Chiang Rai biomass power plant faces opposition

By By Janjira Jarusupawat

The Nation

Chiang Mai

A group of 300 villagers from Chiang Rai's Muang, Wiang Chai and Wieng Chiang Rung districts have called on the Administration Court to temporarily suspend the construction of a biomass power plant pending results of their court battle against the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

The residents had filed a lawsuit against ERC for unlawfully issuing a licence for the biomass power plant because it is reportedly located on a "green zone" meant for agriculture.

Supannee Saeng-arun, a leader of the group, said the company Phalang-ngan Sa-arddee 2 had obtained a licence on March 4, 2010, to build the plant on 70 rai of land that the community used to grow rice. She went on to say that the process to get approval for the plant construction, starting from the public forum, was also improper because the company had used the community's monthly meeting as a stage to gather opinions rather than hosting its own public forum.

Moreover, when the residents said they disagreed with the plan and wanted some time to study details, the company's representatives claimed that there was no time and pushed them to approve the project.

"There were 4,000 people who disagreed with this power-plant construction for fear that it might affect the environment, water source etc because the electricity-making process uses at least 250 to 300 tonnes of chaff as raw material. Besides, the plant location also blocks waterways and is in people's farming area," she added.

Court official Cheep Julakham said the court office would study the lawsuit and see if any other papers were needed before asking the court to consider the case and see if the plaintiffs are really affected.

-- The Nation 2011-05-24

The company's representatives claimed there was no time and pushed them to approve the project? This sounds fishy to me. There's been too much of this since forever in SE Asia, and E Asia. If the people oppose the project, and apparently they do, I'm guessing that they have pretty sound reasons and suspicions.