Make Polluters In Thailand Pay The Full Price For Damage Done

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

Make polluters pay the full price for damage done

By The Nation

The public should welcome the news that investment privileges will be withdrawn from firms not employing effective waste treatment technology

Conditions for investment privileges will help influence how the Thai industrial sector develops in future. Therefore, it is welcome news that the Board of Investment (BOI) has announced it will not grant tax benefits to new manufacturing plants at the Map Ta Phut industrial estate in Rayong if these factories don't have the technology to eliminate or clean up hazardous waste substances. In fact, investors who fail to meet the requirements regarding industrial pollution should be discouraged from setting up factories because the impact they may have on the environment and local communities may greatly surpass the value of their investment money.

A series of conflicts between local communities and certain plants in industrial areas reflects a growing environmental awareness among people in this country. In the past, investors could reap substantial benefits from polluting industries as governments tried to woo foreign investors and bring in foreign exchange to Thailand. Past governments wanted to promote investment to improve economic growth figures, regardless of the impact on people and the environment. Factories always claimed that environmental technology would simply increase their production costs, making Thailand a less attractive destination.

But now this argument is no longer valid. Pollution affects us all and can cause massive economic damage. By polluting the air or directly contaminating waterways, factories can do a great deal of damage to natural resources. This damage by industrial polluters cannot be compared to a percentage point of economic growth because such damage can affect the well-being of all Thais, not just those who live in areas close to industrial plants. Most Thais still depend on agriculture for their livelihood, and productive agriculture depends very much on the quality of the environment. Environmental protection is a must, and factories must have the technology to curb emissions of hazardous substances.

The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, recently asked the BOI and the Industry Ministry to revise tax benefits to new industries that emit benzene, dichloroethane and butadiene without effective technology to mitigate the effects of this dangerous waste. The order came in response to results of a survey by the Pollution Control Department showing that volatile chemical air pollution and organic compounds that are potentially cancer-causing remain excessive at the country's largest industrial zone.

Rayong is a strategic location because it not only houses the country's biggest industrial estate, but as a coastal province also offers port and transport infrastructure. The same conditions and enforcement should be applied to industries outside Map Ta Phut. Even if factories are not entitled to BOI benefits, they must still have adequate technology for industrial waste treatment, to ensure that they do not cause damage to people and the environment. An ongoing health risk that a now-defunct lead mine still causes to people at Klity village is a case in point, showing that negative environmental impact can be severe and not limited to only one generation of victims.

The government should also take this opportunity while revising BOI benefits to make community participation a must in the industrial approval process, because industries cannot run smoothly without buy-in from local communities. Public hearings must become standard procedure whenever industrial developments are being debated before implementation.

Nonetheless, the revision of BOI privileges is not a single solution to fix the pollution problem in industrial zones. In fact, Thai industries are governed by many environmental regulations such as the Investment Promotion Act, Industrial Estates Authority Act, Factory Act and Hazardous Substances Act. But unfortunately, as is so often the case with Thailand's good laws, some of these are not actively or effectively enforced. Some corrupt public officials shamelessly exploit the law to receive bribes from industries in exchange for turning a blind eye to the adverse impact that pollution has on the public.

-- The Nation 2011-01-20

[nong38]

Right too, including fly tipping (dumping your old junk by the side of the road) and daily burning of expanded polystyrene does no one understand its poisonous?

[apetley]

I wonder if it includes damages for all the respiratory complaints caused by the burning of sugar cane, field stubble and the slash and burn up north?

[Thai at Heart]

And I heard that one very large existing industrial foreign investor in Mapthaput has decided to cease all future investment for expansion in Thailand.

It isn't that they don't want to comply, it is that the laws go with the wind of the day.

[marc11864]

And I heard that one very large existing industrial foreign investor in Mapthaput has decided to cease all future investment for expansion in Thailand.

It isn't that they don't want to comply, it is that the laws go with the wind of the day.

Sure it isn't that they don't want to comply.

[Thai at Heart]

And I heard that one very large existing industrial foreign investor in Mapthaput has decided to cease all future investment for expansion in Thailand.

It isn't that they don't want to comply, it is that the laws go with the wind of the day.

Sure it isn't that they don't want to comply.

Always possible, but they have an enormous plant there already, and were planning for expansion this year over several years, and it has been shelved completely. They are already in compliance with their existing plant, but when you make the plans for these things years before, and if the rules change half way through it causes massive disruption to costs and designs which then have to be resubmitted etc.

Add to the fact that the governments latest effort at enforcing the constitutional environmental impact assessments was so half assed, it gives absolutely no guarantee that the rules won't change again. Of course, there is always the possibility that the way that the last unblocking of certain industries went hand in hand with the delivery of enormous wedges of cash to Switzerland, that they just don't want to take the risk of investing and then finding that some quick witted politician starts holding them to ransom. But of course, that would never happen in Thailand would it.

[jayjay0]

And I heard that one very large existing industrial foreign investor in Mapthaput has decided to cease all future investment for expansion in Thailand.

It isn't that they don't want to comply, it is that the laws go with the wind of the day.

Yes and they sell bridges in Arizona as a side line.

They will be looking for countries that have no controls so they can maintain the profit line.

Have them check out Somalia. I doubt there will be any resistance there to there policies.

[jayjay0]

And I heard that one very large existing industrial foreign investor in Mapthaput has decided to cease all future investment for expansion in Thailand.

It isn't that they don't want to comply, it is that the laws go with the wind of the day.

Sure it isn't that they don't want to comply.

Always possible, but they have an enormous plant there already, and were planning for expansion this year over several years, and it has been shelved completely. They are already in compliance with their existing plant, but when you make the plans for these things years before, and if the rules change half way through it causes massive disruption to costs and designs which then have to be resubmitted etc.

Add to the fact that the governments latest effort at enforcing the constitutional environmental impact assessments was so half assed, it gives absolutely no guarantee that the rules won't change again. Of course, there is always the possibility that the way that the last unblocking of certain industries went hand in hand with the delivery of enormous wedges of cash to Switzerland, that they just don't want to take the risk of investing and then finding that some quick witted politician starts holding them to ransom. But of course, that would never happen in Thailand would it.

Possibly if they would plan ahead they would realize that for all it's faults Thailand is moving ahead. It will take time but the day is coming when dumping toxic wastes into the environment just willy nilly will be stopped. As I said in a earlier post try Somalia It will be a long long time before they will address the issue of pollution.

In the mean time goodbye Thailand dosen't need industries who make no plans for future pollution.

Don't even try too drag in the pollution of burn rice and sugar fields or garbage there is no comparison one is done to make more money and the other is done because it has been done that way for thousands of years. And it to is been addressed.

Far easier to tell a company we don't want your business if it involves unnecessary pollution of are environment than it is to break a thousand year old way of life.

[Thai at Heart]

And I heard that one very large existing industrial foreign investor in Mapthaput has decided to cease all future investment for expansion in Thailand.

It isn't that they don't want to comply, it is that the laws go with the wind of the day.

Yes and they sell bridges in Arizona as a side line.

They will be looking for countries that have no controls so they can maintain the profit line.

Have them check out Somalia. I doubt there will be any resistance there to there policies.

It is an easy statement to make of course.

However, the only way to build these plants and get then necessary raw materials at reasonable cost is for them to all be clustered together. No raw material supply, no factory.

If you are sitting in head office overseas looking at a ten year investment timeline, you want political, economic and legal stability. Over the last couple of years, Thailand hardly qualifies when it comes to political or legal stability, and I somehow think that Somalia doesn't qualify either.

Of course any company is going to look for the lowest regulated destination, but you cannot build these types of facilities in glorious isolation. This was planned expansion of an existing facility and the amount of legal )uncertainty around Mapthaput and the stability of the politics in the country outweighed the risk of plopping bns of dollars in the ground only to have the legal or political goal posts moved.

Health Impact Studies were only mandated under the 2007 constitution that came out of a coup. Hardly an advertisement for considered and well planned legislation I would think.

Edited January 20, 2011 by Thai at Heart

[jaltsc]

I live up north and the pollution caused by major industry is not the problem. Up here, they burn everything, no matter how small. And of course they burn as close to the road as possible. So everyone can enjoy the sensation of coughing and gasping for breath. Come the end of February, most of the expat community leaves for a few months until the major burning is finished. This ending of the burning is not voluntary but a result of the rainy season starting.

So, how is this new policy going to affect the slashing and burning here? Probably not at all. Let's see. Local authority goes to local farmer who is burning. "Sorry, you are burning. That's a 10,000 THB fine...or 1,000 THB for this great new tea I just discovered". Advice...Buy a gas mask. Buy a multi stage filtering system for your water. Don't expect governmental policy to solve the problem.

[jayjay0]

And I heard that one very large existing industrial foreign investor in Mapthaput has decided to cease all future investment for expansion in Thailand.

It isn't that they don't want to comply, it is that the laws go with the wind of the day.

Yes and they sell bridges in Arizona as a side line.

They will be looking for countries that have no controls so they can maintain the profit line.

Have them check out Somalia. I doubt there will be any resistance there to there policies.

It is an easy statement to make of course.

However, the only way to build these plants and get then necessary raw materials at reasonable cost is for them to all be clustered together. No raw material supply, no factory.

If you are sitting in head office overseas looking at a ten year investment timeline, you want political, economic and legal stability. Over the last couple of years, Thailand hardly qualifies when it comes to political or legal stability, and I somehow think that Somalia doesn't qualify either.

Of course any company is going to look for the lowest regulated destination, but you cannot build these types of facilities in glorious isolation. This was planned expansion of an existing facility and the amount of legal )uncertainty around Mapthaput and the stability of the politics in the country outweighed the risk of plopping bns of dollars in the ground only to have the legal or political goal posts moved.

Health Impact Studies were only mandated under the 2007 constitution that came out of a coup. Hardly an advertisement for considered and well planned legislation I would think.

When they were planing they could have figured in the environment as a factor to be honored not see what we can get away with. I know to do the rite thing will hurt the bottom line so we are out of here.

As for political, economic and legal stability. Well now we are getting into a matter of opinions. My opinion is that we have it far better than we have had it in the past. The next election will prove me rite or wrong.

What is not a opinion is that Thailand has not had those three things ever. And they knew it when they built the origanal plant. Now they decided that they want that.

How convenient Thailand say's we are going to toughen up against pollution and they say we are not going to invest any more money in your country. What a coincidence.

In the short run Thailand will lose but in the long run it will come out a winner. Provided it carries through with what it says it is going to do.:jap:

[heavenlydisaster]

I"M so happy this law is going into effect< i"ve been fighting with my heart for the government to enforce laws in hua hin for burning garbage in the temples< etc> and the police think that after PM when the local goverment offices close its noT The police's rEsponSiBILITY to arrest people for burning toxic pollutants around hua hin! tHE KINgdom will turn into the north of thailand if local government here does not act quiickly to change there laws!