Environmental Assessment Impact (EIA)

19 Jan 2018
A draft environmental law being considered by the NLA is being pushed for approval on 19 January 2018. Community members, scholars, and activists have criticized the bill for failing to resolve environmental problems and for an EIA process that cannot be trusted. They add that the environmental protection law is an investment promotion law in disguise.
27 Nov 2017
People in Songkhla and Pattani have rallied against plans for a coal-fired power plant and deep sea port ahead of a cabinet meeting. On 26 November 2017, a network from Songkhla and Pattani provinces protesting against a planned coal-fired power plant held a rally in Songkhla ahead of the coming cabinet meeting in the province on 28 November. The group plans to submit a petition to Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the junta leader and Prime Minister, asking the government to cancel plans for a 2,200-megawatt power plant and deep sea port in Thepha District, Songkhla.
24 Jul 2017
Environmentalists have called on the authorities to rethink changing Thailand’s environmental protection law, because the process lacks public oversight.
6 Mar 2017
Environmental activists and academics have urged the government to improve the Environmental Health Impact Assessment (EHIA) process on a controversial coal-fired power plant project in southern Thailand. On 2 March 2017, academics and environmentalists gathered at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, to discuss deficiencies in the government’s EHIA process as conducted on mega-projects such as its ongoing plans to build a coal-fired power plant in the southern province of Krabi.
22 Feb 2017
Villagers from southern Thailand have filed a complaint to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), claiming that they were harassed by the military for a campaign against construction of a dam.    On 21 February 2017, 30 villagers from Tha Sae District in the southern province of Chumphon submitted a complaint to the NHRC office in Bangkok after they were intimidated by the military for protesting against the Tha Sae Dam Project.
7 Dec 2016
A network of anti-mine activist groups has condemned the Thai junta for pushing a new controversial mining bill without public participation.   On 7 December 2016, the People’s Network of Ore Owners, a coalition of anti-mine activist groups from across the nation, issued a public statement to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA).
1 Dec 2016
Despite opposition from environmental activists and civil society groups, the junta’s lawmakers could soon pass a new Mining Bill to ease environmental regulations for mining businesses. On 1 December 2016, the National Legislative Assembly will consider the new Mining Bill, which was proposed by the Ministry of Industry to replace the 1967 Mining Act and the 1966 Mineral Royalty Rate Act. The bill had been put on fast track by the junta’s cabinet but has received stiff disapproval from academics and environmental activists.
9 Mar 2016
The Thai junta enacted a new order to cut short the process to conduct Environmental Impact Assessment on mega project constructions.       On Tuesday, 8 March 2016, the public website of the Royal Gazette published the latest order of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), Order 9/2016, to cut short the process of conducting Environmental Impact Assessments on mega project constructions.
2 Mar 2016
Military and police officers intimidated a key anti-mine leader in northern Thailand, telling her not submit a petition against a gold mining operator. The Manager Online, reported that on Tuesday at 7 pm, 1 March 2016, 20 military, police, and other officers visited Tanyarat Sintathammatat, key leader of an anti-mine activist group in the lower northern province of Phichit.
9 Feb 2016
After years of fighting for rights over land and resources, communities living on disputed land or standing on the way of state megaprojects are to be left destitute under the new draft constitution written by the junta-appointed Constitutional Drafting Committee (CDC).
2 Dec 2015
A network of people from marginalised communities countrywide has urged the military government to halt plans to establish Special Economic Zones (SEZs), claiming that the plans violate the rights of the poor. A network of seven organisations from different regions including the Love Mae Sod Group, the Sa Kaew Environmental Protection Network, the Northern Development Foundation, the Citizen Council of Chonburi Province, and the Community Leaders Network on Monday, 30 November 2015, submitted a petition addressed to Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the junta leader and Prime Minister.
11 Nov 2015
The Thai military government has agreed to amend the Town Planning Act to deregulate industries in city areas.    Atchaka Sriboonruang, Minister of Industry, on Tuesday, 10 November 2015, revealed that the Cabinet has given the green light to the Ministry to amend the 1975 Town and City Planning Act to be more ‘flexible’ in order to facilitate industry.
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