Central News Agency (Central News Agency, Reporter Li Zongxian, Bangkok, July 1) Thawachai Onjun, Executive Director of the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology, stated that as ASEAN countries face pressure from net-zero carbon emissions and rapid growth in electricity demand, they are accelerating the transition to clean energy. Among these, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are receiving attention from many countries. He called for ASEAN to establish a regional cooperation mechanism to jointly accelerate the development of SMRs. Thawachai Onjun, Executive Director of the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT), stated at a forum during "Asia Sustainable Energy Week" (ASEW) today that ASEAN's population continues to grow, coupled with the rapid development of AI, data centers, and the digital economy. The region's electricity demand is projected to nearly double by 2050 compared to the present. However, most countries still rely on fossil fuels for power generation, making it a common challenge to balance energy security with carbon reduction. "Asia Sustainable Energy Week" is one of Asia's most influential clean energy events. This year's exhibition is being held from the 1st to the 3rd at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok. It primarily focuses on three major areas: renewable energy, energy efficiency, and energy storage, with the goal of promoting Asia towards net-zero carbon emissions. Thawachai pointed out that SMRs possess advantages such as small scale, high deployment flexibility, and stable 24-hour power supply, and are considered an important technology suitable for ASEAN's energy transition. However, Thawachai also admitted that many people still hold skeptical attitudes towards nuclear energy, saying, "Whenever nuclear energy is mentioned, the Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear accidents are still imprinted in many people's minds, so how to gain public acceptance for nuclear energy is a major challenge." He added that b