Threat of mass rallies after Krabi coal plant approved
The Nation 18 February 2017 | PRATCH RUJIVANAROM, NATTAPAT PHROMKAEW
Prime minister insists project is needed to secure power stability.
PROTESTERS HAVE vowed to continue their campaign with mass demonstrations in Bangkok, after the controversial Krabi coal-fired power plant project finally got the go-ahead yesterday after two years of resistance.
After an Energy Policy Planning Office (EPPO) committee meeting at Government House yesterday, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said the new power plant was needed to ensure power stability in the South.
The EPPO committee also ordered the Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning Office to rush the project’s Environmental and Health Impact Assessment by considering the comments of the tripartite committee.
After the decision was announced, environmental protesters who gathered outside Government House marched to the entrance gate and tried to enter the compound, but they were blocked by a line of police. Minor clashes between protesters and police went on throughout the afternoon as the demonstrators demanded that they be allowed to continue their protest and asked others affected by the decision to join their conflict.
Some opponents said they did not fear the “absolute power of the junta” and were “prepared to die fighting” the governments “disastrous” policy.
Prayut, who heads the EPPO committee, said he was worried about power instability in the future as the Krabi plant had already been delayed for two years and there was a risk of blackouts in the South in the future from increasing power demand.
“We have considered the information and argument on the current electricity generation technology and concluded that a coal-fired power plant is the best option because it can generate electricity at a reasonable price and also be safe,” he said.
“Therefore, I have ordered the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand [Egat] and the Energy Ministry to continue with the Krabi coal-fired power plant project, while trying to reduce the conflict with the locals as much as possible.”
He stressed that power demand in the South was growing rapidly and asked people not to protest. He ordered Egat and the Energy Ministry to explain the project to local people so they could understand and accept the project and realise that it is clean.
The decision upset the protesters. One rally leader, Prasitchai Nu-nuan from the “Save Andaman from Coal” group, announced that they would continue their protest in front of Government House until the government scraps the project.
“I would like people from all the Southern provinces and those who are affected by the government policies, no matter their political affiliation, to march to Bangkok, because this is not a political matter, this is the matter of people’s lives,” Prasitchai stressed.
“The prime minister’s permission to move forward with the Krabi coal-|fired power plant project is clear |proof that the government is on the side of the big capitalists, not on the people’s side and they are the tyrants who take advantage from their |own people for their benefit.”
Akkaradej Chakchinda, another rally leader, said they had no plan to stop protesting despite the National Council for Peace and Order’s demonstration ban and they will not move till the government cancels the project. “We do not fear the absolute power of the junta and we are prepared to die fighting the government’s disastrous coal policy,” Akkaradej said.
“The military junta is cooperating with the capitalists in the energy sector and trying to make them benefit from the fossil fuel trade, as they just bought shares in the Indonesian coal mine company. People have no other way but to just fight now or never.”
Meanwhile, Kanokwan Sae-eiaw, one of the local people from Ban Leam Hin in Krabi near the site of coal transporting pier, also vowed to continue protesting until they achieve their goal, because the livelihood of the people in her community is at stake.
“The project will destroy the healthy environment that we depend on. This is a matter of our life, so I have to fight until the end,” Kanokwan said.
Meanwhile, Lt-Colonel Supak Wongsawat, from Dusit Police Station, sent a petition to the Civil Court, asking for an order to end the protest. The court accepted the petition and will start hearing witnesses from both sides at 9am on Monday.
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