Environmental Panels For Impact Study To Be Dissolved: Thailand

[webfact]

Environmental panels for impact study to be dissolved

Janira Pongrai,

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Critics fear move aimed at pushing approval for Bt350bn water projects

BANGKOK: -- The National Environmental Board (NEB) will dissolve three expert panels that study impact assessment reports for government projects and other activities, in a bid to end what officials say is a double standard in such reports for state projects versus private-sector projects.

A prominent environmentalist worried that the plan to dissolve the panels was aimed at speeding up the approval process for the government's Bt350-billion water-management projects, which require environmental and health impact assessments.

Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) secretary-general Santi Boonprakub said his agency had proposed dissolving the three panels at an NEB meeting chaired by Deputy Premier Plodprasop Suraswadi on Monday. The NEB had agreed with the ONEP in principle to dissolve the panels.

The ONEP was told to resubmit its proposal to NEB within 15 days.

The first of the panels studies environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for development projects proposed by the government; by state enterprises; and those proposed jointly by the government and private sector. This panel is chaired by Saengchan Limjirakal.

The second panel studies EIA reports on transportation projects proposed by the government; by state enterprises; and jointly by the government and private sector. This panel is chaired by Prasong Eiam-Anant.

The third panel studies EIAs |for water-resources development. The panel is chaired by Santad Somcheewita.

"There are many [discrepancies] relating to important conditions such as the criteria and period to study the EIA reports for government projects versus private-sector projects," Santi said. For example, there was no deadline for government projects to submit EIA reports to the panel, while the private sector must submit EIA reports to the panel within 105 days, he said.

There are 19 environmental expert panels under the NEB that study EIAs for projects conducted by the government and private sector. The establishment of the environmental expert panels was done in compliance with the Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act BE 2535.

The three panels would be dissolved in the near future, but the rest of the expert panels will be charged with studying projects conducted by the government and private sectors, Santi explained.

He insisted that the plan to dissolve the three panels would not affect ongoing government development projects such as dams and Skytrain extensions.

"Don't worry that government projects will get the green light from the panel more easily. I personally think the consideration for EIAs for projects conducted by the government and private sector will be tightened," he said.

In addition to asking the NEB to dissolve the three panels, ONEP will submit a "roadmap" report to the NEB on improving the process of conducting EIAs.

Harnnarong Yaowalert, head of the Integral Water Management Foundation, criticised the plan to dissolve the three panels, saying it could pave way for the government to speed up a green light for water-management projects under a massive budget of Bt350 billion, which is funded by loans.

"I don't care if the government dissolves these three panels. What worries me is that the government might put in its own men to replace the outgoing panel in order to speed up the process of approving EIAs, which is a key step in deciding whether to move forward on projects," he said.

The NEB previously removed representatives from civic groups from all of its environmental expert panels. This deprives the panels of information or concerns of people who would be directly affected by government projects, he said.

Santi said the dissolving of the three panels would not pave the way for speeding up the process of approving the government's Bt350-billion water-management project, adding that his agency would use strict criteria to study the EIA report for both government and private-sector projects.

-- The Nation 2013-01-09

[rubl]

The streamline panels, their activities and rules and regulations seems to make sense. More information is needed to form a well founded opinion. The main worry might be the interim period and the projects currently handled by panels to be dissolved. These projects should not need to be completely restudied, nor be confronted by (much) delay and certainly not be rushed through to get rid of the workload.

[brianP]

With the short term mentality i see,uh notice around these parts, any overseeing panel of transparent scientists is a , well,a long term concept.

Money wins out again i guess?

[hellodolly]

Would this have a spin off effect on the National Parks drive to return illegal resorts to parkland again.

I see where they have a new head of the department and he says he is going to soften up their approach to the problem.

[AleG]

Would this have a spin off effect on the National Parks drive to return illegal resorts to parkland again.

I see where they have a new head of the department and he says he is going to soften up their approach to the problem.

Actually I suspect it may be connected with the get-rich-fast.... I mean, flood prevention measures the government wants to build.

[wilcopops]

Mae Wong Dam etc etc....there are several projects the govt wants to go ahead with that have repeatedly been stopped or rejected bby these panels..........so no wonder the govt wants them closed. The latest being the Yom river dam.

THey are ignoring the massive negative environmental impacts of these dams in order to pursue a policy of damming rivers that has little benefit to anyone other than the contractors and absolutely no effects on potential flooding of the capital which has repeatedly been inferred by proponents of this scheme.

[waza]

less oversight, less transparency

[plachon]

Mae Wong Dam etc etc....there are several projects the govt wants to go ahead with that have repeatedly been stopped or rejected bby these panels..........so no wonder the govt wants them closed. The latest being the Yom river dam.

THey are ignoring the massive negative environmental impacts of these dams in order to pursue a policy of damming rivers that has little benefit to anyone other than the contractors and absolutely no effects on potential flooding of the capital which has repeatedly been inferred by proponents of this scheme.

The thought of Plodprasop chairing the NEB is worrying enough, for those that remember his tenure as Fishery Dept, Forestry Dept and then overseeing the environmental destruction of Koh Chang and various scandals around the Night Safari project, and conjures up images of putting Al Capone in charge of cleaning up Chicago's vice and corruption. Lion or giraffe steaks anyone?

[wilcopops]

THis little Nugget on Plodprasop....after he was charged with illegally authorising the export of 100 tigers to China.......

[Plodprasop]"Denies animals sent to China for profit ...........

...............Angry with accusations that he illegally allowed the export of 100 tigers,

Natural Resources and Environment head Plodprasop Suraswadi has filed a

30-million-baht defamation charge against Thai Rak Thai MP Siri Wangboonkerd.

An inquiry by the House panel on wildlife and plant protection, chaired by Mr

Siri concluded Mr Plodprasop broke the law by allowing a private zoo to

export the endangered animals to China. Such exports could be approved only by the

government.

The House panel also said the tigers were sent for commercial purposes, not

for research as claimed."

Charlie Manson as babysitter?

[wilcopops]

THis man appears to be extremely aggressive when it comes to silencing his critics.

http://www.wildlife1...threatens-suit-

[wilcopops]

It looks like he has also been accused of interfering with the bidding processes of the governments Water Management Scheme

[wilcopops]

Her has said some interesting things in the past though....

"It's time to amend the law, those who kill wildlife, particularly the big and important animals, deserve the death penalty." [The crackdown was royally requested].

[wilcopops]

Error above - it should read "Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC)." - not "Water Management scheme"

It is probably worth noting that increased flooding is often the result of de-forestation. Sadly the building of dams often results in further de-forestation.