Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday that he had ordered the issue of the bidding for new petroleum concessions to be brought before the National Reform Council and the issue be discussed and decided upon in the next two months.
The government turned its focus on this issue after civic groups of the energy network, who oppose the invitation to oil companies to bid for the concessions, called on the authority to suspend the move until the energy sector was reformed.
Prayut yesterday also instructed the Energy Ministry to make people understand the government's policy on opening the bidding for the 21st round of petroleum concessions.
The National Energy Policy Council recently opened bids for new petroleum concessions at 29 fields, both on and offshore.
Prayut said the government would follow whatever the outcome of the NRC discussion was.
Rosana Tositrakul, who is opposing this matter, is also an NRC member.
"However, there are only four months for those who are interested in the bidding to study the fields. So, the NRC members will have to discuss and then conclude soon whether the country should open the concessions or not," Prayut said.
He added that both procedures - of opening the bidding for petroleum concessions and discussion of this matter in the NRC - would move separately.