News

The Nation 01 March 2018 | PRATCH RUJIVANAROM

Akara disputes study as international arbitration proceeds, with govt accused of expropriation.

A STUDY on the first tailing storage facility (TSF1) of Akara Resources’ Chatree gold mine in Phichit confirmed that it leaked – but the committee investigating issues at the mine has decided to postpone the disclosure of the report for 10 more days.

Vietnam Express International 01 March 2018 | Nguyen Dong   

The protest is the second in a year and people are expecting more than just a temporary shutdown this time.

Authorities in Vietnam's central city of Da Nang closed down two steel factories on Wednesday following a prolonged protest by residents complaining about pollution and the city's failure to deliver on a promise to relocate them.

Bangkok Post 27 February 2018 | EDITORIAL

The government has made an error with its decision to once again kick the issue of coal-fired power plants down the political road. Siri Jirapongphan, the Minister of Energy, has defused the immediate problem of high-profile protests. But getting the anti-coal demonstrators to leave the Bangkok pavement is a side issue. The government still plans to build those coal-fired pollution factories, just a little later than the regime had hoped.

The Nation 26 February 2018 | PRATCH RUJIVANAROM

ACADEMICS, LOCAL RESIDENTS EXPRESS WORRY ABOUT NEW POLLUTION SOURCES

LOCAL PEOPLE in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) provinces have been joined by academics in voicing concerns over the effects of the imminent industrial expansion on the environment and livelihoods of people.

Channel News Asia 22 February 2018

BANGKOK (AFP) – Environmental activists presented the Thai junta with an hourglass filled with dust on Thursday (Feb 22) as part of a plea to tackle the hazardous levels of air pollution that have hung over the capital in recent weeks.

Bangkok, one of the world's top tourist destinations, has been shrouded in smog for nearly a month, with authorities reporting unhealthy concentrations of harmful microscopic particles known as PM2.5.

Bangkok Post 21 February 2018  

Protesters against a coal-fired power plant in Krabi and Songkhla called off their rally in front of the United Nations office in Bangkok on Tuesday after the Energy Ministry agreed to conduct a fresh impact assessment.

The Nation 21 February 2018 By Pratch Rujivanarom, Somchai Samart

PROTEST STOPS AS GOVT SIGNS AGREEMENT FOR INDEPENDENT ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY

AS THE GOVERNMENT backed down, coal-fired power plant protesters yesterday announced victory and ended a hunger strike – although there were concerns that their disputes with a pro-coal group in their home provinces would remain.

Myanmar Times 19 February 2018 | Htoo Thant

From flawed land acquisition, destroyed farmlands to the lack of transparency, this project is failing on many human rights measures and threatening the lands and livelihoods of communities.

DAWEI Special Economic Zone (SEZ) has been accused of grave human rights violations including forced evictions, a lack of transparency and environmental disruption as the land lease contract for its initial phase is expected to be signed before April. In addition, the legality of the Environment Impact Assessments (EIAs) is severely questioned while experts say that the project has destroyed farmlands, polluted rivers and is threatening the lands and livelihoods of communities.

Financial Tribune 18 February 2018

Southeast Asian governments are finding themselves caught between pressure to meet regional power demands and backlash from citizens fearing the environmental effects of coal-fired electrical plants.

U.S. Right to Know 13 February 2018 | Stacy Malkan

The world’s largest pesticide and seed companies want you to believe they are on the side of science. High-tech foods are the future, they say, and people who raise concerns about their pesticides and genetically engineered seeds are “anti-science.”

The Atlantic magazine will provide a platform to those industry talking points in exchange for corporate cash at a Feb. 15 event titled, “Harvest: Transforming the Food We Eat” sponsored by DowDuPont.