Narrow Escape For Conservationist Leader

[marshbags]

Bangkok Post, General news, Monday July 21, 2008

Narrow escape

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN :The leader of a local conservation group protesting against a giant smelting plant narrowly escaped injury when a gunman fired at his house in Bang Saphan district yesterday.

Supoj Songseang, 40, said he heard a motorcycle stop in front of his house about 2am, and then the gunman opened fire.

He told the police he was working on the first floor, while his wife and their 14-year-old daughter were sleeping upstairs.

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Ref url http://www.bangkokpost.com/210708_News/21Jul2008_news009.php

Further information re the smelting plant courtesy of Pratachai:-

Steel industry giant faces local opposition against its smelting plant in Prachuab Prachatai

22 November 2007 News :-

Sahaviriya Steel Group is set to start clearing land for the planned construction of its smelting plant in Prachuab Khiri Khan, while local people and environmentalists are getting prepared for confrontation.

The situation in Mae Ramphueng sub-district, Bang Saphan district, is growing tense again as the country's largest steel group prepares to clear a 1,142-rai plot of land on Nov 23 for construction set to begin early next year, although the required environmental impact assessment (EIA) report has yet to be approved by the relevant state agencies.

It is reported that bulldozers and other equipment are being transported to the site, and local opponents to the company's planned expansion are also mobilizing and preparing food and other necessities for their new round of protest, saying the company's move forces the local people to confront the sub-contractors, and violence may occur.

Sahaviriya Steel Group already runs large steel manufacturing factories occupying much of the area of Bang Saphan district. Previously a group of local people organized themselves to protect a public local wetland from being illegally seized for the company's planned smelting plant.

On April 23, Sahaviriya Plc Ltd asked the Office of Natural Resources and Environment Policy and Planning (ONEP) to withdraw the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for its smelting plant project which had been approved by the ONEP's expert panel for revisions following changes of the project area.

On June 20, the Mae Rampheung conservation group gathered in front of Prachuab Khiri Khan provincial hall to urge the provincial governor to order to halt land measurement and clearance of the site by the company before the EIA report is approved by the ONEP.

On Oct 26, the National Human Rights Commission's sub-committee on land and forest management held a meeting on the public wetland attended by the conservation group, representatives of the company, and provincial authorities at the provincial hall.

On Nov 9, the Chair of Mae Ramphueng Tambon Administrative Organization gave permission for clearing the 1,142-rai site, when the EIA report had yet to be approved. The TAO Chair had just assumed his post on Nov 8.

Translated by Ponglert pongwanan

Unquote

These incidents concerning the big business PUYAI and their murderous activities to silence environmentalists and get rid of their justified objections and protest, are yet another example of the infamous side of Thai culture whereby the so called priviledged, are allowed to use these bullying / murderous tactics while knowing full well genuine investigations taking place to apprehend them are a practical non starter.

I do not fancy Supoj Songseang chances of staying safe, from now on, i,m sadly loath to say.

marshbags

Apologies for the thread header as i hit the wrong button and it posted before i,d amended it and corrected the spelling mistake in my provisional attempt.

Edited July 21, 2008 by marshbags

[Gravelrash]

Conservationists - in the west they form their own political parties, here they are shooting practice. Different cultural perspective I suppose.