News

Frontier 15 December 2016 | Su Myat Mon

YANGON—Hundreds of civil society organisations have urged the government to formally abandon plans for coal power plants and large-scale hydropower projects and instead embrace renewable energy.

The 422 CSOs said in a statement that the former government had approved dozens of large-scale coal and hydro plants without adequate transparency or community consultation and these projects had been “clearly been rejected by affected communities”.

The Nation 15 December 2016 | Pratch Rujivanarom

Experts believe junta order allows room for amendment later; Akara Resources says 1,000 workers will lose jobs.

ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS believe that the junta’s order on Tuesday to suspend gold mining operations is not final and there is room to reverse the decision or amend the order, even as Akara Resources pledged to comply with the diktat and stop mining operations.

Bangkok Post 15 December 2016 | Apinya Wipatayotin, Achara Ashayagachat and AP

Mining company lays off over 1,000 workers

Akara Resources Plc, which operates the largest gold mine in Thailand, has announced it will cease activity at its Chatree mining complex in Phichit from Jan 1 next year and lay off more than 1,000 workers in response to the regime's latest Section 44 order to suspend operations of all gold mines.

The Associated Press/ The New York Times 14 December 2016

BANGKOK — An Australian mining company said Wednesday it is shutting down its gold mine in Thailand, laying off more than 1,000 workers and focusing on projects in Chile. It said it will not come back unless it gets an "ironclad guarantee" from the government that it will be allowed to operate without interruption.

The Nation 14 December 2016

THE National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) yesterday exercised its absolute power to tackle conflict and alleged impacts caused by gold mines by ordering them to suspend operations from January 1, 2017.

Chemical Watch - Global Business Briefing, 13 December 2016 | Sara Brosché - Global lead paint elimination project manager, IPEN

Lead is one of the most well-researched toxic substances known to man, causing significant harm at exceedingly low levels of exposure. Therefore, many European countries took early preventative measures, by banning the use of white lead pigments in paint under the white lead Convention almost 100 years ago. This was soon followed by progressive bans on use of leaded compounds in paint, for decorative purposes and other consumer products.

The Independent  13 December 2016 | Dominic Hogg

Sweden considers incinerating waste to be recycling it – and Britain is making the same mistake

Everyone is talking about Sweden’s recycling system. It’s so good, the press report, that the country can even import waste from overseas to deal with. As one writer put it, “we can only dream of such an effective system in the UK”.

Bangkok Post 12 December 2016 | Apinya Wipatayotin 

New legislation 'will destroy' communities

A network protesting against mining activities vowed Sunday to use every tactic at its disposal to overturn the National Legislative Assembly-approved mining law, saying it would destroy community rights.

The Nation 12 December 2016 | Pratch Rujivanarom

PM scheduled to decide on disputed coal power plant in area next month

IN a quest to protect their livelihoods and the environment, traditional fishermen of Ban Laem Hin village in Krabi have been engaged in a long-running battle to stop construction of the Krabi coal-fired power plant and coal-transporting pier.

The Nation 10 December 2016 | Pratch Rujivanarom

GOLD mines in Phichit and Loei can operate legally under the new Mineral Bill that was approved by National Legislative Assembly (NLA) on Thursday, despite an earlier Cabinet decision to close all gold mines over environmental and health concerns, legal experts said.

The Mineral Bill now awaits the signature of HM the King to become a new law.