PETROLEUM POTENTIAL, THERMAL MATURITY AND THE OIL WINDOW OF OIL SHALES AND COALS IN CENOZOIC RIFT BASINS, CENTRAL AND NORTHERN THAILAND

Oil shales and coals occur in Cenozoic rift basins in central and northern Thailand. Thermally immature outcrops of these rocks may constitute analogues for source rocks which have generated oil in several of these rift basins. A total of 56 oil shale and coal samples were collected from eight different basins and analysed in detail in this study. The samples were analysed for their content of total organic carbon (TOC) and elemental composition. Source rock quality was determined by Rock‐Eval pyrolysis. Reflected light microscopy was used to analyse the organic matter (maceral) composition of the rocks, and the thermal maturity was determined by vitrinite reflectance (VR) measurements. In addition to the 56 samples, VR measurements were carried out in three wells from two oil‐producing basins and VR gradients were constructed. Rock‐Eval screening data from one of the wells is also presented. The oil shales were deposited in freshwater (to brackish) lakes with a high preservation potential (TOC contents up to 44.18 wt%). They contain abundant lamalginite and principally algal‐derived fluorescing amorphous organic matter followed by liptodetrinite and telalginite (Botryococcus‐type). Huminite may be present in subordinate amounts. The coals are completely dominated by huminite and were formed in freshwater mires. VR values from 0.38 to 0.47%R_o show that the exposed coals are thermally immature. VR values from the associated oil shales are suppressed by 0.11 to 0.28%R_o. The oil shales have H/C ratios >1.43, and Hydrogen Index (HI) values are generally >400 mg HC/g TOC and may reach 704 mg HC/ gTOC. In general, the coals have H/C ratios between about 0.80 and 0.90, and the HI values vary considerably from approximately 50 to 300 mg HC/gTOC. The HI_max of the coals, which represent the true source rock potential, range from ～160 to 310 mg HC/g TOC indicating a potential for oil/gas and oil generation. The steep VR curves from the oil‐producing basins reflect high geothermal gradients of ～62°C/km and ～92°C/km. The depth to the top oil window for the oil shales at a VR of ～0.70%R_o is determined to be between ～1100 m and 1800 m depending on the geothermal gradient. The kerogen composition of the oil shales and the high geothermal gradients result in narrow oil windows, possibly spanning only ～300 to 400 m in the warmest basins. The effective oil window of the coals is estimated to start from ～0.82 to 0.98%R_o and burial depths of ～1300 to 1400 m (～92°C/km) and ～2100 to 2300 m (～62°C/km) are necessary for efficient oil expulsion to occur.     

Life cycle cost analysis of alternative vehicles and fuels in Thailand

High crude oil prices and pollution problems have drawn attention to alternative vehicle technologies and fuels for the transportation sector. The question is: What are the benefits/costs of these technologies for society? To answer this question in a quantitative way, a web-based model (http://vehiclesandfuels.memebot.com) has been developed to calculate the societal life cycle costs, the consumer life cycle costs and the tax for different vehicle technologies. By comparing these costs it is possible to draw conclusions about the social benefit and the related tax structure. The model should help to guide decisions toward optimality, which refers to maximum social benefit. The model was applied to the case of Thailand. The life cycle cost of 13 different alternative vehicle technologies in Thailand have been calculated and the tax structure analyzed.     

Nascent Innovation Systems in Developing Countries: University Responses to Regional Needs in Thailand

Universities are playing a major role in regional innovation by interacting directly with regional stakeholders. Up to now there is little evidence on responses of universities to regional needs in developing countries. This paper applies an adopted framework of nascent regional innovation systems in developing countries to a study of the potential impacts of five universities in three regions in Thailand. The empirical evidence suggests that more systematic approaches toward regional university-industry knowledge transfer are still limited by centralized national policies, a low sophistication of regional technological needs, and institutional barriers within the higher education system. University responses to regional needs differ markedly between the Bangkok region and two peripheral regional innovation systems.     

Assessment of Agricultural NonPoint Source Model for a Watershed in Tropical Environment

Very little work on the application of watershed modeling has been done in the tropical climatic conditions of Thailand to explore the nature of environmental problems arising from nonpoint source pollution due to agricultural activities, and to evaluate possible remedial measures and strategies. The present study attempts to verify the suitability of a nonpoint source pollution model, the Agricultural NonPoint Source model, for the Huai Nong Prong watershed in Southeastern Thailand. Extensive fieldwork was carried out to collect data and information needed for the model preparation and application. The study has revealed that simulated runoff volume, sediment, and nutrient yield from the watershed with mixed land use and relatively high slopes match favorably with observed data. For the ten rainfall events simulated, the coefficient of performance, a measure of model efficiency (equal to zero for a perfect match), was 0.09, 0.47, 0.09, and 0.03 for runoff volume, sediment yield, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus, respectively. The model, however, could not accurately simulate peak flow rates, suggesting the need for changes in the modeling approach or governing equations and relationships to calculate peak discharges in a tropical environment.     

Dry season water allocation in the Chao Phraya River basin,Thailand

This study examines the recent quantitative characteristics of dry season water allocation in the Chao Phraya River basin, Thailand. Previous studies have focused on inequitable allocation, where the highest priority is given to the domestic water sector and uneven irrigation water variability exists among projects in the delta. This study uses a statistical test and panel data analysis to confirm that the characteristics highlighted in previous studies remain accurate, and it discusses the source of these characteristics in order to understand the issues in water allocation in the Chao Phraya River delta.     

Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Vibrio species related to food safety isolated from shrimp cultured at inland ponds in Thailand

Inland farming of marine shrimp species is a relatively recent development, in response to increasing demand for the products. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of potentially pathogenic Vibrio species in shrimps cultured at inland ponds with low salinity in Thailand. Of 16 shrimp samples (white-leg shrimps and black-tiger shrimps) from ponds with water temperatures from 29 to 32 °C, and salinities from 1 to 5 parts per trillion, 15 contained Vibrio cholerae (densities: 62–252,000 MPN/g). Vibrio parahaemolyticus was present in six samples (370–6,300,000 MPN/g), and Vibrio vulnificus was present in two samples (16–1300 MPN/g). V. parahaemolyticus has higher affinity for non-native white-leg shrimp than for native black-tiger shrimp. The minimum inhibitory concentrations were then measured for 12 common antimicrobial agents. Resistance to ampicillin and oxytetracycline (8% and 2% of the isolates) was documented in V. cholerae isolates, resistance to ampicillin and oxytetracycline (72% and 3%) was found in V. parahaemolyticus isolates, and resistance to nalidixic acid (20%) was detected in V. vulnificus isolates. β-lactamase and tetracycline resistance genes were detected in the resistant Vibrio isolates. The oxytetracycline-resistance phenotype was eliminated by plasmid curing, suggesting that the resistance was related to R-plasmids. Our results show that shrimps cultured even in low salinity ponds are potentially contaminated with pathogenic Vibrio species, and that shrimp are a vehicle for transfer of species with antimicrobial resistance genes to the public.     

Comparative analysis of public participation in the EIA process for Thai overseas investment projects: Krabi coal terminal,Hongsa coal power plant,and Dawei special economic zone

While Thai overseas investment projects (TOIPs) have become a key form of development in the region, their environmental impact assessment (EIA) quality has been criticized. This research sought to analyze the differences in EIA practices in terms of public participation (PP) in two TOIPs – the Hongsa coal-fired power plant (Lao PDR) and the Dawei special economic zone (Myanmar) – versus a national-level project, the Krabi coal terminal. For Laos and Myanmar, which did not previously require PP, the Thai consultants did not apply the Thai PP framework, leading to poor public participation index (PPI) scores = 0.02, indicating a negligible PP process. However, the consultant on the Krabi coal terminal claimed to abide by the Thai regulations, yet the PPI scores claimed = 0.81 (substantive rationale), were quite different from those indicated by the affected villagers = 0.39 (instrumental rationale). These villagers’ concerns resulted in conflict between the affected villagers and project owners. Our findings have revealed the true necessity of PP regulation and systems to monitor consultant performance to ensure sustainability of TOIPs in neighboring countries.     

Understanding e-government failure in the developing country context: a process-oriented study

This research aims to investigate the underlying process-based causes of e-government failure. Through the lens of actor-network theory, this paper presents a process-oriented study of the failure of Thailand’s Smart ID Card project. Adding to the extant knowledge on e-government failures that attributes this phenomenon to internal and external factors, this paper argues that the reason the project failed was a cumulative process of failure to create and maintain the actor-network. Policy implications for developing countries to efficiently manage their e-government initiatives are given, such as adopting an open principle in setting e-government project objectives and initiating the actor-network; implementing the e-government target in stages based on prepared environment; allowing an e-government system to evolve according to the degree of readiness in the information and communications technology (ICT) system design, implementation and local adoption; and including large, nationwide projects as part of a national informatization strategy.     

A decision support methodology with risk assessment on prediction of terrorism insurgency distribution range radius and elapsing time: An empirical case study in Thailand

The objectives of this research are to design and develop a practical decision support methodology with efficient prediction tool and risk assessment analysis of a terrorism insurgency situation. The proposed methodology consists of two main parts as: (1) the prediction modelling and (2) risk assessment analysis. The Improvised Explosive Device (IED) incidents from 2007 to 2013 in the capital district of Yala province, the southern part of Thailand, are collected and generated to the methodology as a case study implementation. The proposed methodology is capable of indicating and illustrating the risk assessment prediction results of terrorism insurgency incidents. Furthermore, the demonstration of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) based upon a Risk Assessment Radar Chart is investigated. In practical terms of applying the proposed methodology, the Thai Government can concentrate on a critical operation zone under a Risk Assessment Radar Chart, resulting in a more accurate operation and leading to a much lower number of casualties.