Thailand wont eliminate octane 95, 91

Thailand on July 11 backed off on its earlier policy to promote gasohol by eliminating octane 95 and octane 91 gasolines from the market. The policy came after Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand discussed the plan to promote gasohol and biodiesel with oil company representatives. Ethanol producers had earlier lobbied the government to phase out petrol to help eradicate the ethanol glut. Piyasvasti said if octane 95 petrol was phased out as planned, it would pose problems for a number of vehicles that were not compatible with biofuels. Existing ethanol plants produce 5 million liters per day, while current local demand is only four million liters. (July 13, 2007)