Thailand delays LNG plan

Thailand delays LNG plan

BANGKOK (Reuter): Thailand delayed its earlier plan to buy
1.7-2.2 million tons a year of liquefied natural gas from Oman
due to its reservation about prices quoted, a senior industry
ministry official said yesterday.

The Thai and Oman governments signed a memorandum of
understanding in August 1996 to buy the LNG from Oman for 25
years, starting from 2003, the official said.

Under the MOU, which was signed by the previous government,
both parties were supposed to officially sign a purchase contract
in March.

But the Thai government had recently notified the Oman
government of its decision to delay the contract signing after
Industry Minister Korn Dabbaransi expressed reservations about
the deal.

He had said he would like to study LNG projects in other
countries before making a decision, the official said.