New minister urged to scrap power plan
Extra power not really needed, will cause ecological problems, Group says
A NETWORK of local residents called on new Energy Minister Gen Anantaporn Kanjanarat yesterday to scrap the national Power Development Plan (PDP).
Scheduled for implementation between 2015 and 2036, the plan aims to boost electricity-generating capacity by 57,459 megawatts over the next 20 years via the building of many more power plants in Thailand and purchasing electricity from neighbouring countries.
Iscares Hayeeday, rallying with the Network of People Affected by Thailand’s Power Development Plan, showed up yesterday at the Energy Ministry to submit his network’s demand.
“There are many questionable points in the PDP,” he said. “For instance, investment is going to be made in power plants that are in fact not necessary. In the end, Thai taxpayers will have to shoulder the costs of over Bt670 billion,” he said.
Iscares was accompanied by more than 20 people representing residents of different provinces, including Krabi, Songkhla, Mae Hong Son and Ubon Ratchathani.
Iscares said the Energy Ministry should scrap the current plan, and draw up one that truly embraces public participation.
“The public should be engaged in the planning process and transparency promoted,” he said.
Kampin Aksorn from the Ubon Ratchathani-based Hak Nam People Group said the PDP would “export” environmental problems, as it pushes for the construction of hydropower plants and coal-fired plants in neighbouring countries.
Ubon Ratchathani is a border province by the Mekong, which separates Thailand from Laos.
“Once those problems hit the ecological system there, Thais will also suffer adverse impacts,” Kampin pointed out.
Thanathach Jungpanich, the ministry’s expert on energy strategy, accepted the letter from the network representatives, who then left peacefully.
Separately, more than 300 |farmers showed up at a government’s complaint-receiving centre to submit a petition to Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, in which they urged him to chair the Farmer’s Reconstruction and Development Fund, instead of handing the job to a deputy prime minister.
They also want former deputy agriculture minister Amnuay Patise to continue working for their cause, because they believe he understood their problems.
Amnuay lost the portfolio last month.
The farmers also want the government to recruit representatives from the farming community to the new charter-drafting panel, which will be established soon and the entire drafting process restarted now that the previous draft has been rejected.
