In his weekly television address last Friday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha reaffirmed what many had feared: the government is committed to developing Pak Bara Deep Sea Port in Satun province, despite concerns about environmental impact and local livelihoods. The port will handle cargo and oil deliveries from the Indian Ocean.
"Please don't create conflict. We will try to take care of those who will be affected," Prayut said. "If we don't build the port, there will be no gateway to the Andaman Sea, and we cannot link shipments of goods to Europe, the Middle East and Africa."
At a time when the voice of the affected is muted, one way to raise awareness of the project's impact is through art. "Pak Bara Paradiso" is a photo exhibition and forum that address the destiny of a peaceful fishing community in Langu district, Satun province, which is threatened by the planned port. It will open on Friday, at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), and run until Sunday.
There was concern that the PM's call for co-operation would result in the event's cancellation. But it will continue as planned.
"Pak Bara Paradiso is not a radical event at all. It is about art, and it aims to speak to Bangkok's middle class about the beauty of Pak Bara village and the huge potential for tourism in Satun province," said Somboon Khamhang, a native of Pak Bara.
His reference to "Bangkok's middle class" is key. When Yingluck Shinawatra's government was in power, support of Bangkok's middle class against the controversial Mae Wong Dam played a role in pressuring the government to abandon the project. Activists staged a long march from the North to BACC, effectively making the voice of the opposition campaign heard.
But Pak Bara villagers now have to work harder. They invited artists and photojournalists to record images of the community and its people.
The movement is seen as the villagers' campaign to show society their peaceful and sustainable way of life, which will be altered by the seaport project and ensuing industrial zone.
Before plans for the port were made public, Pak Bara was known as a transit pier for boats bringing tourists to visit Petra Marine National Park and Tarutao Marine National Park. Tourism in Satun province is on the upswing. The pristine ecology and breathtaking beaches of islands in Tarutao Marine National Park lure tourists and nature lovers who are dismayed by the ecologically degraded Similan Marine National Parks. The province is blessed by 150 pristine, small archipelagos. Last year 900,000 tourists brought in 3 billion baht to the small province.
The seaport, according to Somboon, will spoil the small-scale fishing industry and tourism in the area. The plan for the seaport requires the authorities to remove 4,734 rai from the Petra Marine National Park. The area around Tarutao Marine National Park — including up-and-coming tourist magnets such as Koh Lipe, Ardang Island and the Rawee Islands, will be an area for oil and cargo liners.
The Pak Bara seaport is expected to support the Satun-Songkhla energy land bridge project, which involves the transport of fuel from a proposed petroleum refinery in the Gulf of Thailand to facilities by the Andaman Sea. Both projects are part of a Transport Ministry infrastructure project worth 2.4 trillion baht, which was proposed during the Yingluck government and recently approved by the junta.
Somboon said the port will be the beginning of a heavy industrial complex within in the province. Quiet and peaceful Satun will change forever, physically and spiritually, with the presence of the land bridge, the port, the factories, and all that comes with them.
"Try to imagine the eastern seaboard and Laem Chabang seaport being placed in Satun province, and imagine what is going to happen with the pristine ecology and our way of life," said Somboon.
"Pak Bara Paradiso" is meant to rally support through positive energy — it's meant to enchant and remind people of what they might lose forever, even though they don't actually live there. Art and nature lovers will have a feast for the eyes from photos portraying way of life of Pak Bara Village and the surrounding environment.
These splendid photos are taken by both professional and native photographers. Painters such as Wasant Sitthikade also visited the place and recorded the story of the village on canvas for the event. There will be seminars on conservation and the ecological impact of seaport projects. Speakers include respected figures such as Sasin Chalermlarp, marine biologist Nalinee Thongtham and veteran activist Banchong Nasae.
Chiranan Pitpreecha, a SEA Write award-winning poet, and co-founder of FotoUnited and co-organiser of the exhibition, said the photos displayed at the event will surprise the people of Bangkok.
"We use photos as visual information for those who have no idea about the Pak Bara area, so they can understand what the controversy is all about. People from Bangkok are not often aware of the unnecessary destruction of natural and human resources in remote regions until they become big headlines, which means it is too late. Many simply assume that Satun province is part of the ongoing violence and conflict in the Deep South, which is not a fair or correct picture," said Chiranan.
"This photo exhibition will provide unseen images of the beautiful South — pristine beaches, stunning coral reefs and local people who live peacefully and practice sustainable ways of life."
