Thai govt seeks court nod for water plan

[webfact]

WATER MANAGEMENT
Govt seeks court nod for water plan
Jirapong Prasertpolkrang,
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation

Appeal to Supreme Administrative Court aimed at overruling all points in the lower court verdict

BANGKOK: -- The government, struggling to push forward its water-management and flood-prevention mega-project, has filed an appeal with the Supreme Administrative Court, asking it to give the green light for its ambitious plans.

It was disclosed yesterday that Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana had filed an appeal on Thursday evening, asking the high court to revise a Central Administrative Court verdict. The lower court previously had ordered the government to conduct public hearings, environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and environmental and health impact assessments (EHIAs) for the Bt350-billion water schemes, which are divided into nine modules.

"The government has decided to file an appeal to the high court for all points" of the lower court's ruling, Pongthep said, adding that regardless of whether the court decided to accept the appeal, he believed the mega-project would not be discontinued.

"Although we disagree with the Central Administrative Court, and the verdict has still not been implemented, we are now studying how to make the mega-projects comply with the law and the verdict," he said.

However, he added that if the Supreme Administrative Court accepted the government's appeal, he would inform the court about the official documents that the government had used to process the water- and flood-management programme.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, who chairs the Water and Flood Management Commission, has insisted that the government will conduct public hearings and impact assessments before it signs contracts with the successful bidders. The public-hearing process will commence by the middle of next month in 39 provinces in the Central region, he said, adding that the government expects to spend three months listening to the people's voices.

Previously, Stop Global Warming Association (SGWA) president Srisuwan Janya filed an appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court, requesting that it halt the government's mega-scheme.

The Central Administrative Court has ruled that the government project needs to be put on hold until all legal requirements, such as public hearings, EIAs and EHIAs, are met.

The SGWA's latest move came after it found evidence that the mega-project had not complied with legal procedures and violated the Constitution's Articles 57(2) and 67(2), which require the government to conduct public hearings and impact assessments for projects deemed possibly harmful to the environment and local people's livelihoods.

Initially, the association had filed a lawsuit with the Central Administrative Court, asking it to withdraw the government's Bt350-billion project, but the court's June 27 ruling only ordered the government to conduct public hearings and impact assessments and to involve the public. "The government has the right to file an appeal to the court, but it cannot go ahead with the plan or sign contracts with the bidders unless it has conducted public hearings, EIAs and EHIAs," Srisuwan said.

He insisted that if the Supreme Court ruled that the mega-project had to be withdrawn, then the authorities would have no choice but to start the process again by holding public hearings, collecting public opinion about the programme and conducting impact assessments.

In a related development, the People's Radio Network for Democracy yesterday stormed the Central Administrative Court and called for the judges who issued the verdict ordering the government to conduct public hearings and impact assessments to apologise to the public.

The organisation's spokesman, Sorarak Mailaithong, said the network wanted the judges to apologise to the people, because renewed flooding had already affected Chanthaburi province.

He said he also wanted Srisuwan to apologise to the public, as he had filed the lawsuit.


-- The Nation 2013-07-27

[rametindallas]

"In a related development, the People's Radio Network for Democracy yesterday stormed the Central Administrative Court and called for the judges who issued the verdict ordering the government to conduct public hearings and impact assessments to apologise to the public.
The organisation's spokesman, Sorarak Mailaithong, said the network wanted the judges to apologise to the people, because renewed flooding had already affected Chanthaburi province.
He said he also wanted Srisuwan to apologise to the public, as he had filed the lawsuit."

K. Sorarak has chutzpah. In the meantime the government will go through the motions of complying with the court's directives with no sincerity. Gin up some half-assed EIAs and EHIAs, let the people talk and then do what they planned to do anyway.

[waza]

"In a related development, the People's Radio Network for Democracy yesterday stormed the Central Administrative Court and called for the judges who issued the verdict ordering the government to conduct public hearings and impact assessments to apologise to the public.

The organisation's spokesman, Sorarak Mailaithong, said the network wanted the judges to apologise to the people, because renewed flooding had already affected Chanthaburi province.

He said he also wanted Srisuwan to apologise to the public, as he had filed the lawsuit."

K. Sorarak has chutzpah. In the meantime the government will go through the motions of complying with the court's directives with no sincerity. Gin up some half-assed EIAs and EHIAs, let the people talk and then do what they planned to do anyway.

Typical modus operandi of the redshirt movement, threat and intimidation to coerce a court into reversing its legitimate decision forcing the government to follow the constitutional steps required. In addition the PTP are appealing to the supreme court to allow them to disregards a court order and a constitutional requirement.

[Baerboxer]

"In a related development, the People's Radio Network for Democracy yesterday stormed the Central Administrative Court and called for the judges who issued the verdict ordering the government to conduct public hearings and impact assessments to apologise to the public.

The organisation's spokesman, Sorarak Mailaithong, said the network wanted the judges to apologise to the people, because renewed flooding had already affected Chanthaburi province.

He said he also wanted Srisuwan to apologise to the public, as he had filed the lawsuit."

K. Sorarak has chutzpah. In the meantime the government will go through the motions of complying with the court's directives with no sincerity. Gin up some half-assed EIAs and EHIAs, let the people talk and then do what they planned to do anyway.

Typical modus operandi of the redshirt movement, threat and intimidation to coerce a court into reversing its legitimate decision forcing the government to follow the constitutional steps required. In addition the PTP are appealing to the supreme court to allow them to disregards a court order and a constitutional requirement.

Correct. Seems the norm. PTP do what they want, for their own agenda, regardless of the law or constitution. When caught they resort to intimidation and superficial compliance. The only concern is get the contracts signed and cash the "commisions" in. Does Sorarak really think that if these scams schemes has been started they would have made any difference to the current flooding? Would the work be that quick? Another one who says what he's told to and doesn't understand the words.

This government has delivered nothing in 2 years of office - just a series of disasterous policies that have sucked up huge amounts of money, with no results or accountablilty. This is covered up with "smoke and mirrors" comments, cabinet re-shuffles, ludicrous statements and refusals to answer questions or provide information. Why would anybody think the 350m or 2.2 trillion would be any different.

[tomross46]

The government has already told their supporters, politicians and puppet masters how much money will be put into their coffers. The judicial system must be thought to follow the party line, if they do not the supporters will demonstrate, and intimidate the judges.

[Robby nz]

So the red shirts have a new name have they, but exactly the same form of intimidation they tried using against the constitution court.

It didn't work then so why do they think it will work now.

And where is Yingluck with "The law must be obeyed"

This red shirt, PT democracy stuff is real great.

Hay possibly they could burn the court down with the judges in it.

It wouldn't be a criminal act only a form of political expression................... according to the amnesty bills.

[hellodolly]

Rather than obey the law and do the best they can for Thailand they try to bulldoze a court to allow them to break the law.

Thaksin must just be beaming now with the way they are running amok rather than looking out for the welfare of the country.

His bank accounts runneth over.

[Issangeorge]

I know this is rediculous, but isn't it the people who took it to court, and aren't the red shirts for the people? Oh yes what a rediculous thought. The red shirts are for the man from Dubai, how could I forget.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[khunken]

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, who chairs the Water and Flood Management Commission, has insisted that the government will conduct public hearings and impact assessments before it signs contracts with the successful bidders.

This is just a lie. He and his acolytes have been accepting bids and giving the go-ahead to the winners on the basis they they - the bid winners - conduct impact assessments as a part of the contract. He has consistently kept out any public participation in the projects and used derogatory language about opponents.

One can hope that the Supreme Admin court will make these PTP semi-dictators obey the laws and take local opinion into account.

[boomerangutang]

This is the same type of underhanded tactics that PT, or some future Thai administration, will use to railroad nuclear upon Thailand.

PT mantra: Get it rammed through the front door or sneak it around through the back door, but however it's done, make sure VIPs in the pipeline get truckloads of cash, and that the common people are as minimally involved as possible.

[rubl]

"However, he added that if the Supreme Administrative Court accepted the government's appeal, he would inform the court about the official documents that the government had used to process the water- and flood-management programme."

Wouldn't those official documents already be available for scrutiny?

[hellodolly]

"However, he added that if the Supreme Administrative Court accepted the government's appeal, he would inform the court about the official documents that the government had used to process the water- and flood-management programme."

Wouldn't those official documents already be available for scrutiny?

There you go again always being reasonable.

[billd766]

"However, he added that if the Supreme Administrative Court accepted the government's appeal, he would inform the court about the official documents that the government had used to process the water- and flood-management programme."

Wouldn't those official documents already be available for scrutiny?

There you go again always being reasonable.

Certainly NOT. Why would just any Somchai need to know what is going on and the opposition Democrats are definitely not allowed to know.

[Pimay1]

"However, he added that if the Supreme Administrative Court accepted the government's appeal, he would inform the court about the official documents that the government had used to process the water- and flood-management programme."

Wouldn't those official documents already be available for scrutiny?

There you go again always being reasonable.

Certainly NOT. Why would just any Somchai need to know what is going on and the opposition Democrats are definitely not allowed to know.

Exactly. Remember when the PTP bunch got their panties in a knot because the Democrats had the audacity to take a bag of rotten rice from one of the storage facilities and show it in parliament?