Thai Court halts govt's Bt350 billion water management project

[webfact]

Court halts Bt350 billion water management project
By Digital Media



BANGKOK, June 27 – The Administrative Court today suspended the government’s mega water management project pending a compulsory environmental impact assessment (EIA) and public hearing before the design and construction start.

The government recently announced bid winners, including the heavily-criticised Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-Water), for the Bt350 billion project.

The court said four high-level state officials including Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra breached the law in approving the water management master plan without going through environmental assessments and public hearings.

The Anti-Global Warming Association and 45 individual members earlier filed a lawsuit to the court against the government in the controversial water management projects.

Association members said they would deliver the court’s ruling to the National Anti-Corruption Commission for further action.

Tongthong Chandrangsu, permanent secretary for the Prime Minister’s Office, said the government accepted the court’s decision and will call a meeting of the National Water and Flood Management Policy tomorrow to discuss details of the court’s ruling and determine if it could be appealed.

He admitted that the court’s verdict could delay the water resources management project while the Finance Ministry would be asked if the Bt350 billion budget for the project will be in jeopardy.

He gave assurances that the government would communicate with the public about the project and that it would inform the four bid winners. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-06-28

RELATED TOPIC:

Thai water agency strongly defends K-Water

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/649628-thai-water-agency-strongly-defends-k-water/

[MaxLee]

Tongthong Chandrangsu, permanent secretary for the Prime Minister’s Office, said the government accepted the court’s decision and will call a meeting of the National Water and Flood Management Policy tomorrow to discuss details of the court’s ruling and determine if it could be appealed.

He admitted that the court’s verdict could delay the water resources management project while the Finance Ministry would be asked if the Bt350 billion budget for the project will be in jeopardy.

He gave assurances that the government would communicate with the public about the project and that it would inform the four bid winners. (MCOT online news)

Talk to the public,... Alright then,... Redshirt-Snipers get ready to shoot some pesky Anti government people

[monkey4u]

Have the Thai police and politicians been watching too mqany Mr. Bean movies or th Keystone Cops from the 30's.

Everyday so much crap for the population to try and deal with

[Thai at Heart]

Bloody EIAs.

How dare the people to be involved.

[winstonc]

i bet theyv already spent the money,,,,,

[hellodolly]

"Tongthong Chandrangsu, permanent secretary for the Prime Minister’s Office, said the government accepted the court’s decision and will call a meeting of the National Water and Flood Management Policy tomorrow to discuss details of the court’s ruling and determine if it could be appealed."

Determine if it can be appealed. In other words they don't give a rat's ass if it damages the ecology in massive ways. Just Ram it through.

[winstonc]

2011 the last big flood am i correct,,,,??and still nothing done,,,,they really dont care about there own country,,,,cant think of any other reason,,,,maybe thais dont think prevention is better than cure,,,,shoosh winston you stupid foreigner,,,,,,,,

[Neilly]

He admitted that the court’s verdict could delay the water resources management project while the Finance Ministry would be asked if the Bt350 billion budget for the project will be in jeopardy.

Yes, don't worry...it's kept in a jar waiting for you

[surangw]

court members did not get their cut up front from the contractors?

[Thai at Heart]

court members did not get their cut up front from the contractors?

It's in the constitution. If PTT as a Thai company can't run roughshod over mapthaput, what odds a Korean company?

[rametindallas]

Have the Thai police and politicians been watching too mqany Mr. Bean movies or th Keystone Cops from the 30's.

Everyday so much crap for the population to try and deal with

Probably why so many voters tune out politics and don't get involved. Enough to give one a headache. Not just Thailand, though.

[jbrain]

The court said four high-level state officials including Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra breached the law

Naah, they would never be doing something like that.

Edited June 27, 2013 by jbrain

[Robby nz]

So just what does this mean?

I understood that there was a deadline for obtaining the funding, or something of the sort, of the end of this month.

I seem to remember the minister quoted as saying that if things were not finalized then the 350 billion would have to come from the normal budget.

I also remember reading that the govt had already borrowed 120 billion from the GSB and another 80 Billion from another Govt bank, I think the report said they 'won the bid'.

Which probably meant that no one else would lend them the money at a reasonable interest rate so they had to borrow it from themselves.

They will look at appealing, then what?

Not another red shirt mob outside the court I hope.

[jbrain]

He gave assurances that the government would communicate with the public about the project and that it would inform the four bid winners.

Will they at the same time reveal the relationship with the Shinawatra family of the 4 bid winners ?

[Thai at Heart]

So just what does this mean?

I understood that there was a deadline for obtaining the funding, or something of the sort, of the end of this month.

I seem to remember the minister quoted as saying that if things were not finalized then the 350 billion would have to come from the normal budget.

I also remember reading that the govt had already borrowed 120 billion from the GSB and another 80 Billion from another Govt bank, I think the report said they 'won the bid'.

Which probably meant that no one else would lend them the money at a reasonable interest rate so they had to borrow it from themselves.

They will look at appealing, then what?

Not another red shirt mob outside the court I hope.

They will end up paying the winning bidders sunk costs. They can't get this done in this timeframe.

[bigbamboo]

Sounds like a job for the DSI.

[MaxLee]

Sounds like a job for the DSI.

led by slime sh*****tter Tarid

[NongKhaiKid]

"Tongthong Chandrangsu, permanent secretary for the Prime Minister’s Office, said the government accepted the court’s decision and will call a meeting of the National Water and Flood Management Policy tomorrow to discuss details of the court’s ruling and determine if it could be appealed."

Determine if it can be appealed. In other words they don't give a rat's ass if it damages the ecology in massive ways. Just Ram it through.

Have they really " accepted 'the court's decision as we have seen in the past how this government believes it is above it all and court's are only there to carry out their bidding ?

Yes they will appeal but what else will they get up to as this is much more than a simple water management scheme and is a direct challenge to the government's ability to do what it wants.

[Robby nz]

hellodolly, on 27 Jun 2013 - 20:11, said:

"Tongthong Chandrangsu, permanent secretary for the Prime Minister’s Office, said the government accepted the court’s decision and will call a meeting of the National Water and Flood Management Policy tomorrow to discuss details of the court’s ruling and determine if it could be appealed."

Determine if it can be appealed. In other words they don't give a rat's ass if it damages the ecology in massive ways. Just Ram it through.

Have they really " accepted 'the court's decision as we have seen in the past how this government believes it is above it all and court's are only there to carry out their bidding ?

Yes they will appeal but what else will they get up to as this is much more than a simple water management scheme and is a direct challenge to the government's ability to do what it wants.

Indeed it is NKK and more than that.

There could well be financial implications.

If indeed there is a deadline what happens to the 200 billion they have already borrowed?

Does it have to be paid back to the banks it was borrowed from with interest?

Has some of it been paid out to the 4 contractors, and others?

Was some of it used in the bidding process or did that cost come from the normal budget?

If the contracts have to be suspended, canceled or whatever do the contractors have to be paid anything for their trouble?

Then if the work has to be put on hold will the contractors be willing to wait?

As one of the contractors said in the OP who has to do EIP's etc?

And of course will the rain be kind enough to wait till everything is flood proof?

Lot of questions and I suspect there will be a lot more.

So what will the Skype answer be?

[iancnx]

On a positive note, this is yet another piece of straw; the camel surely can't carry much more. Lets pray the rains stay away for a few years and no more suffering whilst Thai politicians sort themselves out. How many more debacles are possible?

[webfact]

WATER MANAGEMENT
Court orders studies on water plan
PONGPHON SARNSAMAK,
NAKARIN SRILERT
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- The government is mobilising legal advice on how to unlock projects under the Bt350-billion water-management scheme after the Central Administrative Court yesterday ordered complete environmental and health impact assessment reports on projects likely to harm the environment or communities.

PM's Office Ministry permanent secretary Tongthong Chandrangsu said that after discussions with its legal team todayon June 28, the government would be able to tell private companies that won bids under the scheme, as well as the general public, how it will proceed with the investment. An option to appeal will also be discussed.

"The court's order that public hearings be conducted is what the government intends to do. On the EIAs and HEIAs, we will need to look into legal technicalities thoroughly before making the next move," he said. "As far as I know, not all projects would be affected, as some can proceed without the reports."

Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and health impact assessment (HEIAs) summarise approved measures to prevent and mitigate impacts on the environment and communities.

The court yesterday ordered the government to conduct EIAs and HEIAs before signing contracts with the winning bidders in its Bt350-billion water- and flood-management scheme. The government originally planned to sign the contracts in September.

The Stop Global Warming Association, which brought the case to the court, will today file a petition with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) against Yingluck and Tongthong for violating the Constitution in their implementation of the water mega-project.

"The court clearly said the government failed to comply with the Constitution's Articles 57 (2) and 67 (2), which require the government to conduct EIAs and HEIAs before implementing its scheme. The projects will have severe impacts on local people and communities," association president Srisuwan Janya said after the verdict was read.

"Yingluck and her PM's Office permanent secretary must take responsibility for this mistake," he added.

Srisuwan said yesterday if the government appeals to case to the Supreme Administrative Court, he would ask the court to issue an injunction ordering it to follow the lower court's verdict, such as by completing public hearings and EIA and HEIA reports first.


-- The Nation 2013-06-28

[Pimay1]

"Yingluck and her PM's Office permanent secretary must take responsibility for this mistake," he added.

Now that's a novel idea.

[MaxLee]

WATER MANAGEMENT

Court orders studies on water plan

PONGPHON SARNSAMAK,

NAKARIN SRILERT

THE NATION

Yeeeaaaaaah Give me money,.... taxpayers' money.... here we go!!!!

[iancnx]

Any comment from the Prime Minister?

[hellodolly]

Any comment from the Prime Minister?

Probably if she did it would be

"give me 6 months"

I wonder if the Government is using the same lawyers that said it was OK to go ahead without common sense and disregard for the rights of the people that would be effective.

[Tatsujin]

The court said four high-level state officials including Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra breached the law in approving the water management master plan without going through environmental assessments and public hearings.

Great, we can expect to see the pretty young (ish) thing and her cronies in the Dock alongside Abhisit soon then

[Tatsujin]

He admitted that the court’s verdict could delay the water resources management project while the Finance Ministry would be asked if the Bt350 billion budget for the project will be in jeopardy.

Yes, don't worry...it's kept in a jar waiting for you

The jar's too big . . . with Bentley's going for only a few million, they don't need to rape the country quite so much anymore I would have thought.

[Baerboxer]

He gave assurances that the government would communicate with the public about the project and that it would inform the four bid winners.

Will they at the same time reveal the relationship with the Shinawatra family of the 4 bid winners ?

Would be interesting if they did - but fat chance.

Hopefully more people will see this isn't about flood management or benefiting the people. It's all about creating uncontrolled unaccountable budgets that can be used to line the pockets of the Shins and their cronies.

Who in their right mind would trust this mob with 350B THB let alone 2.2Tr THB?

[Baerboxer]

The court said four high-level state officials including Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra breached the law in approving the water management master plan without going through environmental assessments and public hearings.

Great, we can expect to see the pretty young (ish) thing and her cronies in the Dock alongside Abhisit soon then

Yep - bet good old Tarit is investigating already. He'll be charging them anytime

[Baerboxer]

Bloody EIAs.

How dare the people to be involved.

Absolutely - anybody would think its their money

This is a democratically elected peoples' government - they can do what they want. They have the peoples' mandate. All these pesky NGO's and agitators - how dare they interfere with important government scams schemes that have been carefully thought through to benefit the Shin gang people.

Some will be challenging the hugely beneficial long term rice pledging scam scheme next.