Sarath Ratanavadi Says Spot LNG Spike to $28 Has Only Short-Term Impact, Backs Thailand as ASEAN LNG Hub

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โดย อีไฟแนนซ์ไทย·TH·Read original
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Sarath Ratanavadi, Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Energy Development Public Company Limited, or GULF, said after attending Gastech 2026 that the rise in spot LNG prices to 28 US dollars per million BTU is a short-term effect of tensions in the Middle East, news of disruptions to oil production, and market psychology, rather than a change in underlying supply and demand. The global LNG market still has ample supply and increasingly diversified sources, spanning the United States, Africa, Europe, and Asia, which means the risk of shortages and sharp long-term price spikes is limited. GULF manages this risk by diversifying its import sources, bringing in more than 50 cargoes last year and increasing that to more than 70 cargoes this year, so it has not been significantly affected. At the same time, he sees an opportunity for Thailand to upgrade its LNG infrastructure into a trading and export hub for ASEAN, noting that PTT Group's two LNG terminals are well prepared and meet high standards. On electricity policy, Sarath agrees with negotiations to adjust the Adder structure, the premium added to the purchase price of renewable power, since technology costs have fallen from the past. He also supports pushing forward with Direct PPA, the direct sale of electricity between producers and users, and said that setting a specific power rate for data centers can be considered, but it must be at a level that is competitive with neighboring countries, because if electricity prices are too high, investors may relocate. He noted that the figure of 5 to 6 baht per unit reported in the news is only a preliminary framework and that a conclusion from the government is still pending.

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PTT Group's two LNG terminals are cited as well-prepared and high-standard, positioning them for Thailand's potential ASEAN LNG hub role.

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