More than 200 community representatives from eastern Thailand, joined by Greenpeace activists, protested outside Gastech 2026 in Bangkok yesterday, September 14, warning that new gas investment could lock Thailand into fossil fuel dependence for decades.
Campaigners from Greenpeace Thailand and communities in Chachoengsao, Prachin Buri and Rayong gathered outside BITEC Bangna as Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul opened the four-day energy conference.
They displayed a 17 by 7 metre banner reading “YOUR GAS DEAL, OUR LOSS” and called on the government to prioritise renewable energy over further fossil gas and LNG expansion.
Some protesters later entered the event carrying an open letter they wanted to hand directly to Anutin. Officials asked them to submit it through a government complaints representative, which the group refused, saying affected communities wanted to speak directly to the prime minister.
Anutin later left through another exit without publicly responding.
Their objection is aimed not simply at the conference itself, but at the investment decisions that can emerge from it.
Oil and water
Gastech 2026, running from September 14 to 17, is hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Energy and brings together governments and major energy companies to discuss LNG, natural gas, power generation, hydrogen and the wider energy transition.
Organisers expected more than 50,000 energy professionals from over 150 countries. Shell, Chevron and ExxonMobil are among the event’s co-hosts, while PTT, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand and Gulf are national partners.
In the United States, ExxonMobil was left with a US$14.25 million civil penalty over repeated air-pollution violations at its Baytown refinery in Texas.
Separately, thousands of Nigerian residents are pursuing Shell over alleged damage from decades of oil pollution in the Niger Delta. Shell disputes responsibility for much of that pollution, citing sabotage, theft and illegal refining.
Gastech also promotes itself as a platform for commercial deals and investment, which is central to the protesters’ concern.
Greenpeace Thailand and participating community networks argue that new LNG terminals, gas-fired power plants and other long-term investments could leave Thailand dependent on fossil gas for decades.
They also warn that growing reliance on imported LNG could expose the country to volatile international prices and supply disruptions.
Who pays the price?
Greenpeace says communities in Rayong, Chachoengsao and Prachin Buri are already facing cumulative pollution, pressure on natural resources and impacts on their livelihoods from industrial and energy development.
That distrust is also shaped by projects such as Map Ta Phut, where LNG development involves a 35-year private concession. The project includes state joint-investment payments of 1.01 billion baht a year for 30 years, beginning in the fifth year, while official figures show 93.6 million baht in compensation was paid to 936 affected people.
In 2009, the Supreme Administrative Court suspended dozens of industrial and energy projects in Map Ta Phut after finding that required environmental and health procedures had not been followed and that potentially highly polluting developments risked causing serious harm.
Greenpeace and community groups are calling for stronger environmental assessments, greater public participation and more investment in renewable power, electricity storage and grid upgrades.
Anutin takes a different view
Opening the conference, Anutin said gas and LNG remain important for maintaining a reliable electricity supply while Thailand expands renewable energy. His strategy combines energy security, affordable power and a gradual transition towards cleaner sources while continuing to attract investment.
The government is also pursuing renewable energy. Anutin announced a 50 billion baht programme to support household rooftop solar installations, while the Energy Ministry’s draft power plan aims to substantially increase renewable generation over the coming decade.
The divide is therefore over whether Thailand should build any more gas infrastructure during that transition.
Greenpeace argues that long-lived gas projects could keep Thailand tied to fossil fuels for decades, while the government maintains that gas is still needed to support the power system until cleaner generation, storage and grid infrastructure become more reliable.
For protesters outside BITEC, the concern is that decisions made at Gastech could shape Thailand’s energy system long after the conference ends.
The story Communities pay for gas expansion as seen on Thaiger News.
