Thailand and Southeast Asia Regional Office

Rethink Future Energy for Thailand (REFE)

Rethinking our future

by Naurin Ahmad-Zaki

This year, a small non-governmental organisation (NGO) ‘Rethink Future Energy for Thailand (REFE)’ was established in Bangkok with the aim of finding alternative ways of energy production in Thailand. Watcharee ‘Poom´ who runs REFE sees its purpose as that of an information centre dealing with big-scale energy programmes as well as small-scale energy alternatives. Prior to founding REFE, the members of this organisation belonged to an anti-nuclear energy group which was opposed to the construction of a nuclear power plant in Thailand.

Thirty years ago the first plans for building a nuclear power plant in the country were laid on the table, but it took another fifteen years before the Thai government and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) could complete the plans for the construction of the nuclear power plants’ building in the eastern part of the country and started importing nuclear technology. At that time, the local communities of that area protested vehemently against the plant and managed to get the plans delayed. In order to mollify the upset communities, the government wanted to disseminate more information about the benefits of this project, but the agitated communities were not willing to listen.

Once again the government and EGAT started a campaign three years ago by setting up an information centre, advertising on national television and placing large advertisements in the big newspapers every week. EGAT started pressurising the government to give them the green light and to decide whether they wanted to implement the project at all.

In order to be informed about the latest developments and plans of the government, the group which later formed REFE, organised annual seminars, inviting EGAT officials to talk to the NGOs, intellectuals and the local communities about their future plans. They also prepared an anti-nuclear report to show the government that there were many people who were opposed to their nuclear programme. However, even though the Thai government attended the seminars, they did not actively take part in any of the discussions.

At present the government has relocated the site for the nuclear plant and now plans to build it in Surat Thanee in the south of Thailand. This is the reason why REFE was formed: in order to link up with the affected local communities in Surat Thanee and to give them first-hand information about nuclear power. For this purpose, REFE wants to acquaint the local communities with alternative power-generating programmes such as solar energy, wind energy and biogas. Watcharee ‘Poom´ believes that in order to be successful, it is necessary to join hands with NGOs which are working in support of alternative agriculture and fisheries in the area. These NGOs are presently fighting a battle against the government in order to prevent commercial fisheries and thus save the livelihood of the small-scale fishermen communities.

For acquiring the technical know-how, REFE consults various organisations including three organisations which are involved in the national energy board’s policy, an organisation which works with techniques on alternative energy and a university institute which studies solar cell techniques. Even though REFE will not be able to formulate their own alternative energy techniques for their upcoming three-year-plan, the consulting organisations will be able to teach REFE as well as the Thai people about alternative energy sources.