PM to be asked to replace NACC’s panel probing Akara gold mining operations

[webfact]

PM to be asked to replace NACC’s panel probing Akara gold mining operations

 

 

People living around the gold mine operated by Akara Resources Plc, who claim to be adversely affected by the company’s operations, plan to petition Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday about what they allege to be foot dragging by the National Anti-Corruption Commission in its fact-finding investigation into the gold mine.

 

The petitioners, claiming to represent people in the central provinces of Phichit, Phitsanuloke, Lop Buri and Saraburi, will ask the Prime Minister to set up a new team to probe the Akara company’s mining operations, in place of the NACC-appointed panel which, they allege, has not made any progress after almost six years.

 

The same group of people, as well as representatives of civic groups, staged a march in Tambon Wang Prong, Noen Maprang district of Phitsanuloke on Saturday to protest against the NACC’s alleged inaction.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/pm-to-be-asked-to-replace-naccs-panel-probing-akara-gold-mining-operations/

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-08-05

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[RichardColeman]

7 minutes ago, webfact said:

they allege, has not made any progress after almost six years

And they say they want to be trusted  ?

[ezzra]

The mine have been stopped operating and shutdown years ago and they still continue to protest, or maybe is it all about money and compensation and less about their health?... 

[mikebell]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

has not made any progress after almost six years.

'But we have regular all-expenses paid meetings with lots of free food and photo-ops enabling us to look serious and professional.'

[leeneeds]

A disastrous closure that has damaged Thailands investment security,

pure greed and a grab for control of a mine that generated wealth 

locally, and contributed by taxes  to the government royalties.  All its claimed environmental damage is nonsense, 

myths of birds flying over the mine site changing colour and kamikaze diving into the ground, grasshoppers being born with sixteen legs and two heads,

crops sucking up tailings and giving all manner of cancers to locals,

lead poison and shrinking  kidneys from  drinking water that was contaminated from the mine.

 

the care and maintenance workers have no ill effects from 2 years of working on the site,

 

Arbitration will show the mine followed due diligence, the compensation to be given should be substantial and a renewed mining licence installed,

plenty of ore is still to be mined.

 

[Cadbury]

1 hour ago, leeneeds said:

A disastrous closure that has damaged Thailands investment security,

pure greed and a grab for control of a mine that generated wealth 

locally, and contributed by taxes  to the government royalties.  All its claimed environmental damage is nonsense, 

myths of birds flying over the mine site changing colour and kamikaze diving into the ground, grasshoppers being born with sixteen legs and two heads,

crops sucking up tailings and giving all manner of cancers to locals,

lead poison and shrinking  kidneys from  drinking water that was contaminated from the mine.

 

the care and maintenance workers have no ill effects from 2 years of working on the site,

 

Arbitration will show the mine followed due diligence, the compensation to be given should be substantial and a renewed mining licence installed,

plenty of ore is still to be mined.

 

This was one of Prayut's first uses of his beloved Article 44 which made international news. 1000 people lost their jobs. It was reported at the time that the protests were promoted by money hungry lawyers.

Thai PBS claims:

 

"Kingsgate Consolidated, took the case to an international arbitrary panel to seek compensation from the Thai government for the alleged illegal closure of the gold mine and the case is still pending."

 

That is is conveniently misleading. Kingsgate won the case and was awarded a cash payment of $77 million dollars which the junta and PM Prayut appealed. It is the appeal that is pending.

https://smallcaps.com.au/kingsgate-wins-tafta-lawsuit-closure-chatree-gold-mine-thailand/

 

The full and detailed story of the mine closure is contained here.  

https://www.smh.com.au/world/shock-and-confusion-around-closure-of-kingsgateowned-chatree-mine-in-thailand-20161115-gspfto.html

[ChrisY1]

26 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

This was one of Prayut's first uses of his beloved Article 44 which made international news. 1000 people lost their jobs. It was reported at the time that the protests were promoted by money hungry lawyers.

Thai PBS claims:

 

"Kingsgate Consolidated, took the case to an international arbitrary panel to seek compensation from the Thai government for the alleged illegal closure of the gold mine and the case is still pending."

 

That is is conveniently misleading. Kingsgate won the case and was awarded a cash payment of $77 million dollars which the junta and PM Prayut appealed. It is the appeal that is pending.

https://smallcaps.com.au/kingsgate-wins-tafta-lawsuit-closure-chatree-gold-mine-thailand/

 

The full and detailed story of the mine closure is contained here.  

https://www.smh.com.au/world/shock-and-confusion-around-closure-of-kingsgateowned-chatree-mine-in-thailand-20161115-gspfto.html

There was shock among the government and those that wanted control, when Kingsgate demobed everything from the mine....some thought the equipment would remain!

[Cadbury]

1 minute ago, ChrisY1 said:

There was shock among the government and those that wanted control, when Kingsgate demobed everything from the mine....some thought the equipment would remain!

Yes, the closure was a set up from the start. All it needed was for Prayut to get the closure started with his Article 44.

The is no point in the protesters petitioning Prayut now. The case has been done an dusted and Kingsgate has been awarded US$77 million in compensation. Not surprisingly the Thai government are refusing to pay up and the matter has gone to appeal.

What is it about the Thai government refusing to pay up when cases are found against them. The same thing has happened with Hopewell and the SRT. The State Rail Authority are refusing to pay damages of $370 million to Hopewell awarded by the Supreme Court.

What sort of signal does that send to foreign investors. And they wonder why the economy is going down the gurgler.

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, Cadbury said:

Kingsgate won the case and was awarded a cash payment of $77 million dollars which the junta and PM Prayut appealed. It is the appeal that is pending.

Just to clarify -

Prayut's appeal is before the 3-member Arbitration Tribunal* which made the original ruling in Kingsgate's favor. That's what the free trade agreement requires. The tribunal's decisions cannot be appealed to either Thailand or Australia civil court systems as such national sovereign apparatuses are waived in the free trade agreement. 

* One representative chosen by Thailand, one representative chosen by Australia, and one representative chosen by consensus by the two other designated representatives)

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, ChrisY1 said:

those that wanted control

It was in May 2016 that Prayut invoked Article 44 to revoke Kingsgate’s license to mine and prospect gold in Thailand.

It was subsequently reported* in circa September 2016 a Singapore-based company offered through a Thai executive director of its Thailand subsidiary company to acquire controlling interest in Kingsgate at an offer price that was only about 10% of the then current publicly traded share price.

Needless to say the offer was refused.

* please Google search for relevant links that cannot be disclosed in TV

[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

PM to be asked to replace NACC’s panel probing Akara gold mining operations

As per the Constitution, the NACC is an independent organization (aka Constitutional Organization).

In theory* the PM has no authority to interfere with its operations nor can he remove any NACC members from office.

As office holders NACC members can be impeached by three fifths of 220 NLA members or 132 votes. Any Thai displeased with the NACC should petition the NLA.

^* Under Prayut's junta government Prayut has absolute power to bypass the Constitution, laws and regulations; as the now elected PM and dissolution of the junta Prayut must concede the authority of the NACC in its investigation.