Thai power demand down for first ti

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	BANGKOK, Thailand, July 15 (UPI) -- Thailand's economic crash has  
caused a decline in the demand for electricity for the first time in 35 
years. 
	The Bangkok Post today quotes the governor of the Electricity  
Generating Authority of Thailand, Viravat Chlayon (``WEE-rah-wat Cha- 
LAY-on'') as saying he expects the kingdom's demand for power to fall by 
2.5 percent this year. 
	This marks an abrupt about-face for Thailand, where the demand for  
electricity grew quickly when the country was the fastest growing 
economy in the world in the late 1980s and early 1990s. 
	Viravat predicts that demand for electric power will drop to 14,180  
megawatts this year from 14,506 megawatts last year. 
	He says he expects the need for electricity to decline further as the  
economy contracts as a result of the financial crisis that began a year 
ago in Thailand and spread to the rest of Asia. 
	Says Viravat, ``Confusion is clearing and the reality is emerging of  
how badly the crisis is affecting employment, purchasing power and 
industry, which dictates power demand.'' 
	He says that with the present generating capacity at 17,900  
megawatts, there might not be any need to add further capacity until the 
year 2000.