Protesters demand change to environmental bill

By The Nation

 

 

A demonstration against the new Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Bill has begun amid heavy police officers presence.

The People Network for Sustainable Development, which includes members of top environmentalist groups nationwide, gathered in front of Government House on Wednesday.

 

More than 150 police officers are reportedly guarding the protest site at the Public Sector Development Commission Office, which is across the road from the Government House.

 

A representative of the group, Lertsak Khamkongsak, read a statement on Wednesday morning proclaiming that the people have a right according to the Constitution to demonstrate peacefully, so the group was using this right to protest against the new Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Bill.

 

The bill has been criticised by activists saying that not only did it not solve problems with existing environmental and health impact assessment procedures, it will intensify those problems, and will make it even easier for problematic and harmful projects to get approval.

 

The statement also pointed out that the new bill has been pushed forward very rapidly to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) without taking heed to public-sector suggestions about its flaws.

 

Lertsak stressed that the protesters would not return home unless the government takes satisfactory action over the bill.

 

Prime Minister Office deputy secretary-general Sompas Nilapund met the protesters and received letters to take to the government in the afternoon.

 

Meanwhile, the bill is under the consideration of NLA. It was approved on its first reading on November 24.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30333309

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-06

Good luck to them. Only 150 police for them ?

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Meanwhile, the bill is under the consideration of NLA. It was approved on its first reading on November 24.

Given the rubber stamp nature of the current government, that is hardly worth mentioning.  All bills sail through with no scrutiny.  

17 hours ago, webfact said:

the people have a right according to the Constitution to demonstrate peacefully

Sadly so naive but many more Thais need to learn the reality of their sovereign rights - the Constitution (neither present or past) is not the Rule of Law for all Thais.

 

What is the Thai Rule of Law is that which is allowed by the autocracy as created, amended and modified unilaterally by rubber-stamped legislative and judicial systems. Such law is not always written but embedded within the unwritten capriciousness of autocratic philosophies -  such as (what I call) the Good People Rule enforced through absolute power mechanisms like Article 44. 

 

At the same time 43 academics have sent a letter to the PM supporting the proposed Songkhla power station, claiming it would not have a negative environmental impact (source BP) despite the wildly exaggerated claims of protesters. Of course these engineering field academics are far less informed than the protesters (satire).

13 minutes ago, halloween said:

At the same time 43 academics have sent a letter to the PM supporting the proposed Songkhla power station, claiming it would not have a negative environmental impact (source BP) despite the wildly exaggerated claims of protesters. Of course these engineering field academics are far less informed than the protesters (satire).

The academics are not fishermen that are affected. They are not stakeholders and will not suffer when the environment and pollution manifest. 

4 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

The academics are not fishermen that are affected. They are not stakeholders and will not suffer when the environment and pollution manifest. 

No they are not; neither are you. Do you have any data to support the claims of catastrophic environmental damage? Or do you blindly accept it because it suits your anti-junta bias?

2 minutes ago, halloween said:

No they are not; neither are you. Do you have any data to support the claims of catastrophic environmental damage? Or do you blindly accept it because it suits your anti-junta bias?

Predictably coming to the defence of the junta. To hell with the fishermen, farmers and peasants. Disregard their concerns and livelihood as long as it don't affect the life style of the generals. 

Just now, Eric Loh said:

Predictably coming to the defence of the junta. To hell with the fishermen, farmers and peasants. Disregard their concerns and livelihood as long as it don't affect the life style of the generals. 

As a resident of southern Thailand, I have a personal interest in a reliable electricity supply, and with a 20 yearbackground in coal-fired electricity generation and supply, I recognise the bloated claims of environmental damage which you support without any evidence. What's your interest?

https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Environmental_impacts_of_coal

14 minutes ago, halloween said:

As a resident of southern Thailand, I have a personal interest in a reliable electricity supply, and with a 20 yearbackground in coal-fired electricity generation and supply, I recognise the bloated claims of environmental damage which you support without any evidence. What's your interest?

I don't have that kind of credential like you. The issue is the EHIA that failed to convinced academics and locals the impact for the ecosystem, surrounding environment and people's livelihood. Locals complained that were no proper public participation and yet it was approved. That was the discontent and they tried to convey this to the junta PM but was heavily handled and arrested. Coal mines had their fair share of disaster in Thailand that caused damages to the environment and respiratory diseases. Maybe the coal technology has improved but the concerns of the local people are real and should be addressed. Good sense that the junta PM has put the project on hold. 

1 hour ago, Eric Loh said:

I don't have that kind of credential like you. The issue is the EHIA that failed to convinced academics and locals the impact for the ecosystem, surrounding environment and people's livelihood. Locals complained that were no proper public participation and yet it was approved. That was the discontent and they tried to convey this to the junta PM but was heavily handled and arrested. Coal mines had their fair share of disaster in Thailand that caused damages to the environment and respiratory diseases. Maybe the coal technology has improved but the concerns of the local people are real and should be addressed. Good sense that the junta PM has put the project on hold. 

The locals have concerned, mostly based on false information. I repeat, what YOUR interest other than political slagging?

41 minutes ago, halloween said:

The locals have concerned, mostly based on false information. I repeat, what YOUR interest other than political slagging?

My interest is participation with stakeholders and a better EHIA that answer to the concerns of the locals. So what is your interest besides blind defence of the junta.