Bangchak to build ethanol plants in Laos and Cambodia

Bangchak Petroleum of Thailand said it will open an ethanol manufacturing plant in Laos, and another one in Cambodia. Both plants will supply the increase in demand in 2015 when the Asean Economic Community (AEC) goes into effect. Bangchak President Anusorn Sangnimnuan said that the company predicts more business opportunities in the two countries because they have more available land and labor. Bangchak expects that capital inflow and outflow in the region would be created once the AEC begins to operate. Each plant will require an investment of BHT1 billion (US$32.42 million), and will be fully operational after two years, with a capacity of at least 200,000 liters of ethanol per day. (February 15, 2012)