The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is planning to invite more investors to join the state programmes to further develop gas and electricity management.
The move will be based on a free market concept, in which companies will be allowed to fairly compete in supplying gas and electricity.
The ERC will help with the development by pushing ahead with its key energy projects, along with removing legal hindrances to the participation of new investors, said Khomgrich Tantravanich, secretary-general of the ERC.
It has already granted liquefied natural gas (LNG) import licences to seven companies under a new LNG business development plan, aimed to promote competition in the LNG market.
LNG shipping had been, since 2011, monopolised by national oil and gas conglomerate PTT Plc until 2019 when the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) became the second shipper.
The other six companies are Electricity Generating Co, Gulf Energy Development Plc, B.Grimm Power Plc, Hin Kong Power Co, PTT Global LNG Co and Siam Cement Group.
A next move is to develop mid-stream gas infrastructure by building LNG receiving terminals and gas pipeline networks.
The ERC plans to have new investors join the infrastructure development, said Mr Khomgrich.
LNG receiving terminals are needed because Thailand largely depends on natural gas as a key fuel for power generation. LNG storage will help the country store LNG bought in large amounts when prices are low.
PTT, which owns a LNG receiving terminal in Map Ta Phut in Rayong, has co-invested with Egat to build the second terminal in Nong Fab in the same province.
The 38.5-billion-baht Nong Fab facility began construction in March 2019. It is scheduled to start operation this year.
In the electricity segment, Mr Khomgrich said, the ERC will soon invite companies to join the second-phase of the ERC sandbox, in which participants are encouraged to test new technologies.
