20 more to be arrested for joining power plant protest

The police are preparing to issue arrest warrants for 20 more protestors against the coal-fired power plant in Songkhla.

On 30 November 2017, Thai PBS reported that police of Mueang District of Songkhla Province are preparing to issue arrest warrants for 20 people who joined 15 key leaders of the network from Songkhla and Pattani provinces in a protest against the planned coal-fired power plant and deep sea port in Songkhla.

The 15 were released on 29 November after six lecturers from Prince of Songkla University and Thaksin University used their academic positions to guarantee bail for them.

The 15 said that they will file a complaint against the police for violating their rights.  

114 academics from Southern Thailand on 29 November issued a joint statement condemning the authorities for using force against the protesters and arresting the 15 activists.

They stated that the plan to build the 2,200-megawatt coal-fired power plant goes against the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to which Thailand is a signatory party.

They repeated the statement of the protesters that the Environmental Impact Assessments and Environmental Health Impact Assessments of both the power plant and sea port projects were approved without the participation of the local communities.  

The 15 southern environmental activists protesting against the controversial coal-fired power plant in Songkhla in front of Songkhla Central Prison on 29 November 2017

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