Egat ordered to pay Bt45 million to victims of air pollution

[Thaivisa News]

Chiang Mai: – The Supreme Administrative Court has ruled to award Bt40 million compensation for 131 Mae Moh victims of air pollution caused by the lignite power plant in Lampang.

The high court’s ruling ends 12-year court battle between Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand and the victims and surviving family members.

The case initially comprised 19 separate petitions before being combined. Some 15 bed-ridden victims died before the final verdict.

Under the court order, the Egatis to pay for compensation package covering medical expense, unemployment, physical-handicapped and health and mental impacts.

The initial compensation package amounts to Bt24 million and the high court orders additional penalties for Bt21 million.

The Egat is obliged to comply with the court order and pay the victims within 30 days.

MaliwanNakwirot, leader of Mae Moh Victims Network, said the verdict was a judicial confirmation that the Egat did cause air pollution adversely impacting on health and livelihood of residents nearby the power plant.

A victim TheeraPhonwongsri, 83, said although he was happy with the verdict, he still regretted that his 76-year-old wife and victim had died before the justice was served.

The first-tier and the final judicial decisions found the Egat guilty of negligence in the lignite power generation causing the excessive emission of silica dust and toxic gas, sulfer dioxide.

Victims suffered silicosis, a lung disease caused by inhaling silica dust.

In computing the compensation package, the lower court relied on a lump sum payment for Bt240, 000 for each victim.

The high court adjusted the package to reflect the specific conditions of each victim.

[angiolo]

What about air pollution due the straw burning >

[Robby nz]

There needs to be something done about how long it takes these and all cases to get through the court system.

2 years at the most should the limit for people to have to wait for a final resolution to any case.

If there are not enough courts and judges then boost the numbers, set up specific courts for specific things, no messing about with "We need more time to gather evidence for yet another appeal".