Experts seek revamp of town-planning law

The Nation

The town-planning law is in need of a major overhaul to prevent flood problems and promote sustainable development by encouraging more public participation and new approaches, academics said yesterday.

"It's time to revamp the old law," Somrudee Nicro, senior director of the Thailand Environment Institute, told a seminar.

The Town Planning Act of 1975 failed to foster real public participation and gave rise to clashes like those in Rayong's Map Ta Phut industrial belt.

"Without public participation and a focus on ecological conservation, conflicts with the people's sector will come up," she said.

The Town Planning Bill (Alternative Version) of 2007 stresses good governance and public health.

People must be provided information and be engaged in the decision-making process related to town planning, she said. "People must be allowed to have a say in land use and the environment."

Harsher punishment would help deter violators of land-use zones.

"Offenders should face up to five years in jail and/or a maximum fine of Bt100,000," she said.

Decha Boonkham, a deputy chairman of the Senate ad-hoc committee on settlement and town planning, believes parties should abandon the "overcome Nature" mentality.

"Town planning should be developed based on the physical features of each basin," he said.

The new master-planning efforts should show respect for nature, Decha said, adding that after efficient urban planning was in place, everyone must abide by the zoning.

"Houses, factories and communities must not spill into flood-prone areas," he said.

Eggarin Anukulyudhathon, president of the Thai City Planners Society, said growth in Greater Bangkok had severely blocked water flows.

"Planning at the regional and provincial levels should allocate 30-50 per cent to green spaces," he said.

At the community or village level, water-detention areas must be adequately prepared.

"To prevent flooding in town, we must understand the ecology," he said.

-- The Nation 2011-12-20

"Experts." Rising to the occasion. Thai experts.

We ARE in Thailand, so where town planning is concerned, environmental issues come a poor second.

Certainly it needs public participation, and a great deal more than at present, but penalties for ignoring planning laws need to be much more relevant. A prison sentence is fine, but why is it, when it comes to financial penalties - far and away the most effective deterrent where financial benefit is the result of breaking a law - Thais seem to disconnect from reality? B100,000? Such a fine, far from acting as a deterrent, would be, for the most part, an incentive. Why worry about a piddling 100,000, when tens, or hundreds, of millions are up for grabs?

Edited December 20, 201114 yr by JohnAllan