Krabi community lives without electricity for 40 years seeks sympathy from state

[webfact]

Community lives without electricity for 40 years seeks sympathy from state



KRABI: -- A local community with 2,000 residents is seeking sympathy from government agency to have access to electricity same as other remote communities in the country after its struggle for the past 40 years is still unsuccessful.

The community is at Ban Paendin Samer village in Tambon Nua Klong of Klongtom district, Krabi province.

Although this village is located not far from other communities with utility services, but residents still have no electricity for use.

Their daily lifestyles still resemble their ancestors half a century ago when they lived in darkness at night and used woods for cooking, and heating.

They still depend on icebox to keep meats and vegetables fresh.

Not to mention about equal access to information as pledged by past and present governments.

The community was established in 1974. But now it is 2015, and life remains the same.

Although there is a border police outpost right in the middle of the community, and it has computers for use but they could not be fully utilised because of low power supply from its only solar cell panels.

Sakorn Meekaew, the Tambon administration organisation mayor, said there had been attempts in the past to install electrical system in the community but all failed because a one kilometre section of the route had to pass through the Khao Pra-Bangkram wildlife conservation park.

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation did not allow poling and laying power lines into the area although there is a road passing through the park.

But the park chief Wuthipong Chusangrak said he has forwarded the community’s grievance and request to the department’s director general for electricity to consider.

The community is awaiting sympathy from the department and is hopeful that they will soon get basic utility service equally same as other communities.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/community-lives-without-electricity-for-40-years-seeks-sympathy-from-state


-- Thai PBS 2015-04-24

[khwaibah]

Political ineptitude gone to far.

[scorecard]

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Political ineptitude gone to far.

Plus a very good reason to demand change and make the beaurocrats the servants of the people not the controllers of the people.

[tingtongfarang]

When a previous government were rolling out the one tablet per child scheme/scam i remember it being reported that around 2000 schools did,nt have an electricity supply, is the situation still the same?

[Lupatria]

In a first step the community removed the "Thailand No. 1" stickers from their pickup trucks.

[Halion]

Truly Third World. Buddhism seems to have left the building here and the culture of self aggrandizing and greed prevails.

In 2015 there should be no area on the mainland which has a residency of more than 500 people that does not have utilities. Yingluck has a private plane and these poor buggers are cooking with wood and using candles to see in the dark.

Stick a few of the Government aficionados there for 3 days and you will have running water, sewers and electric.

[No Apologist]

When i see farang posters shouting about Red Shirts, I think of situations like this, and - while the violence always saddened me deeply - I wonder how those posters could be so out of touch with realities like this for many Thai people. How they can insist that 'Thai's aren't ready to have the vote', while posting away from airconditioned rooms and bar stools, living off their UK pensions and ordering people about. This is an extreme in the OP example, but there are examples like this all over Thailand to different degrees, which the likes of Prayut demand be ignored, for the sake of military power.

Thailand doesn't need another Thaksin, I know that. But it sure does need an actual leader, instersted in helping his own people, not just enforcing more of the same by dehumanizing his own people. No one could claim to 'love Thailand', and ignore these realities year after year.

[casualbiker]

A quick and easy fix would be a solar farm.. Or even better trunking the cable underground and giving them mains supply.. Thinking outside the box would be a desirable asset!

[natway09]

So no national parks in Thailand have electricity supply within the Parks ... to their offices.Rubbish.

There is a lot more to this than this article tells us

[Gutterboy]

Even just thinking inside the box would make a nice change.

[novo58]

how about they hold the next " regional" cabinet meeting there.....................

[catweazle]

Well, they have my sympathy! Kind of envy them for their resilience and their way of life. Most likely the children who are brought up in that community will appreciate little things much more and are better behaved then any of the city kids... Plus, when the s hits the fan, globally, they and their parents will find it easier to survive than spoiled hiso brats who can't even survive without their stupid smartphones.

This would be the perfect testing ground for alternative and renewable energy. Instead of seeking sympathy from a government that obviously gives a toss, they should find foreign help organisations who engage in sustainable energy, etc. What a win-win opportunity for both parties, and what a shameful outcome this would be for the non-caring government.

Edited April 24, 2015 by catweazle

[FredNL]

L.O.S.

Lies Or Scams...

[realenglish1]

This is just plain garbage from bureaucrats and the Government There should be electricity for all This is 2015 not 1903 .

But typical for the bureaucrats to pass the buck No one cares.

[Lupatria]

Any statistics how often the bureaucrats received money for providing electricity during the last 40 years already?

[12DrinkMore]

Truly Third World. Buddhism seems to have left the building here and the culture of self aggrandizing and greed prevails.

In 2015 there should be no area on the mainland which has a residency of more than 500 people that does not have utilities. Yingluck has a private plane and these poor buggers are cooking with wood and using candles to see in the dark.

Stick a few of the Government aficionados there for 3 days and you will have running water, sewers and electric.

From the location I would guess that they are adherents to islam, as well as the local government.

Not that religion should be considered a reason.

[pchansmorn]

This is the case of why some people eat rice for dinner while others eat steak, this is the Normal for Thailand. Why fix something that is not Broken, they have been managing for 40 years, so why change anything.

[monspencer]

This is the case of why some people eat rice for dinner while others eat steak, this is the Normal for Thailand. Why fix something that is not Broken, they have been managing for 40 years, so why change anything.

Because this is the 21st Century

[ThaidaGwaii]

There should be no above ground powerline in the park, so put an underground powerline... DUH!

[EnglishJohn]

When i see farang posters shouting about Red Shirts, I think of situations like this, and - while the violence always saddened me deeply - I wonder how those posters could be so out of touch with realities like this for many Thai people. How they can insist that 'Thai's aren't ready to have the vote', while posting away from airconditioned rooms and bar stools, living off their UK pensions and ordering people about. This is an extreme in the OP example, but there are examples like this all over Thailand to different degrees, which the likes of Prayut demand be ignored, for the sake of military power.

Thailand doesn't need another Thaksin, I know that. But it sure does need an actual leader, instersted in helping his own people, not just enforcing more of the same by dehumanizing his own people. No one could claim to 'love Thailand', and ignore these realities year after year.

Your view of farang on here has the familiar ring of red-shirt resentment and jealousy who dislike anyone they consider to be 'rich elite' : as programmed by the likes of Thaksin while he makes himself richer than almost any of them off their backs.

I would say many of us here have wide experience of life in Thailand. The difference you cannot understand is that we see it through the eyes of people who know how things should be. We grew up in real democracies and went through good education systems which allow us to see past the brainwashing.

You have 'chosen' to forget that Pheu-Thai were in power long enough to help these people and they ignored it too. The fact that you blame Prayuth despite the immense amount of other responsibilities on his shoulders during this transition time speaks volumes about your own attitude. Maybe you should look inwards instead of outwards to see why this country is in such a mess. Nothing is your fault is it ?.

[The Deerhunter]

When i see farang posters shouting about Red Shirts, I think of situations like this, and - while the violence always saddened me deeply - I wonder how those posters could be so out of touch with realities like this for many Thai people. How they can insist that 'Thai's aren't ready to have the vote', while posting away from airconditioned rooms and bar stools, living off their UK pensions and ordering people about. This is an extreme in the OP example, but there are examples like this all over Thailand to different degrees, which the likes of Prayut demand be ignored, for the sake of military power.

Thailand doesn't need another Thaksin, I know that. But it sure does need an actual leader, instersted in helping his own people, not just enforcing more of the same by dehumanizing his own people. No one could claim to 'love Thailand', and ignore these realities year after year.

Excuse me but Thaksin & his family have won every election for how long and have dominated Thai politics for most of the last 2 decades. Prayuth has been PM for 11 months as a total outsider and you are foaming at the mouth as if "Prayuth demand be ignored" their plight. Your exact words. How after all this time it is suddenly his fault. Of all the PM's in the last 41 years since that village came into existence, he is the one PM least likely to have had the opportunity to do anything about it. It is possible he just heard about it for the first time now, or maybe not even yet if he doesn't have someone scanning TVF for him. It is an atrocious situation but the most inappropriate person to blame is the one you have selected. Yes it needs fixing. I cannot imagine living like that in the 21st century. Perhaps you should be shouting at the Redshirts or the Thaksin family, or Abhisit, or anyone else who has been in power in any time other than the current mess. Ask Jatuporn to use some of his influence & contacts to agitate for their interests. He probably doesn't have much to do these days. They have all had way more opportunity than the man you have chosen to blame this miserable situation on. Your comments and attitude are totally inappropriate.

Edited April 24, 2015 by The Deerhunter

[The Deerhunter]

When a previous government were rolling out the one tablet per child scheme/scam i remember it being reported that around 2000 schools did,nt have an electricity supply, is the situation still the same?

Probably but the opportunity for publicity, graft & kick backs obviously didn't match the tablet scheme scam. Mind you, I would think there would be plenty of opportunities for corruption in a contract for powering up even 200, let alone 2,000 schools if you are correct

[thedude82]

WE are all outsiders, why even get worked up over Thai politics... This article shows how third world this place is....and I mean that in a negative way. Come on folks...since the 70s and nobody can run a wire to your "village",

[whaleboneman]

This would be a great opportunity to use alternate energy. I'm sure the entire village could be powered by solar and maybe some wind turbines for those hot nights when you want a fan. Anyone with deep pockets to get it started-you'll get a lot of merit and maybe some profits down the road?

[ksamuiguy]

Are there no Heroes left!

[cookee68]

So I take it that, animals are more important than the people, just shows how backward a third world country can be

[godden]

Sure is strange in a country where you can see the ruling class in their 10 million baht cars.

[northernjohn]

Typical no minded posters. Nine moths why haven't the new government solved all the problems and wrongs in Thailand.

Never mind the fact that they have been told there will d=still be problems after the election which is about 10 months away. The no minds think it only takes a day.

Don't know what kind of education system they come from but it is defiantly not even as good as Thailand's.

How many of you obviously uninformed people wonder why they would start a village with out electricity?

Keep on living your fairy tale lives where a snap of the fingers by one man immediately solves all the problems in Thailand and makes them the most advanced corruption free country in the world.

Sorry to the two or three posters who had intelligent answers.

[mike324]

A quick and easy fix would be a solar farm.. Or even better trunking the cable underground and giving them mains supply.. Thinking outside the box would be a desirable asset!

I would not consider that as quick and easy. Who's going to pay for the solar farm? who''s land are they going to build it on? To support a community of 2000, the farm needs to be a good size. The easiest way is to allow cabling through the park, there is already a road that runs through it, so its not that they need to dig up the park and do more damage.

[kiwikeith]

Truly Third World. Buddhism seems to have left the building here and the culture of self aggrandizing and greed prevails.

In 2015 there should be no area on the mainland which has a residency of more than 500 people that does not have utilities. Yingluck has a private plane and these poor buggers are cooking with wood and using candles to see in the dark.

Stick a few of the Government aficionados there for 3 days and you will have running water, sewers and electric.

What is wrong with underground if you don't want power poles, a community generator might be good they could all chip in for the diesel until it is sorted but also unbelievable today, unless the govt wants to make it a prehistoric tourist attraction.