Demand PTT: Stop Bankrolling the Myanmar Military

Mr. Auttapol Rerkpiboon, President and Chief Executive Officer of PTT

Demand PTT stop bankrolling the Myanmar military.

As Myanmar’s generals seek revenues to prop up their military dictatorship, there’s one source of money they can count on: natural gas projects backed by foreign investors, such as PTT, formerly the Petroleum Authority of Thailand.

Myanmar earns close to US$1 billion a year from natural gas sales. Much of this money flows through Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), a state-owned enterprise with deep links to the military’s business empire. Since the February, 2021, military coup, MOGE and the rest of the government is under direct army control.

PTT is the largest Thai corporate investor in Burma (Myanmar) and a partner of Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) in the Yadana gas field and pipeline. Yadana is one of the military’s largest sources of revenue, bankrolling up to 70 percent of its operations in years past. With the decision by TotalEnergies and Chevron to exit the Yadana project, PTT is now the majority owner and operator. PTT has the power to hold back from the junta any contractual payments for the Myanmar government and instead put them in escrow.

The people of Myanmar have mobilized against the military coup through a campaign of civil disobedience, boycotts of military-owned companies, and pressure on foreign companies to stop supporting the Junta. Now, more than ever, let's pressure PTT until it stops bankrolling the Myanmar military.

For more information:

"Thailand's PTT Exploration and Production Taking Over Myanmar Gas Field as Others Exit," Reuters, 26 January 2022

"How Oil and Gas Majors Bankroll the Myanmar Military Regime," Justice For Myanmar, 8 February 2021

"Total Impact: The Human Rights, Environmental, and Financial Impacts of Total and Chevron’s Yadana Gas Project in Military Ruled Burma (Myanmar)," EarthRights International, September 2009

PETITION BY

To: Mr. Auttapol Rerkpiboon, President and Chief Executive Officer of PTT
From: [Your Name]

I demand that PTT cut immediately all commercial ties to Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) and stop bankrolling the Myanmar military.

As Myanmar’s generals look for revenues to prop up their new dictatorship following the February 1 coup, there’s one source of money they can count on: natural gas projects backed by foreign investors such as PTT.

Myanmar earns close to US$1 billion a year from natural gas sales.

Much of this money is not paid directly from oil companies to the government. It flows through Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), a state-owned enterprise with deep links to the military’s business empire. Alarmingly, the recent military coup places MOGE and the rest of the government under direct military control.

PTT is the largest Tahi corporate investor in Burma (Myanmar). In partnership with the Burmese government-owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), PTT owns the Yadana gas field and pipeline that generates billions of dollars for the Burmese government.

The people of Myanmar have mobilised against dictatorship through a national campaign of civil disobedience and boycotts against military-owned products. Even MOGE's own staff are publicly protesting. We must back up the peoples of Myanmar in their struggle against the Myanmar military dictators.

It is time for PTT to side with the peoples of Myanmar and stop bankrolling the Myanmar military.