Radical reform of 'outdated' environmental laws urged

[webfact]

Radical reform of 'outdated' environmental laws urged
By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION

 

The academics and law experts discuss on the topic of new Environmental Bill yesterday at the academic forum "Environmental Law Reformation" yesterday.

 

24-year-old act under review, blamed for flaws in current vetting process

 

BANGKOK: -- ACADEMICS AND legal experts yesterday called for radical reforms of decades-old environmental laws, with public participation to ensure the rights of all citizens to live in healthy surroundings.

The call was issued as the Law Reform Commission and the Good Governance for Social Development and the Environment Institute hosted an academic forum yesterday titled “Environmental Law Reformation” at the Sukosol Hotel in Bangkok. 

The forum stressed the need to significantly revise the Enhance-ment and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act, which is 24 years old and currently under review.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30299607

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-11-10

[fruitman]

So we can't dump/burn garbage along the roads any more? And no more sofa's/mattresses going in the klongs/swamps? 

 

How will they  achieve that without police doing anything?

[RichardColeman]

Hope this includes the 'security guards' at the entrance to our Pattaya 'village' who take a sh*t in the buses near the gate rather than walk to the toilet by the pool  !

[timber]

I would imagine the laws and regulations are on the books.  I am constantly amazed at how little regard there is for the environment.  A mother taking her kid to school tossing a bag of garbage into the bush, no garbage disposal, fisherman leaving fingerlings to die on the beach after bringing their nets in, etc.  Who enforces pollution control, where do you report infractions?

[tigermoth]

Education, education, education. The other problem is that the elite who benefit the most from the exploitive mis use of the environment also control the laws, either directly through political membership or with their wealth.

They also have no intention of educating the vast majority in environmental protection, for obvious reasons.

Edited November 10, 2016 by tigermoth
another fact

[fruitman]

In the Makro 4 alkaline batteries cost the same as 20-30 oldstyle batteries.....

[WhizBang]

They can have all the laws they want, but without a functioning police force, nothing will change.
 

[Srikcir]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

with public participation to ensure the rights of all citizens to live in healthy surroundings.

Did these academics and so-called legal experts just wake up from a year's slumber?

 

They need to look at the public approved 2016 draft charter. Perhaps one they might have approved.

 

Unlike the 2007 Constitution that gave local communities the right to participate in the deliberation of policies that might be harmful to their well-being and require large-scale constructions to conduct health studies and environmental impacts before projects commenced, the 2016 charter removed such explicit right and only requires the state to exercise diligence in carrying out any project that might impact people.

 

Furthermore, the 2016 charter removed enabled individuals and communities the right to petition directly to the court to halt projects as was provided for in the 2007 Constitution.

 

I expect any laws passed by the current NLA will further enforce the approved 2016 draft charter provisions that will conflict with suggested reform by the Law Reform Commission and the Good Governance for Social Development and the Environment Institute.