On December 7, 2018, Tokyo Gas announced that Tokyo Gas Asia, its wholly owned subsidiary, had initiated a natural gas distribution business in the WHA Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate 2 in Thailand on December 1, 2018. It is the first time that Tokyo Gas has opened a private natural gas distribution business for industrial users in Thailand.

The Industrial Estate is a special economic zone that was established by the Thai government to facilitate investment and is located in Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).

The business will be operated by the Gulf WHA MT Natural Gas Distribution Company, which has been invested in by the Gulf Energy Development Public Company, WHA Utilities and Power Public Company, and MITG, a joint venture between Tokyo Gas Asia and Mitsui & Co.

Tokyo Gas is seeking to expand its business in South East Asia and North America by leveraging its experience with natural gas distribution in Japan and its knowledge of the LNG value chain.