Thailand - LPG and CNG potentate

© Motor SpicesToyota Hilux adapted to CNG by Thai company Sammitr Green Power is equipped with 5 natural gas tanks that allow to drive even for 600 km

There are more than 3.7 million cars manufactured in Southeast Asia each year, with more than 2.4 million (those 66% mentioned above) manufactured in Thailand. Ten car manufacturers also offer new cars adapted to CNG.

According to NGV Global, global growth rate of the number of CNG-powered vehicles is about 23.7% per year, while in Southeast Asia it exceeds 40%.

Predictions about the development of the automotive market in that region say that by 2030, the number of vehicles in Southeast Asia will constitute 49% of all cars in the world. Unfortunately, Asian oil pools represent only 9% of global resources of this source of energy, which leads to greater use of alternative fuels, including LPG and CNG.

The Thai government wants to follow this global trend and pushes for the development of alternative fuels and the conversion of vehicles to gas supply. According to plans, by 2020, 44% of all vehicles in Thailand will be powered by alternative fuels, including gaseous fuels.

The country already shows a high growth potential in terms of gaseous fuels. In 2013, Thailand saw 112 thousand more cars powered by natural gas, which results from a fairly well-developed (488 CNG stations) and still further developing infrastructure (59 further CNG stations are planned to be opened in 2014). LPG stations network is developed even better – it consists of 1,500 stations. The development of biogas plants, as well as the production of biodiesel and bio-fuel additives to conventional engine fuels is also growing bigger.

According to research, in the next three years Thailand will be the most important market for alternative fuels in Asia.