Egat, PTT raise security levels

[Braveheart]

Extracted from the Bangkok Post: Bangkok Post

 

POST REPORTERS

 

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand and PTT Plc have raised security levels at power plants and oil refineries in light of recent trouble.

 

Egat's governor Kraisi Kanasuta said that the state utility had increased security measures to the second level, out of three security levels in total, at its power plants following the New Year's Eve bombings in Bangkok.

 

Under the measures, the number of checking points and frequencies of inspection will double. Vehicles moving in and out of facilities will also be checked thoroughly.

 

Outsiders, including those on study tours, are prohibited from entering key spots such as control units. Security equipment and co-ordination with police centres will also be put in place.

 

"We are confident that such measures are enough to keep security tight at our power plants. We see no need to step up security to the maximum level because we view that ill-intentioned people will target community areas where there are crowds of people," he said.

 

Anon Sirisaengtaksin, executive vice-president of PTT, said the company had demanded a tightening of security at its utilities including gas-separation plants, refineries, oil depots, oil and gas pipelines, and petrol service stations since the deadly bomb attacks occurred in Bangkok.

 

He said most power utilities under the umbrella of PTT were located in industrial estates or areas outside communities, but security should be tightened to pre-empt any untoward incidents.

 

Chainoi Phuenkosoom, president of Rayong Refinery Plc, said the company and other refineries under the umbrella of PTT Plc had doubled security at oil refineries and depots since the bomb attacks on Dec 31.

 

The tightened security would continue until the situation returned to normal, said Mr Chainoi.

 

"Although our oil refineries are located in an industrial zone in Rayong, which is rather far from Bangkok, we need to prepare for any untoward incidents."

 

Should the oil refineries be attacked, he said, it would cause damage to the country's economic system because refined oil was a key factor to economic development. Any shortage in oil supply would cause an adverse impact.

 

Mr Chainoi said the company had also called on the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand to tighten security and increase the number of security officials at Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate where its refineries are located.

 

Normally, Mr Chainoi said, security systems installed at oil refineries needed to be tighter than for other plants, mainly because they contained flammable substances.

 

Currently, Rayong Refinery has a daily refining capacity of around 145,000 barrels, equal to that of the Esso refinery in Si Racha, Chon Buri province.