Leading energy activists want the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to investigate the bidding process for the 20th round of petroleum concessions for oil and gas exploration in 2007.
They claim the process was not transparent.
The activists led by ML Kornkasiwat Kasemsri, director of Rangsit University's Energy and Resources Policy Research Centre, yesterday met at Rangsit University's Viphavadee Study Centre on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road.
They say they have new evidence pointing to irregularities in the way the 20th petroleum concession round was conducted. They hope these revelations will persuade Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha not to move forward with the 21st round of concessions.
Gen Prayut last Friday said the government will go ahead with petroleum concession bidding to ensure the country does not face an energy crisis in the future.
The National Reform Council (NRC) had voted earlier to ignore its own energy reform panel's recommendation on Jan 13 supporting the 21st round of petroleum concession bidding.
The energy activists say granting new concessions would affect national security because exploration would belong to the private sector. They are also fear the process will not be conducted transparently.
ML Kornkasiwat said he had information on irregularities in the 20th round of petroleum concession bidding, saying there were changes in the concession details after the bid submission deadline.
"My team are gathering more evidence and will petition the NACC to investigate the bidder selection process," he said.
ML Kornkasiwat said one of the three bidders awarded an exploration licence for Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Tak and Lampang under an investment budget of US$1.1 million (35.8 million baht) initially only obtained 28.5 out of a possible 100 points from the Ministry of Energy panel scrutinising petroleum concession bids.
A bidder getting a licence with so few points is impossible, ML Kornkasiwat said. The subcommittee later let the bidder adjust its bidding details which gave it a point score of 56 allowing it to win the bidding, he said without revealing further details.
He claimed the same process of allowing details to be altered to raise scrutiny points occurred with other two bidders and called for more transparent bidding.