Prayut orders shorter impact assessments

[rooster59]

Prayut orders shorter impact assessments

BANGKOK: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday ordered shortening of the processes for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Environmental and Health Impact Assessments (EHIA).

Prayut said there should be fewer obstructions to investment plans, pointing out that these lengthy procedures had caused delays to development projects.

He said he wanted every government project to start by 2017 and there would be more meetings on prioritising the important projects as there were more than 2,000 project proposals in only one year.

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Prayut-orders-shorter-impact-assessments-30272443.html

-- The Nation 2015-11-07

[Somtamnication]

Well, more committees then. If these projects start in 2017, surely the junta will be in power until completion, say, another 10 years later?

[WhizBang]

BANGKOK: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday ordered shortening of the processes for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Environmental and Health Impact Assessments (EHIA).

Pesky environmental assessment is slowing things down, so let's just bypass it. Just goes to show where this government's priorities lie, and it is not with the environment.

[waldroj]

What a harlequin!

The whole purpose of these types of assessments is to avoid unintentional consequences of ill-conceived projects.

It's almost impossible to be complimentary with this guy.

[eliotness]

So do EIAs with a lot of thainess ! Not sure how that would look on the world stage and I guess that might also put into question any future ISO 14001 certification (bit of a misty link I know, but there is in ISO 14001 a clause that the company/factory must be aware of and have records of its environmental impact, so no EIA, no ISO 14001 for new operations). Probably no effect at all for industries supplying only the Thai market, but if they want to export to the 1st world then ISO 14001 and 9001 are very important.

The reason is I believe that Thailand is extremely short of Thai nationals who know how to conduct an EIA efficiently and, heaven forbid, they need to hire in some farangs to do an EIA. So cut them short, make them quick and simple !!!!!!! but forget that an EIA is an internationally recognised process, the rest of the world will understand, NOT.

[Srikcir]

Prayut will have to do more than just insist on shortening of the processes for EIA and EHIA since it is the law. Being a Law and Order advocate, I would imagine that Prayut would want government employees to follow the law.

So he should be invoking (once again) Article 44 in order for government employees to legally circumvent the law and not be held criminally liable. Now that's a paradox to reform of justice.

[chainarong]

Just for the record the environmental assessment for a new mine in OZ is about 5 years , mind there is more red and green tape than anywhere else, so , let's be reasonable, you start with public comment which is 6 months then go from there, 3 years should do it, like all Asian leaders Prayut - O is taking a few short cuts, that's is why their countries are environmentally damaged and the villagers are dying of heavy metal complications......to much arse licking to the corporations of this world and not enough interest in the well being of their People........

[inzman]

Everyone knows EIA are not real here, just a way to pry money out of the developers. Thailand sold itself out years ago.

[Ulic]

May as well shorten them up. They don't seem to be done properly anyway.

[Baerboxer]

Prayut will have to do more than just insist on shortening of the processes for EIA and EHIA since it is the law. Being a Law and Order advocate, I would imagine that Prayut would want government employees to follow the law.

So he should be invoking (once again) Article 44 in order for government employees to legally circumvent the law and not be held criminally liable. Now that's a paradox to reform of justice.

I recall PTP were also trying to push through projects without EIA and EHA's even being carried out.

When challenged they threatened protesters. Minister Plod in particular calling them garbage and threatening them with arrest.

Seemed Thaksin has been to a Korean supplier in person, a contract was awarded, designs accepts, but no one bothered with EIA or EHA.

PTP did try and arrange a quick public meeting - attendance by invitation only 555.

If he's saying the current process is not effective and efficient, and needs streamlining then that's good. If he's saying, like his predecessors, that they aren't import and environmental and people consequences are irrelevant then he is no better than the Shins.

[phoenixdoglover]

Need to get that project money flowing before the end of 6-4-6-4.

[metisdead]

From the NOTICE TO MEMBERS POSTING IN THAILAND NEWS:

Please use discretion in your references to the government. Phrases which can be considered as anti-coup will be removed. Referring to Thailand or the government as a dictatorship, military dictatorship or other such terms will be removed.

[Siammodels]

Gentleman

We are running out of time and they are gaining ground !

We must win the war and we need to show some structured results...... JUST build now forget the red tape elections are on the horizon

I need trophys

[eliotness]

The government is doing, or rather is proposing to do what most governments would love to be able to do, i.e. cut short the EIA & EHIA processes. But in most countries, where there is an elected government, politicians are afraid of the public reaction, they might lose their seat at the next election ! This government has no such concerns and so life becomes much easier for the developers and industrialists and I'm sure they will show their appreciation in the usual manner.