NCPO order number 9/2559 defended



BANGKOK: -- The Office of Natural Resources and Environment Policy and Planning has defended order number 9/2559 of the National Council of Peace and Order claiming that it will help speed up implementation of development projects, particularly infrastructure mega projects.

Mrs Raweewan Phuridet, secretary-general of ONREPP, disclosed Thursday that there is now a backlog of some 2,400 projects under consideration regarding their environment impacts assessment studies.

Since the deliberation process is lengthy and time consuming, she said that order number 9/2559 which will help speed up the implementation of over 70 major projects, especially transport mega projects.

Regarding some projects which have been implemented by the private sector in parallel with EIA consideration, Mr Supote Tovichakchaikul, spokesman of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Envirnoment, said that if the projects fail to pass the EIA considerations, they will have to be scrapped.

He insisted that the NCPO order 9/2559 was not designed to help the private sector or contractors or to quicken the EIA process.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/154536


-- Thai PBS 2016-03-11

Another sign, if it were needed, of how big business is pulling the strings of the caretaker government. Thailand needs more, not less, protection from mega projects which have potentially devastating consequences for the environment and population at large. Cutting "red tape" and encouraging deregulation sounds attractive - but it lead the world into its biggest ever financial crisis, still unfolding today.

the rich will gain

Another sign, if it were needed, of how big business is pulling the strings of the caretaker government. Thailand needs more, not less, protection from mega projects which have potentially devastating consequences for the environment and population at large. Cutting "red tape" and encouraging deregulation sounds attractive - but it lead the world into its biggest ever financial crisis, still unfolding today.

Sorry for the typo - "lead" should of course read "led"

Is the Office of Natural Resources and Environment Policy and Planning now a spokesman for the NCPO?

The NCPO needs to itself respond to the criticism but civilian Mrs Raweewan Phuridet does present a softer picture than NCPO spokesman Col. Winthai Suvaree.¹

¹http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891809-ncpo-spokesman-insists-the-junta-is-open-to-constructive-comments-on-draft-charter/

Speed up projects but not designed to quicken the EIA process. "deliberation process is lengthy and time consuming"

Now surely this needs some explanation. What will be 'improved', 'streamlined' to speed up projects ?

meanwhile, in the real world, ....

Test shows hundreds in mining area intoxicated by heavy metal