Campaign Battles Mae Wong Dam Project: Thailand

[webfact]

DAM DISPUTE

Campaign battles Mae Wong project

Chularat Saengpassa

The Nation

Association seeks 13,280 signatures; cites high costs, threat to forestland

BANGKOK: -- The Stop Global Warming Association (SGWA) yesterday called on people to join its campaign against the construction of the Mae Wong Dam.

The group aims to find 13,280 co-complainants for its petition, which will be filed with the Central Administrative Court. The petition calls for the construction project to be scrapped.

"We will go to various provinces to inform locals and to gather authorisation letters allowing us to represent them in court," SGWA president Srisuwan Janya said yesterday.

Srisuwan said the SGWA team plans to campaign in many provinces including Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Ubon Ratchathani, Rayong, Chon Buri, Surat Thani, Phang Nga and Songkhla.

The campaign follows the SGWA's statement last week condemning the Cabinet's green light for the Mae Wong Dam. The statement came out after the Cabinet approved the plan to build the dam inside the Mae Wong National Park with a budget of Bt13.28 billion on April 10.

"The approved budget for the construction is too high," Srisuwan reiterated yesterday. "[The high cost] reflects irregularities."

According to the SGWA statement, the authorities requested only Bt9.6 billion for the construction last year.

Srisuwan yesterday said the construction, if it goes ahead, would hurt future generations.

"Our children will face adverse consequences. The budget for the construction will come from massive foreign loans and our offspring will have to repay. They will also suffer the loss of forestland," he said.

Conservationists have said the construction of Mae Wong Dam would destroy more than 11,000 rai of forestland in Mae Wong National Park, which spans some parts of Nakhon Sawan and Kamphaeng Phet.

The construction would also affect a variety of wildlife and plants at the national park - home to more than 57 mammal species, 305 bird species, 22 reptile species, seven amphibian species, and 68 freshwater-fish species.

Srisuwan disregarded the government's explanation that the Mae Wong Dam would provide irrigation to more people and prevent flooding.

"There are more than 10 big and medium-sized dams in the North already," he said.

He said the SGWA had now registered a "Group Opposing Mae Wong Dam" account on Facebook to increase communication with people who also disagreed with the planned dam.

Srisuwan said people could also go to his association's website, www.thaisgwa.com, for more information and download forms authorising the SGWA to act on their behalf.

Many conservation groups have expressed opposition to the construction of Mae Wong Dam.

The Ras Rak Pa Group from Phrae has described the planned construction as destruction of forestland.

"For the sake of posterity, the government should stop building big dams," the representative of the group said. "It should not construct the Mae Wong Dam."

Meanwhile, a group calling itself the Activists Who Used to Work with the Natural Resources and Environment Conservation Commission and Friends yesterday issued a statement asking the Cabinet to scrap its resolution to allow the dam's construction.

"The government should take into account the opinions of the National Environment Board, which did not approve the environmental impact assessment of the Mae Wong Dam in 2002," the statement said.

-- The Nation 2012-04-18

[Jim walker]

Dams are always a topic of controversy all over the world but they can also be beneficial in some occasions, but not usually for locals living in the actual dam area

[kerrysum52]

Dams are always a topic of controversy all over the world but they can also be beneficial in some occasions, but not usually for locals living in the actual dam area

I agree, I have seen in my years some bad experiences in the North Eastern Sector of Thailand, if it isn't broke do not fix it.... And YES it does affect the locals....

Kerrysum....

[lungmi]

The construction of BIG DAMs is a solution from the last century.

Small dams in a maintained network of competent local and State agencies is the solution.

Thailand has the manpower to persecute this international standard,

if not, they can ask some Dutch specialists for homework.

Edited April 18, 2012 by lungmi

[MauriceVanTine]

The real question is what will be the impact on the remaining Flora and Fona be VS the irrigation and flood control advantages the dam may provide to the affected Provinces.

[OzMick]

Oh the sweet irony - a hydro dam opposed by the Stop Global Warming Association. Would they prefer a fossil-fuel power station?

[soundman]

The Dems were going to build it for 40% cheaper than Phua Thai? Inflation couldn't possibly be 40% for the last year.

[waza]

Dam who will pay for it? The government is already borrowing money to run the country.

[lungmi]

Dam who will pay for it? The government is already borrowing money to run the country.

But they forget the advices of her HM the King and international scientific staff..

http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255504170001

[h90]

The Dems were going to build it for 40% cheaper than Phua Thai? Inflation couldn't possibly be 40% for the last year.

And considering that the Dems would have a 10 % corruption. Believe me 10 % is always.....

A good 4-5 billion Baht on commission. That's fat.

[exeter]

Oh the sweet irony - a hydro dam opposed by the Stop Global Warming Association. Would they prefer a fossil-fuel power station?

What about solar powered through water reflection, just need to set up a committtee to look into this and distribute the cash.

[h90]

The construction of BIG DAMs is a solution from the last century.

Small dams in a maintained network of competent local and State agencies is the solution.

Thailand has the manpower to persecute this international standard,

if not, they can ask some Dutch specialists for homework.

A big one, if technical possible is much more efficient.

(if you only look the technical figures and don't care the environment)

[exeter]

Dam who will pay for it? The government is already borrowing money to run the country.

Bar girls in a new Dam Bar, in Cornwall ( England ) they have Doom Bar an excellent ale!

[h90]

Dam who will pay for it? The government is already borrowing money to run the country.

That is a silly and an unimportant question!

You make the dam why: To get the commission.

You last how long as minister or PM? 1-3 years.

Who pays it back in 3-30 years: who cares not the ministers problem.......

You don't honestly believe that anyone of this government want to help the country or the people?? That isn't the topic.

[h90]

Oh the sweet irony - a hydro dam opposed by the Stop Global Warming Association. Would they prefer a fossil-fuel power station?

That Global Warming thing is

a) not true

a kind of money printing machine.

c) a kind of religion

But there are 100 other good reasons why not burn fossil-fuel. and with 13 Giga Baht you could put a lot of insulation to save money on aircons, put solar warm water, smart management of lighting on thee highways.

You could even just shift taxes, making income cheaper and electric more expensive.

[OzMick]

Oh the sweet irony - a hydro dam opposed by the Stop Global Warming Association. Would they prefer a fossil-fuel power station?

What about solar powered through water reflection, just need to set up a committtee to look into this and distribute the cash.

Hydro is the ultimate solar system using the sun to evaporate water and collecting the energy before it flows back to the sea. It would otherwise be dissipated as heat.

[h90]

Oh the sweet irony - a hydro dam opposed by the Stop Global Warming Association. Would they prefer a fossil-fuel power station?

What about solar powered through water reflection, just need to set up a committtee to look into this and distribute the cash.

Hydro is the ultimate solar system using the sun to evaporate water and collecting the energy before it flows back to the sea. It would otherwise be dissipated as heat.

It will anyway dissipated as heat....just it will be electric between.

[exeter]

The mystical Sang Som Spring is rumoured to be in this National Park, I hope it is not lost forever in the building of a Dam

[webfact]

Mae Wong will be blocked until EIA approved: agencies

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Many agencies yesterday vowed to block the construction of Mae Wong Dam as long as its environmental impact assessment (EIA) fails to get the green light.

"The Cabinet has just approved the construction budget, but the project cannot go ahead without an approved EIA," Damrong Phidej said in his capacity as chief of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department.

Last week, the Cabinet approved a budget of more than Bt13 billion for the plan to construct the Mae Wong Dam inside the Mae Wong National Park, which covers some parts of Nakhon Sawan and Kamphaeng Phet.

The move has enraged many conservationists, because the National Environment Board had not approved the dam's EIA in 2002.

Rataya Chantien, president of the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation, said more than 10 conservation groups would meet today to plan their measures in blocking the construction of the Mae Wong Dam.

"We will then give the government all the reasons why the construction of the dam should not go ahead," Rataya said.

According to conservationists, building the Mae Wong Dam will destroy huge areas of abundant forestland and endanger wildlife species, including peacocks.

Natural Resource and Environment Ministry permanent secretary Chote Trachu said his ministry would meet with the Water and Flood Management Committee on Tuesday to discuss the Mae Wong Dam project further.

"We will proceed in line with legally prescribed procedures, including the EIA," he said, adding that his ministry would take into account the impact the dam will have on the environment and communities.

-- The Nation 2012-04-21

[OzMick]

Peacocks are endangered - I never knew that!

[pimay11]

The Dems were going to build it for 40% cheaper than Phua Thai? Inflation couldn't possibly be 40% for the last year.

It is according to which definition of inflation is used. Normal economic inflation =2 - 5% or inflation of the bank accounts of all the little piggies at the trough = as much as they can steal..