Chinese mine operator files police complaint after being blocked by locals

[webfact]

Chinese mine operator files police complaint after being blocked by locals

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION 

 

 

A CHINESE potash-mining operator has filed a complaint against some local people in Sakon Nakhon province after the company’s exploration team was blocked from entering the test site.
 

The fresh conflict between local citizens in the potash exploration area at Wanon Niwat district and China Mingda Potash Corporation erupted again yesterday after local people were angered by the company’s new potash exploration operations. The locals tried to stop the team from entering the exploration site.

 

 

The confrontation began yesterday morning when the locals, protesting against the potash exploration, tried to prevent China Mingda’s team from entering the area. The team, which was escorted by many police officers, was unable to enter the site to drill for new exploration as planned.

 

The Chinese mining company argued that its potash exploration was legal and it had already received approval to drill for potash from both the land owner and the authorities. The local people, however, said that they had been kept in the dark about the potash mine development plan. They said they were worried about the environmental impact of the operation on groundwater and the fertility of their farmland.

 

China Mingda manager Thanyapat Wangwongsiri said the company decided to file the complaint with the police against those who tried to oppose its potash exploration, as the company had to protect its rights.

 

“The company has done nothing against the law, because we already have the permission from both the land owner at the exploration site and local authorities,” Thanyapat said.

 

“The people have no right to block the way and prevent us from doing our duty, so we have no choice but to file a complaint with the police to protect our interests.”

 

The company did not specify the names of the people who had participated in the protest against the exploration operation, but it provided pictures of the protesters at the scene as evidence to the police.

 

Thanyapat said there was no plan to take the opponents of the potash exploration to court, but the company was open to considering filing a lawsuit to protect its reputation and interests in the future.

 

“I would like to assure that the company operation is just exploring and evaluating the potential to develop a potash mine in the area and there is no impact on the environment from our exploration operations,” he said.

 

“If anyone is affected by our operations, they can sue us in the court.”

 

China Mingda acquired the mineral exploration licence from the Industry Ministry for potash exploration on 12 plots of land over a total area of 116,875 rai at Wanon Niwat district since January 2015 for five years. The company’s licence will expire in January 2020. 

 

Nongchai Phanda, one of the local people taking part in the protest against the potash exploration, stated that the local people were informed that China Mingda would drill the fourth exploration well in the area, so the people came out in protest in order to protect their community and environment.

 

Nongchai said the people only blocked the vehicles of the potash exploration team from entering the site and did not fully close the entire road. As of press time, local people still guarded the way to the site.

 

“The local people are objecting to the exploration on the grounds that this operation may be done on first level watershed forestland, where mineral exploration is prohibited. We want the company and authorities to clear this doubt with the people first,” he said.

 

“We are only trying to save our hometown from environmental disaster that the potash mine will bring, because we want to preserve our livelihood as an agricultural community and protect our valuable fertile farmland.” 

 

He said the people were concerned about salinity intrusion as a result of extracting potash from underground salt layers, which could devastate the farmland and pollute the rivers. Moreover, he said, the local people were kept away from participating in the decision-making on this project in their hometown.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30344987

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-10

[cornishcarlos]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

we already have the permission from both the land owner at the exploration site and local authorities

 

we already have the permission from paid off both the land owner at the exploration site and local authorities

 

That's better....

 

Chinese are buying up the world.. People in power are benefiting from it, while those little people at the sharp end will suffer.

Pretty sure no environmental impact study was done and no locals were consulted ahead of decisions being made !!

It's only going to get worse...

 

[happy chappie]

Wełl would you believe it,Thais going all environmental.

[BEVUP]

1 hour ago, happy chappie said:

Wełl would you believe it,Thais going all environmental.

Yeh, sounds like the the people in the village have uni degree's 

 

[ezzra]

Good luck to you if you're a foreigner wanting to do mining business

in Thailand, Thais will object to anyone who steals their resorcess

without paying the locals that until yesterday they would have no idea

of what 'salinity intrusion as a result of extracting potash from

underground salt layers' even means,

someone is agitating the locals up to this instigations, and that 

someone has nothing but greed on their minds.... 

[Classic Ray]

Sounds like they need to follow Sun Tzu. The company should invite the locals to participate (paid) in the exploration process and possible development of the resource, listening to and taking account of their concerns.

 

It may be more expensive in the short term, but will be cheaper in the long term as they don't have the risk of further protests or sabotage.

 

With the power of pressure groups on social media now, riding roughshod does not cut it any more.

[Borzandy]

Farang cannot own land, but smart Chinese take the basement

[Srikcir]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

the company was open to considering filing a lawsuit to protect its reputation and interests in the future

So it will use defamation, Thailand's quintessential tool for suppressing the Thai people's rights.

An ironic application to be used by the Chinese who fully understand the value of a population without legal protections over the abuse of their sovereignty.

[IAMHERE]

"The company’s licence will expire in January 2020." 

I bet it won't. Or perhaps the license that expires is only the license to explore/test.

[Srikcir]

41 minutes ago, IAMHERE said:

"The company’s licence will expire in January 2020." 

I bet it won't. Or perhaps the license that expires is only the license to explore/test.

"it had already received approval to drill for potash from both the land owner and the authorities"

One doesn't "drill" for potash as in drilling for oil. However, in solution mining hot water is pumped underground into the subterranean ore body under high pressure through a pipe casing where it dissolves the potassium chloride and sodium chloride. To place the casing one has to drill into the ground.

So the license might include extraction.

[DrTuner]

Stop whining. You invited them in, now enjoy the fruits.

[champers]

Mr Phanda; the protest leader; comes accross as a very clued up guy. Is he a local? 

I hope this thread continues, so we can see the outcome. This could be a template for future foreign; Chinese especially; investment projects.