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BANGKOK (TNA) - The government should now consider nuclear power as Thailand's major alternative energy source to ease the impact of the global oil price crisis currently, a leading Thai academic has suggested.
The government should begin planning to build a nuclear power plant to produce nuclear power for civilian use over the next 20 years, as the world's fossil-based petroleum sources, including coal, crude oil and natural gas, are depleting, said the academic, Preecha Karasut, a top executive of Thailand's nuclear associaion.
"We should realize that energy from world petroleum sources is depleting, even natural gas which can be locally developed and produced can only be served domestic demand just for the next 20 years; while uranium which is used to produce nuclear power is abundant," Mr. Preecha noted.
"The Thai government should, therefore, begin planning to develop the nuclear power as one of the nation's alternative energy sources over the next 20 years based on a new energy legislation in line with international laws," he suggested.
The nuclear power, if successfully developed domestically, would serve increasing demand in households, as well as the business and the local transport sectors, particularly after Bangkok's mass rail transit systems are extended to cover surrounding provinces, noted Mr. Preecha.
He also suggested that the government begin to create the public awareness with proper information on the nuclear power, as well as accelerate working out a clear policy direction on it, including producing sufficient personnel for the emerging nuclear power sector.
Several Asian countries have already made use of nuclear power from their own nuclear power plants, with Japan reportedly to have up to 50 nuclear power plants, South Korea 20, India 15 and China 9--among more than 400 nuclear power plants worldwide, according to the nuclear academic.
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