Today (31 January 2019) at PTT Public Company Limited, Head Office, Mr. Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, Minister of Transport and Dr. Siri Jirapongphan Minister of Energy preside the press conference together with PTT and BMTA, announced the readiness of public transportation buses using B20 biodiesel. Moreover, there were Mr. Chansin Treenuchagron, President and Chief Executive Officer, PTT Public Company Limited together with Mr. Prayoon Choygeo, Deputy Director Acting as Directors of Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), Mr. Amnuay Pongwicharn, Executive Vice President of Hino Motors Sales (Thailand) and Mr.Vichai Sinananpat, Director, Sales and Marketing Group of Tri Petch Isuzu Sales Company Limited attended the announcement.
The Minister of Energy said, due to the situation of crude palm oil exceeding the market causing low prices, The Ministry of Energy has considered increasing palm oil use in biodiesel for the transportation sector. Therefore, the proportion of palm oil in biodiesel for general car uses increase from 6.6 percent to 6.9 percent. The implementation of the sale of diesel fuel containing 20 percent biodiesel for large vehicles in general service stations, will be available for sale in the Bangkok area from 1 February 2019 onwards. B20 diesel oil had been experimentally used with BMTA form of transportation, which the results are no such effects on the engines and the fuel consumption rate is not different from high-speed diesel. In addition, on the plus side, it makes clean combustion for car's engines, which is environmentally friendly as well. As for the long-term solutions of air pollution problems, the Department of Energy Business has already asked for cooperation from the domestic oil refinery to set a plan of oil quality improve from EURO4 (contain sulfur under 50 ppm) to be EURO5 (contain sulfur under 10 ppm), which will help combustion in car engines to be cleaner.
The Minister of Transport said that the Ministry of Transport has instructed all agencies under the ministry to urgently alleviate the situation of PM 2.5 particulate matter. Starting with the Department of Land Transport to arrange teams to inspect the condition of all public buses which having problem of black smoke. While BMTA adjust all 2,075 public buses to use B20 biodiesel to help reduce the pollution and there will be 119 NGV buses more for public service. Furthermore, clean-energy used buses will be urged to supply for public service, which consist of NGV buses, Hybrid Cars, Electric Vehicles (EV) to be long-term solutions. Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRT) to obtain a strict measure to reduce particle dusts in all three projects construction sites. The Expressway Authority of Thailand strictly solves dust particles problems at the expressway tollbooth. While the Department of Highways and Department of Rural Roads takes serious environmental measures through coordinating with the Harbor Department to inspect service boat engines.
Deputy Director Acting as Directors of Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) said that BMTA has implemented the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Transport policy of supporting domestic palm oil use to help palm farmers as well as reducing small dust particles of 2.5 microns (PM 2.5) affecting the people's health. During October-December 2018, BMTA has experimented with using B20 diesel oil on 17 regular buses, thus resulting in engines are able to operate normally. And the fuel consumption rate is close to that of the current B7 diesel oil used in BMTA. Therefore, plans to bring B20 diesel fuel to use with 2,075 ordinary buses and air-conditioned buses are divided into 2 phases: Phase 1, use B20 diesel fuel with 815 ordinary buses on 15 January 2019. Phase 2, use B20 diesel fuel on 1,260 ordinary buses and air-conditioned buses from 1 February 2019 onwards.
President & Chief Executive Officer, PTT Public Company Limited said PTT would like to be a part of supporting the governmental measures to solve the exceeding standard of small dust particles, PM 2.5 and low price situation of palm oil. As for the public transportation, PTT is ready to supply and transport B20 diesel oil, which is a diesel oil with a mixture of 20 percent pure palm oil, to all 2,075 BMTA public buses, which estimated fuel consumption is 187,000 liters per day. PTT, as national oil company under the Ministry of the Energy will continuously develop clean fuels for the environment to improve well-being of Thai people.