Kamphaeng Phet villagers clash with police at forum

[webfact]

Villagers clash with police at forum
Pongphon Sarnsamak,
Thanitsara Chaowalitroj
The Nation


Hundreds of villagers in Kamphaeng Phet province attempt to pass a line of police to attend a public forum on the government

Flood scheme meeting marred by row over registration of people keen to attend

BANGKOK: -- A scuffle between police and villagers broke out in Kamphaeng Phet province yesterday, with two people held briefly for trying to attend a public forum on the government's Bt350-billion water-management scheme.

Ronnachai Chainiwattana, who led a group of 500 villagers from Khlong Khlung and Khlong Lan district to attend the forum, said he and another villager were arrested and detained for 75 minutes in a police van as they tried to enter to a convention hall at Kamphaeng Phet Rajabhat University used to hold the public forum, organised by the Office of the Prime Minister.

Local villagers were also barred from entering the hall by police, because they allegedly did not register with local authorities to participate in the forum.

Tension among police and local people escalated after villagers asked officials to call on the provincial governor to intervene and allow them to join the forum.

After about 10 minutes when there was no response from local officials or governor, Ronnachai, who is coordinator of Land Forest and Natural Resources Network for the lower northern region, said the villagers' tempers began to boil.

People began pushing the police barring them from entering until Ronnachai and the other villager were detained and put in the police van. They were later released after a group of villagers stormed the police van and forced officials to let them go.

"Even though we did not register to attend the public forum, we have rights and should have been allowed to voice our concerns on the projects as we will be directly affected by them," Ronnachai said.

Public forums are being held nationwide to allow locals to voice concerns about projects planned in their areas under the government's mega water and flood scheme. The events were organised after Stop Global Warming Association (SGWA) president Srisuwan Janya filed a lawsuit requesting that the Central Administrative Court suspend the mega scheme, because it violated principles of public participation under the Constitution.

The court later ordered the government to carry out public forums to enable local villagers directly affected by projects under the Bt350-billion water and flood management scheme to voice their concerns. Once the forums are completed, the government can then move to sign contracts with contractors overseeing projects.

In Kamphaeng Phet, four projects are planned, such as Khlong Khlung and Khlong Lan dams, a floodway, and defensive flood barriers for the community and in areas of economic importance.

"No one from government has informed us about the impact of the projects," said Ronnachai, adding that most residents were concerned about land appropriation for the projects.

Integrated Water Management Foundation's chairperson Hannarong Yaowalers, who attended the Khamphaeng Phet forum, said local people directly affected by the projects were not told they needed to register to attend the forum. And they had not been informed about the impact the projects would have on the area.


-- The Nation 2013-11-16

[EricBerg]

"In Kamphaeng Phet, four projects are planned, such as Khlong Khlung and Khlong Lan dams, a floodway, and defensive flood barriers for the community and in areas of economic importance.

"No one from government has informed us about the impact of the projects," said Ronnachai, adding that most residents were concerned about land appropriation for the projects."

And then the local villagers were not allowed to attend a local forum. Apparently they are being considered as collateral. PTP is just as arrogant as the ones they oppose.

[JRSoul]

The best way to get a forum to agree with government plans is to keep the rabble who disagree out. You put up a registration notice on the back of the broom cupboard door in the sub-basement of the Town Hall - reminds of the 2 by-passes in the opening of Hitch-hikers Guide.

[Thainy Tim]

Forums can be very nasty places to get into debates.

[Robby nz]

Reports of previously held forums have shown that the Govt has packed the venues with their supporters in order to get a favorable response.

There have been reports of 400 B travelling expenses paid out and people who would not be affected by the schemes being there to collect it.

Another report was of people who would be affected complaining that the room where the forum was held was to small for any of those who wanted to oppose the scheme to get in.

Another was that those who marched in protest to the dam were not at the meeting.

We see in this case that those who might oppose the scheme were kept out by police.

Yea for PT democracy.

[NongKhaiKid]

Reports of previously held forums have shown that the Govt has packed the venues with their supporters in order to get a favorable response.

There have been reports of 400 B travelling expenses paid out and people who would not be affected by the schemes being there to collect it.

Another report was of people who would be affected complaining that the room where the forum was held was to small for any of those who wanted to oppose the scheme to get in.

Another was that those who marched in protest to the dam were not at the meeting.

We see in this case that those who might oppose the scheme were kept out by police.

Yea for PT democracy.

I'm sure this sort of situation will happen all over the country and admittance to these ' public ' forums will be as carefully controlled as possible.

Later we can expect an announcement on how successfully these meetings were and of course all the proposals were fully supported. I can't see this government operating any other way.

[LomSak27]

Actually posters this is the way that all previous goverments have done things not just your latest obsession the PTP... shock gasp horror

Who would have thought huh

[Robby nz]

Actually posters this is the way that all previous goverments have done things not just your latest obsession the PTP... shock gasp horror

Who would have thought huh

Whats that got to do with it?

This is about the Govt complying with a court order, which they are clearly circumventing by not allowing opponents to be heard in order to make it look like they have support.

[dru2]

Actually posters this is the way that all previous goverments have done things not just your latest obsession the PTP... shock gasp horror

Who would have thought huh

So that makes it right? Acceptable?

[worgeordie]

Freedom of speech ,the right to protest,having a different

view to the Government is quickly been eroded,this will not

end well for the Government.

regards Worgeordie

[culicine]

The locals might think a it more carefully who they vote for an the next election...most of them do not look like democrat voters!

[Thait Spot]

More ramming of unwanted legislation in order to benefit the connected few

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[whybother]

A public forum where the public aren't allowed to attend??

It's interesting that the police had time to get the riot police involved. They must have known this group were coming. If they knew they were coming, why did they need to register?

[Ricardo]

PTP wouldn't wish to allow any of the unwashed local rabble, into these local rubber-stamp-wielding meetings, they might not like what they hear and even have the temerity to say so !

The government, and its Great Thinker in Dubai, already know what's best for them, and the decisions are already made !

Yay for Red-Democracy, Rights for the Poor, and the New Way of Doing Things !

Perhaps the faux-PM might make a note, and mention this latest achievement, in her next speech overseas on how democracy os so-much better under 'her' rule ?

[Ricardo]

A public forum where the public aren't allowed to attend??

It's interesting that the police had time to get the riot police involved. They must have known this group were coming. If they knew they were coming, why did they need to register?

"why did they need to register ?"

Perhaps so that sufficient envelopes with 'travelling expenses' might be prepared ?

Or so that only the 'right' people got them ?

Isn't Red-Democracy lucrative wonderful !

[scorecard]

Actually posters this is the way that all previous goverments have done things not just your latest obsession the PTP... shock gasp horror

Who would have thought huh width=20 alt=biggrin.png>

Are you sure about that?

Perhaps you could share some historical examples, but please ensure it's balanced list.

[rogerdee123]

PTP is studying "governance" from Cambodia and Laos.

[Songhua]

So it wasn't going to be a public forum at all. More like a lecture.

[coma]

How hard it is for communitiy members to abide by the criteria and simply register for entry into the forum ? Hardly grounds to start getting all fired up at the police. Maybe these guys thought it was the line up for their week's ration of laow khaow

[whybother]

How hard it is for communitiy members to abide by the criteria and simply register for entry into the forum ? Hardly grounds to start getting all fired up at the police. Maybe these guys thought it was the line up for their week's ration of laow khaow

That's a good question. How hard was it to register? They have come from villages in different districts, so maybe they needed to travel to register as well.

Not being allowed into a public forum about something that might affect you and your family's lives, I think, is grounds for getting fired up.

[winstonc]

because they said no-one told them they had to register..thats why......

[moe666]

Actually posters this is the way that all previous goverments have done things not just your latest obsession the PTP... shock gasp horror

Who would have thought huh

So that makes it right? Acceptable?

To the red supporters mind set.

[metisdead]

A nonsense post have been removed.

[Dap]

Actually posters this is the way that all previous goverments have done things not just your latest obsession the PTP... shock gasp horror

Who would have thought huh

And you are happy with that (note happy face)?

Might be time for a change, wouldn't you say LomSak27

[sprq]

Quote: The court later ordered the government to carry out public forums to enable local villagers directly affected by projects under the Bt350-billion water and flood management scheme to voice their concerns. Once the forums are completed, the government can then move to sign contracts with contractors overseeing projects.

That says it all. You can have your say, then we'll just carry on as before.

[siampolee]

True to form yet again this government bans protesters, next move no doubt will be either the protest leaders will be arrested and subsequently sentenced to a term of imprisonment, their family will be harassed there is of course the time honoured Thai way of dealing with protesters. A fatal drive by killing or just a plain disappearance into the wide blue yonder as happened to a prominent Muslim lawyer a few years back. Guess whose government was in power then ?

All that lovely contract allocation '' commission'' money at stake already promised no doubt to assorted government officials and politicians, can't let a few country boys who will lose all stand in the way of personal profit via corruption can we.

[BillyBobThai]

Facebook,Twitter and all the rest has finally opened Pandora's box. Hard to put the genie back.

[Local Drunk]

To many posts on this thread to "like"...

[hellodolly]

Actually posters this is the way that all previous goverments have done things not just your latest obsession the PTP... shock gasp horror

Who would have thought huh

Whats that got to do with it?

This is about the Govt complying with a court order, which they are clearly circumventing by not allowing opponents to be heard in order to make it look like they have support.

The order clearly stated

The court later ordered the government to carry out public forums to enable local villagers directly affected by projects under the Bt350-billion water and flood management scheme to voice their concerns.

It did not say that they had to sign up. If they were directly involved that was all that was needed.

The government was to let all affected people attend not just go out rent a small hall where all could not get in. They were to supply suitable room for all involved people. Another Court order being ignored by the PTP schemer's. I wonder how many in the hall were directly involved. The order was for the directly involved not people who had nothing better to do and were just passing through.

The sad part is they will get away with it. Just one more reason to throw them out on their ear.

[473geo]

There will always be local and environmentalist hostility where water management schemes are proposed. Those familiar with current modes of conduct in corporate business will well understand the legal necessity of 'consultation' prior to a 'decision'. It is unlikely in most cases that the decision will be reversed. There is much precedent for a government to make a decision based on the benefits delivered to the whole. I lived in an area where two new dams were built in my lifetime, sure there were the usual objections, in the end no real impact on the environment, a little farm land lost, and great benefit to industry and communities further afield.

It seems any old excuse to bash the government is a worthy cause these days, hardly coming from those interested in the well being of Thailand in this case.