PM to assume sole responsibility for Chatree gold mine issue

[webfact]

PM to assume sole responsibility for Chatree gold mine issue

 

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told the cabinet on Tuesday that he will take sole responsibility for the decision he made, as head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), to close down the Chatree gold mine in Phichit province about three years ago and accepts the consequences resulting from the decision.

 

A well-informed cabinet source said that yesterday the cabinet was briefed by Industry Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit about the arbitration process instigated by Australia-based Kingsgate Consolidated Limited, the parent company of Akara Resources Plc, the concessionaire of gold mining operations in Thailand, under the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement.

 

The Industry Ministry’s report also proposed four options to the Government to settle the legal dispute between the company and Thailand. The options are to pay compensation to Akara Resources for the mine closure to put an end to mining operations, to accept the proposal of Akara Resources Plc which may help reduce the amount of compensation, to wait for a ruling from the arbitration panel and to comply with the ruling or to pay partial compensation to Akara Resources and to allow the company to continue its gold mining operations.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/pm-to-assume-sole-responsibility-for-chatree-gold-mine-issue/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-10-30

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[farmerjo]

So he's paying with government money.

[ChrisY1]

15 hours ago, farmerjo said:

So he's paying with government money.

No....he'll pay with taxpayers money.

[yellowboat]

Wonder if it will be more than the rice scheme.  Wonder if cha cha will be the most expensive junta leader in history, squandering the opportunities of the average Thai and the country's reputation.

[tompelli]

The big question is whether he is a government official or not. Election commission ruled he wasn't (so he could qualify as PM). If he wasn't his order was not from the state & he should pay the 36Bn out if his own pocket. I know, what a joke. Look out for another flip flop.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Kingsgate will never see any compensation I believe. This will drag out longer then the Hopewell fiasco.

[IAMHERE]

My understanding is that Thailand is for Thai's. Farang can not own land. So, how can Australians take Thai gold?  That gold is part of the Thai land, Australians (farang) are not allowed. The original Thai's that let Australia take the most precious portion of a large section of land, should do time in prison.  All Thai gold should be sent back to Thailand.

[klauskunkel]

1 hour ago, IAMHERE said:

 All Thai gold should be sent back to Thailand.

Yes, it should. Sent back directly to the Responsibility Taker. By Thailand Post, which is handling 8Mio parcels a day.

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

Kingsgate will never see any compensation I believe. This will drag out longer then the Hopewell fiasco.

I don't believe so.

• While the Hopewell contract required arbitration, it was only the first step in resolution. If the arbitration decision was disputed by either party, they could file suit with the Thai court to attempt a different outcome. In fact the government lost in arbitration and did file suit in court, so on and so forth to where the case is today.
• Whereas the Kingsgate gold mining project was done under the auspices of a free trade agreement ratified by both Thailand and Australia. The FTA required mandatory and binding arbitration. If either party disagreed with the arbitration decision, the only avenue to appeal was with the arbitration tribunal. Regardless, the Prayut-junta government filed suit in court. But under international law and the FTA an adverse decision against Kingsgate would have been unenforceable. But the court held (perhaps complying with the arbitration decision) for Kingsgate.

Clearly Prayut now recognizes the danger to continue forestalling legal compliance to the Thailand-Australia free trade agreement wherein the arbitration tribunal upheld Kingsgate's claim for compensation for Prayut's Article 44 mine closure. If Prayut doesn't concede to resolve the case through the arbitration tribunal in accordance with the tribunal's award to Kingsgate, Thailand may not see another free trade agreement with ANY nation in the near future.

• Since Prayut as Chief of the NCPO used Article 44 to close Kingsgate mine, he was not acting as a government official who otherwise would not have such power. Therefore, the Thai taxpayers must not be held liable for Kingsgate's compensation. Prayut individually and the NCPO collectively must logically be held liable for the compensation.

However, I suggest a compromise might be reached with the former Chief and NCPO aside from Kingsgate's current offer (which is what?), especially if its involves taxpayer funding.

1. Cut the FY 2020 Defense Budget by equal amount awarded to Kingsgate
2. Prayut immediately resign as PM and be banned from politics for 5 years
3. Combination of 1 & 2

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

What's the problem??? He's got the money ().

 

He can pay the award out of his own pocket...  That's what taking sole responsibility should mean!!!

[Pedrogaz]

Here's what to do......slap the company with a trillion dollar law suit for environmental damage.

[mserror]

A soldier gets to learn what a free-trade agreement is - it is not part of soldier training.

 

Very expensive for Thailand. And shows the rest of the world that sovereign risk is high in Thailand.

[yellowboat]

8 hours ago, rhyddid said:

Excellent Choice, Well Done PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, Humans life and Environment before corporate or state  profit !

Well, he could have dealt with it like a civilized person, but his style is to go in gun blazing.  The civilized way would have been less harmful for all.  He acted and acts like a tinpot, not a statesmen, so Thailand will pay the price for his recklessness.