"As the Dong Mun site was found to be operational, the gas pressure test will be done for another 30 days and after that 16 kilometres of gas pipeline will be constructed to transport gas to the plant and there will be drilling for another site nearby," Santi said.
"This is good luck for the country that we found an operational gas site in our country. It can reduce the gas reliance from abroad and it will generate income for the country through royalties and taxes."
Santi said Thailand used 5,000 million cubic feet of gas per day, while the country produced only 3,800 million cubic feet per day and had to import the shortfall from Myanmar.
He said that Apico, the American firm operating the site, would pay Bt29 billion to the local government and Bt188 billion to the central government in royalties.