BANGKOK (March 11, 2004) – Earlier today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) provided $125,482 to PTT Public Company Limited, a public-private enterprise under the supervision of the Ministry of Energy of the Kingdom of Thailand.  The funds will support a technical visit to the United States by PTT officials to evaluate natural gas vehicle (NGV) technologies and study their implementation in the U.S. market.  This assistance augments an on-going USTDA-funded feasibility study that is helping PTT to develop an NGV program in Thailand.

The grant was conferred in a signing ceremony held at PTT headquarters in Bangkok.  Ms. Judy Reinke, U.S. Commercial Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, signed the grant agreement on behalf of the U.S. Government.  Mr. Manop Ratanasupanusorn, NGV Project Director at PTT, signed the agreement on behalf of the Grantee.   

NGV development in Thailand is designed to reduce national fuel costs and promote environmental protection and public health standards.  In August 2002, USTDA funded a feasibility study for PTT on NGV program development that resulted in PTT’s approval of procurement plans for NGV technologies and services.  The technical visit funded today will assist officials from PTT, Bangkok Metropolitan Transit Authority, and the Energy Policy and Planning Office of the Ministry of Energy in making key decisions related to NGV distribution systems and components, bus and truck fleet conversion technology, and appropriate regulations and standards. The technical visit will expose leading Thai officials to key sites in Seattle, Washington; San Francisco and Los Angeles, California; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Washington, DC; and New York, New York.  Nexant, Inc. of White Plains, New York, will coordinate the visit.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries.  The agency funds various forms of technical assistance, feasibility studies, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment.  USTDA’s strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development.  In carrying out its mission, USTDA gives emphasis to economic sectors that may benefit from U.S. exports of goods and services.