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Crisis and opportunity
By Suchada Tupchai
The gasoline price is a national crisis. Yet out of
crisis can come opportunity, given strong and decisive leadership.
Sadly, at present, with a caretaker government we are lacking
leadership. But the chance is there for finding innovative ways that
will steer us away from the high oil bills that have always dogged our
energy-hungry economy, and will continue to do so unless we take action.
Serious long-term thought must now be given by the government as to the
development of alternatives to gasoline. Natural gas powered vehicles
must be promoted, and the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Energy
must find ways of encouraging their availability and use, such as
reducing taxation on cars that use natural gas and extending the
supplies to cover all regions of Thailand. There are now approximately
60 stations, and the plan is to have 200 stations by the end of this
year. At present there are only around 13,000 vehicles that use natural
gas: if this number were to increase to somewhere between 60,000 and
70,000, we would be making progress.
What our caretaker leadership has to do is to convince everyone that
better solutions can be found, and have to be found. And of course,
every single part of the country must conserve gasoline. We can all do
our bit to help stabilize the oil prices. Every man, woman and child in
Thailand must be encouraged to think how small actions can cumulatively
have a significant effect.
People’s thinking must change. Do not waste anything. Turn off lights.
Use public transport. Economize. And be positive about it. If the Thai
people are not interested and think this is a passing economic phase,
only waiting for assistance from the government, then this crisis will
never be resolved.
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