Nishimura Yasutoshi, Japan’s minister for economy, trade and industry, had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to partner with Thailand for the CCUS study and pledged to provide financial support for the research.
According to the MoU, Japan will provide 1.6 billion baht for the study in the northern part of the Gulf of Thailand and the North.
One billion baht of the funding will be for studying six geosynclines in the gulf: Sakhon, Pak Nam, Hua Hin, Rayong, Kra and Western Kra. The study will be completed in 2027.
The study will screen sites for implementing the CCUS project, Sarawut said.
His department will also study the Lampang and Mae Moh geosynclines in Lampang province. The study will have a budget of 600 million bath and be completed in 2028.