Industrial guidelines due next week

MAP TA PHUT

The National Environment Committee hopes to issue guidelines within a week for potentially harmful industrial projects, with the aim of preventing future conflicts between industry and communities.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva eats a prawn while Suttha Hemsakol, Tourism and Environmental Promotion Association chairman in Rayong's Ban Chang-Map Ta Phut districts, left, gives the thumbs up.

"Once [the guidelines are] issued, all investment projects will have a clear direction whether their projects abide by Section 67 or not. That will let them know whether the extra requirements such as health impacts and analysis by independent organisation are needed to gain operating permits," said Sorayud Phettrakul, an adviser to the Industry Minister.

While a law to accommodate Section 67 of the Constitution awaits Parliament's consideration, the committee can issue temporary guidelines so affected projects can move forward, he said.

"This announcement should be endorsed next week. This means all projects or activities will know for certain if they fall under Section 67. If they do, the announcement will also detail what they must do to gain permits according to the Constitution," said Mr Sorayud.

"It will plug the legal holes that led to the problems of 76 projects."

Yet the announcement will not apply to the 76 projects halted by the Central Administrative Court in September. They must wait for the appeal decision from the upper court, which is currently hearing information from stakeholders.

Mr Sorayud said the government was unconcerned by the Anti Global Warming Association's threat of legal action against 181 projects it accuses of damaging the environment and communities.

"Once the guideline is out, every harmful project needs to follow its instructions. That's all. The threats to bring 181 projects to face the same fate as the 76 projects will not be possible anymore," he said.

"We do whatever we can for the best of all. So far, we [the government] are concentrating on ending the legal loopholes and this is progressing."

Even Suthi Atchasai, the leader of the People's Eastern Network, which petitioned the Administrative Court against the projects in Map Ta Phut, disagrees with taking another 181 projects to court, which he sees as a threat to people's right to improve their quality of life.

"Our aim in fighting is to find a legal solution to protect communities' well-being. Once a legal deadlock is resolved, it should be a hard example for other projects across the country to abide by the law. There is no more need to bring more hassle to the issue," he said.

Cholanat Yanaranop, the president of SCG Chemicals, which has been affected by the Administrative Court order, remains optimistic, seeing signs that the disputes will end soon with less impact on developers than previously projected.

"Developments seen over the past few days are quite positive, in that parties involved have turned to each other to solve the problems. It is likely that we can find the solutions to settle all different opinion," he said yesterday.

"For SCG, we are ready to comply with the laws if the [upper] court's decision does not favour us. Our second-phase production might be delayed but it won't be for as long as we estimated earlier."

SCG's affected projects are worth almost 107 billion baht, and damage of this amount would ensue if these plants cannot operate.

"Our joint-venture partners are concerned about the issues but they are still hopeful that the problem will be resolved. Meanwhile, creditors remain committed to supporting us," he said.

The impact on the investment climate is also a concern. Industrial estate operators are calling for the government to quickly explain progress to foreign investors, to prevent them shifting to other countries, said Amata Corp president Viboon Kromadit.