Pheu Thai party to seek cut in legal expenses for Chatree gold mine case 

 

 

The opposition Pheu Thai party will seek a reduction of 389 million baht, allocated by the Department of Primary Industries and Mines to legal expenses to defend the suspension of the goldmining operations of Akara Resources Company by the military junta in 2016.

 

Pheu Thai MP for Maha Sarakham province, Mr. Yutthapong Charassathien, who is a member of the House Budget Scrutiny Committee, said today that their MPs on the committee will seek to cut the budget on the grounds that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has no right to seek the funding because he is not a “state official” as defined by the Constitution.

 

According to the charter, a state official is not qualified to hold a political post. As head of the junta, otherwise known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), he invoked Section 44 of the interim Constitution to close the Chatree gold mine in Phichit province, operated by Akara Resources, on the grounds that they were causing health and environmental problems for people living close to the mine.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/pheu-thai-party-to-seek-cut-in-legal-expenses-for-chatree-gold-mine-case/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2020-08-31

 

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'Prayut is not a state official'

This was Prayut's position for qualifying in the 2018 PM election process.

Didn't the Constitution Court further confirm that he was not a state official even though serving as PM (albeit elected by his junta-appointed Parliament) for five years?

 

Furthermore, Prayut shutdown the mining operation as Chief of the NCPO invoking Article 44 that violated the Australian-Thailand Free Trade Agreement. Both nations had agreed through ratification by both governments of the FTA that any disputes would be addressed by a mandatory and binding arbitration panel established by the FTA. It appears that now Prayut is complying with such arbitration - an indication that Article 44 was recognized as inappropriate.

23 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

'Prayut is not a state official'

This was Prayut's position for qualifying in the 2018 PM election process.

Didn't the Constitution Court further confirm that he was not a state official even though serving as PM (albeit elected by his junta-appointed Parliament) for five years?

 

Furthermore, Prayut shutdown the mining operation as Chief of the NCPO invoking Article 44 that violated the Australian-Thailand Free Trade Agreement. Both nations had agreed through ratification by both governments of the FTA that any disputes would be addressed by a mandatory and binding arbitration panel established by the FTA. It appears that now Prayut is complying with such arbitration - an indication that Article 44 was recognized as inappropriate.

Don't confuse truth with politics.

The TAFTA hearing was held in Singapore, and judgement was reserved for a later date. So the legal expenses have already been incurred. I reckon that Thailand might not want to pay cash compensation, there might be a deal done to reopen the mine with a royalty reduction or something. That is of course if they lose. My understanding is it is related to traces of arsenic found in the water table. Akara clain they never used arsenic. I have personally seen arsenic in use in illegal mines in that area where local chiefs must be paid off to allow it. Also there's about 20 million worth of gold sludge sitting there that Akara cant process due to the loss of the refining license.

I imagine Thais spending money on something and getting nothing back is more about losing face than money

Edited August 31, 20205 yr by RichardColeman