05-04-05 PTT has co-operated with a number of transport and automotive companies in two pilot projects aimed at modifying the diesel engines of heavy vehicles to use natural gas and replacing the diesel engines altogether.
The first project aims to modify buses and trucks to use natural gas for vehicles (NGV). Eight major transportation service providers will have 10 of their buses and trailers modified and fitted with the necessary equipment.

The 8 transportation companies are Cherdchai Industry, SK Tour and Service, Lat Krabang, Thai Trailer Transport, TP Transport Partnership, MML Transport, United Motor Sales, and Wangkarnkij.
Three joint ventures will provide the installation and modification services. They are Omnitek Engineering from the United States, Advanced Fuel Technology and Green Gas Technologies from Australia.

The three groups will bear the costs of the modification and those of the equipment and engineering service. PTT will provide 100 NGV cylinders and financial support for the testing of the vehicles. The second project aims to replace diesel engines in trucks with NGV engines. KNR Group, a major transportation service provider, will buy a new NGV engine from Samsung Group for use in one of its trailers.
After a three-month run, the trailer will be tested and evaluated in terms of efficiencies and economy. If the engine replacement proves successful, the company will have the engines of another 20 of its trailers and up to 40 in the future changed to NGV. PTT also plans to transform its service station at Kamphaeng Phet into an NGV station to supply the fuel to KNR's trailers.

Energy Minister Viset Choopiban, who presided over the contract signing ceremony, said the pilot projects, if successful, would pave the way for wider uses of NGV in the transportation sector, which consumed the most diesel. In addition, by replacing diesel with NGV in transportation activities, the energy cost for operators could be substantially cut since the price of NGV was half that of diesel and 40 % of premium petrol.
PTT president Prasert Bunsumpun said if the pilot projects were successful, about 500 trucks and buses were expected to be modified this year. This translated into savings of 20 mm litres per year.

Presently, Thailand has 4,750 NGV vehicles and 29 NGV service stations, all of which are owned by PTT. PTT plans to increase the number to 60 stations by the end of next year and 120 stations in 2008.
In another development, PTT will raise petrol prices by 40 satang a litre today in line with the prices in international markets. Premium petrol will now cost 22.49 baht a litre, regular petrol 21.69 baht and gasohol 95 20.99 baht.