ID :
144360
Thu, 09/30/2010 - 21:31
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http://m.oananews.org//node/144360
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PM ready to talk with Map Ta Phut activists
BANGKOK, Sept 30 - As environmental activists continued rallying in Rayong province where Thailand's largest industrial estate Map Ta Phut is located, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Thursday said he is ready to talk with them and pledged to speed up building a buffer zone between residential areas and the industrial estate to resolve the ongoing dispute.
The premier commented following a demonstration by the Eastern People’s Network at the Rayong government office centre demanding that the government review its truncated list of 11 types of harmful industrial activities.
Network coordinator Suthi Atchaya announced that the demonstrators will march to the Rayong public health office to follow up the results of healthcare checkups for about one thousand people living in the at-risk zone, followed by a march around the controversial industrial estate before returning to their main rally site.
The prime minister said representatives of the government and the activists are now discussing the issue and urged the demonstrators not to breach the law.
"What the four-party panel advised as categories of harmful activities [18 in the Anand Panyarachun report] and what the government announced [only 11 types] are not different in terms of the projects which remain in dispute," Mr Abhisit said.
The premier pointed out that the real problem of Map Ta Phut is to more quickly build buffer and protection zones between the industrial estate and residential areas, as well as to finally decide the area's capacity to support expanded industrial capacity.
"The category of the projects is not the problem," Mr Abhisit said. "I am willing to talk. If we do not understand each other, we should talk, not violate the law," he said.
Asked whether there's interference by some groups as the issue has been discussed for a long time but remains inconclusive, the prime minister said it may be difficult for some groups to understand the case.
Mr Abhisit said the government has explained clearly to the activists detailed information, adding that some groups may disagree with the expansion of the industry and they have rights to express their opinions in accordance with the law.
The activists' demonstration followed the government's announcement of only 11 types of harmful industrial projects that require undergoing environmental and health impact assessments. Such projects include expansions of the petrochemical industry, airport runways, and all kinds of mining, dams and power plants.
The government's list however narrowed down the list of 18 categories of harmful activities earlier proposed by the four-party panel head by former prime minister Anand Panyarachun.
The Central Administrative Court on Sept 29 last year ordered 76 industrial projects at Map Ta Phut industrial estate, 180km southeast of Bangkok, to temporarily halt operations for failing to pass the environmental and health impact assessments required by Article 67 of Thailand's Constitution.
The court however, early this month, allowed 74 of the 76 suspended projects to resume operations. Two projects accused of activities harmful to the environment remain suspended -- an ethylene plant operated by TOC Glycol Co, a unit of PTT Chemical Plc, and a vinyl chloride monomer project owned by Thai Plastic & Chemical Plc. (MCOT online news)
The premier commented following a demonstration by the Eastern People’s Network at the Rayong government office centre demanding that the government review its truncated list of 11 types of harmful industrial activities.
Network coordinator Suthi Atchaya announced that the demonstrators will march to the Rayong public health office to follow up the results of healthcare checkups for about one thousand people living in the at-risk zone, followed by a march around the controversial industrial estate before returning to their main rally site.
The prime minister said representatives of the government and the activists are now discussing the issue and urged the demonstrators not to breach the law.
"What the four-party panel advised as categories of harmful activities [18 in the Anand Panyarachun report] and what the government announced [only 11 types] are not different in terms of the projects which remain in dispute," Mr Abhisit said.
The premier pointed out that the real problem of Map Ta Phut is to more quickly build buffer and protection zones between the industrial estate and residential areas, as well as to finally decide the area's capacity to support expanded industrial capacity.
"The category of the projects is not the problem," Mr Abhisit said. "I am willing to talk. If we do not understand each other, we should talk, not violate the law," he said.
Asked whether there's interference by some groups as the issue has been discussed for a long time but remains inconclusive, the prime minister said it may be difficult for some groups to understand the case.
Mr Abhisit said the government has explained clearly to the activists detailed information, adding that some groups may disagree with the expansion of the industry and they have rights to express their opinions in accordance with the law.
The activists' demonstration followed the government's announcement of only 11 types of harmful industrial projects that require undergoing environmental and health impact assessments. Such projects include expansions of the petrochemical industry, airport runways, and all kinds of mining, dams and power plants.
The government's list however narrowed down the list of 18 categories of harmful activities earlier proposed by the four-party panel head by former prime minister Anand Panyarachun.
The Central Administrative Court on Sept 29 last year ordered 76 industrial projects at Map Ta Phut industrial estate, 180km southeast of Bangkok, to temporarily halt operations for failing to pass the environmental and health impact assessments required by Article 67 of Thailand's Constitution.
The court however, early this month, allowed 74 of the 76 suspended projects to resume operations. Two projects accused of activities harmful to the environment remain suspended -- an ethylene plant operated by TOC Glycol Co, a unit of PTT Chemical Plc, and a vinyl chloride monomer project owned by Thai Plastic & Chemical Plc. (MCOT online news)
