Power plant protest blocks major road

 

The protesters blocked the road since early yesterday in protest against the building of Nakhon Nuang Khet Power Plant.

The blockade initially paralysed traffic, causing a jam more than 10km long. The protesters vowed to block the road until the government clearly says the power-plant construction and environmental-impact assessment will stop.

But at 4.30pm, Chachoengsao Police Station superintendent Sanan Boonphuen led two crowd-control police companies to their protest site with the court order. It requires that protesters return the whole traffic surface to motorists immediately.

After the court order was posted, the protesters moved to the side of the road.

These residents blocked the road on January 29 in protest over construction of the same power plant. That day, they dispersed only after officials promised to look into their demands. Several meetings were held last month but were inconclusive as the power plant officials never showed up.

“The Construction of the power plant has started without any proper permit from any authority,” Manas insisted. He said the owner simply cited “Alpha Tech” – Alpha Technopolis Industrial Estate – as arranging construction, but the estate went out of business more than a decade ago.

The Nakhon Nuang Khet Power Plant is a project of Chachoengsao Cogeneration Co Ltd, which expects the facility to generate 110 megawatts. According to its plan, it will start selling power to EGAT from February 2013.

In related news, a days-long blockade successfully forced the owner of Chana Natural-Gas separation plant, Trans Thai – Malaysia (Thailand) Co Ltd, to award Bt1.8 million in compensation to locals.

The cash will be handed over at the Chana District Office today.

According to talks chaired by Songkhla permanent secretary Surachai Chawalarat, 727 families in two villages have suffered from the plant’s operations. So, the firm agreed to provide Bt700,000 to each village as a development fund. Each of the two villages will also get Bt200,000 for |medical treatment from the company.

Locals in Surat Thani’s Chana district started blocking the road to the Chana Natural Gas Separation Plant last Friday. They blamed the plant’s impact on their health and nearby environment, demanding Bt30,000 per family per year throughout the plant’s operation.

On their demand that each affected family get Bt30,000 annual compensation from the company throughout the plant’s operation period, it was agreed yesterday that officials, experts and local villagers’ representatives jointly study impacts first. This will take two months. If the study shows the plant really polluted the local environment and hurt livelihoods, the company said it would pay the compensation.

The protesting locals were happy with the results. They ended their blockade at 5.30pm, making it possible for trucks to travel in and out of the plant once more.

During the past few days, the southern region faced a shortage of natural gas for vehicles because the road to this important plant was blocked.