Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

Academics and activists are urging a halt and review of reports on the Ranong and Chumphon deep-sea ports, key components of Thailand's flagship land bridge project. A petition featuring 74 signatures calls for the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) to suspend public hearings scheduled this week, where Environmental Health Impact Assessment (EHIA) reports are set for local review.

 

The concerned group has identified 11 significant issues undermining the reports' trustworthiness, noting that these concerns have not been sufficiently addressed in prior hearings. The planned ports are located at Ranong's Cape Ao Ang and Chumphon's Laem Riw Cape.

 

Critics argue that the environmental reports cover only a five-kilometre radius, excluding crucial areas such as Koh Phayam island. Additionally, the reports do not consider the potential impact on Thailand’s quest for World Heritage status for its coastal mangrove forests in regions like Ranong, Phangnga, and Phuket.

 

Issues were also raised regarding the evaluation criteria used for site selection, which allegedly give disproportionate weight to economic and engineering factors over social and environmental concerns. The absence of studies on the 6,900-rai land reclamation's impact on coastal erosion and marine ecosystems is a major point of contention.

 

The activists stress that the EHIA reports overlook vital aspects like the livelihood of the Moken sea people and the local eco-tourism industry, both significant income sources for area residents. The reports similarly lack disaster risk assessments, which are essential for areas prone to tsunamis and storms.

 

Moreover, the group criticises the limited scope and time allocated for public forums, which excluded many affected communities. By pushing forward with the hearings despite these report flaws, the stakeholders argue, the OTP risks overlooking crucial community concerns.

 

A study by Chulalongkorn University had previously raised doubts about the financial viability of the ports, a finding not revisited in the EHIA reports. This has led to further calls for a comprehensive review before proceeding with subsequent hearings.

 

In response, Punya Chupanit, director of the OTP, highlighted that EHIA reports integrated public feedback through community engagement. He assured that compensation would be provided to affected groups, including local fishermen, and emphasised job opportunities within the project allowing locals to remain with their families without seeking work elsewhere.

 

As tensions rise over these contentious developments, the call for suspension and further examination of the EHIA reports continues to gather momentum, reflecting wider concerns over the balance between development and environmental stewardship in Thailand’s ambitious infrastructural projects.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-08-06

 

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The concerned group has identified 11 significant issues undermining the reports' trustworthiness,

Sounds normal....

Yet another major (and expensive) disaster in the making. Will be fascinating to observe progress in, say, 20 years' time.

 

Looking forward to it. I'll be 96.

I’ve no idea whether this is a worthwhile project or not, I don’t really know anything about it. But I feel fairly confident in saying that it will be talked about for decades and nothing will ever be done other than endless surveys and sexy looking illustrations.

 

It’s still a source of amazement to me that the skytrain was ever built in Bangkok. And suvarnabhumi airport was talked about for decades before Thaksin eventually bulldozed it through ( love him or hate him, it’s true).

 

The current state of Thai politics more or less precludes any large scale project coming to fruition, although for a good 50% of them that’s actually a good thing! IMHO

43 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

I’ve no idea whether this is a worthwhile project or not, I don’t really know anything about it. But I feel fairly confident in saying that it will be talked about for decades and nothing will ever be done other than endless surveys and sexy looking illustrations.

 

It’s still a source of amazement to me that the skytrain was ever built in Bangkok. And suvarnabhumi airport was talked about for decades before Thaksin eventually bulldozed it through ( love him or hate him, it’s true).

 

The current state of Thai politics more or less precludes any large scale project coming to fruition, although for a good 50% of them that’s actually a good thing! IMHO

Not only was skytrain and subway built , it has worked well so far inspite of many naysayers disaster predicitions,  and if i recall it came in under time and under budget....not bad for a "third world country".