News

Bangkok Post 02 February 2019 | Anchalee Kongrut

As the prime minister threatened to close down polluting factories, and asked some to reduce their operational hours, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) was reading a revised law on factories that, if approved, could make the fight against PM2.5 ever tougher.

The draft has received a lot of criticism. On Thursday, a network of civic groups submitted petition letters to the government, asking it to drop the draft which they said will allow small factories to open too easily and may compromise environmental protection efforts.

EARTH THAILAND 31 January 2019

(BANGKOK) – On 31 January 2019, EARTH, EnLaw, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, and Center for Peace and Conflict Studies of Chulalongkorn University held the Press Conference on “The NCPO’s Draft Amendment of the Factory Act: The Hidden Agenda – Aggravating PM 2.5 Problem?” in Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. The forum criticized the draft amendment of Thailand’s Factory Act that will aggravate the fine dust particles, PM2.5 problem and undermine the environmental protection.

31 January 2019, 10-12 am
LIVE from Chulalongkorn University via https://web.facebook.com/EarthEcoAlert

Organised by: EARTH, EnLAW, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Center for Peace and Conflict Studies of Chulalongkorn University

BANGKOK – Parliament House of Thailand (23 JAN 2019)

EARTH and EnLaw, together with local people from Rayong and Phetburi Provinces petitioned against the new amendment of the Factory Act, pointed out that the amendment undermines the environmental protection and lack of public participation.

The petition letter endorsed by 67 civil society organisations and 34 individuals, urging to immediately withdraw from the parliament approval and demanding the amendment to be implemented under the elected government.

OPINION | Bangkok Post 03 January 2019 | Penchom Tang

The military regime's policy to promote industrial development with the use of the drastic Section 44, which bypasses regular laws and regulations, has won a thumbs-up from investors while also intensifying pollution and local conflicts.

The waste management policy is a prime example. The regime made a noteworthy start by placing waste on the national priority list but the policy has turned into a failure when put into practice. In fact, we saw local conflicts flare up in several areas.

Bangkok Post 14 December 2018

Locals win ten-year environmental battle

The Loei Provincial Court on Thursday ordered Tungkum, a gold mining company, to pay about 15 million baht in compensation to families affected by its mining activities.

The verdict yesterday brought smiles to the faces of 165 plaintiffs -- residents of six villages in Wang Saphung district, who have been fighting pollution caused by gold mining for over a decade.

The Nation 14 December 2018

THE LOEI PROVINCIAL Court yesterday ordered a gold-mining firm to rehabilitate the environment and compensate locals who were affected by its operations.

Tungkum Co Ltd, which operates a gold mine in Loei’s Wang Saphung district, lost the legal battle as the court believed local residents had solid evidence proving that the firm’s mining operations damaged the environment in areas around the mining zones. 

Reuters 20 November 2018 | Sebastien Malo

NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Air pollution, caused largely by burning fossil fuels, is cutting global life expectancy by an average of 1.8 years per person, making it the world’s top killer, researchers said on Monday.

NNT 16 November 2018 | Tanakorn Sangiam  

Authorities are improving Thailand's electronic waste treatment system, tackling the issue of e-waste import in bid to be no longer the world's e-waste dump site in two years. 

The Nation 02 November 2018 | PRATCH RUJIVANAROM

Experts warn three provinces already facing shortages; agencies look to create new reservoirs in nearby areas.

THE RISK of water scarcity is looming in the East, thanks mainly to a boom in industrial development in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).