PTT Plc's CEO has expressed concern about the spreading online of what he believes is misinformation about the country's energy position.
"We're worried about the distorted energy information spreading online since it may derail the 21st round of petroleum concession bidding," said Pailin Chuchottaworn, who also serves as president of the energy conglomerate.
The government originally set the Feb 18 deadline for accepting bids for the 21st round of petroleum exploration concessions. This week, it extended the deadline to March 16 after facing opposition from some groups, who want the production-sharing contract (PSC) method to be used instead.
A public forum to debate the issue, to be held at Government House on Friday, will be broadcast live on TV Channel 11. About 100 representatives from groups opposing the idea, as well as the Energy Ministry, academics, civic networks, the National Legislative Assembly, the National Reform Council and the Constitution Drafting Committee will attend.
"Dissidents [of the bidding] are trying to convince people not to believe official data and this confuses the public.
"For instance, the government said our natural gas reserves will last seven years but the information spreading on social media cited PTT as saying they last 20 years, which is not true," he said.
They support their claim with figures from PTT's 20-year contract to buy gas from Qatar at 2 million tonnes a year but these do not amount to the same thing, Mr Pailin explained.
"We still need to explore for more reserves. Based on our proven gas reserves and consumption rate, we'll be running out of gas in seven years. Besides, local sources are cheaper than imports.
"If we don't believe the government, whom should we believe? What's being done now is like an effort to discredit and create a rift. It's all right if they don't believe PTT's data but we should believe information coming from the government," he said.
Whether the concession or PSC method is used is not a big issue and the country should focus instead on the benefits the country will get, he added.
Mr Pailin also said he personally supported the bidding even though explorers might not find large reserves.
With net profit to the tune of 100 billion baht a year, PTT itself is the main target of groups opposing the bidding and championing energy reform.
They claim the state-owned company has been trying to protect its own interests rather the country's. They also make no secret of their wish to see PTT re-nationalised in the belief energy would be cheaper.
PTT was privatised and listed in October 2001. With market capitalisation of 1 trillion baht, it is the largest company on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. The Finance Ministry owned 66% of the company as of the latest shareholders' register closing date in mid-September 2014.
Their arguments are that Thailand has massive untapped energy reserves that the government and PTT will not let the public know and that about 1 million barrels of oil are smuggled out of the country each day.