NRC's Rosana to visit drill site in the Northeast
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A NATIONAL Reform Council (NRC) committee will today visit Ban Na Mun in Khon Kaen province to listen to locals' thoughts on an oil and gas drill exploration operation being set up near their neighbourhood.
Rosana Tositrakul, from the NRC committee on energy, will inspect the village in Tambon Dun Sad, Kranuan district, and talk to local people.
Residents of Ban Na Mun have protested against the planned drilling operation by Apico (Khorat) – located in the adjacent province of Kalasin but very close to their hometown.
“We will discuss concerns with the NRC team and see if there is a possibility of suspending drilling at least temporarily,” Nattaporn Artharn, co-ordinator of the Ban Na Mun-Dun Sad Environmental Conservation Group, said yesterday.
Apico (Khorat) has already moved drilling equipment to the site despite strong opposition from locals. Hundreds of security officials showed up to help the firm’s trucks move the equipment past protesting villagers – which stirred an outcry.
Soldiers and police joined a group of men wearing hoods and volunteers to clear the way for the drill rig to be taken to the well site.
Khon Kaen governor Kamthorn Thawornsatit insisted yesterday that it was necessary for the security to be deployed so Apico (Khorat)’s drilling equipment could get through.
He said that was to ensure no local residents got hurt from blocking the way. Apico (Khorat) had a concession to explore for oil and gas. And if the equipment did not reach the site in time or the authorities failed to help it access the site, the firm could be fined or face other action.
He noted that villagers could also face legal action, if they committed excessive acts. Fortunately, the situation did not reach that point.
“There is a movement in the site, feeding villagers with false information on impacts. Provincial authorities have informed the villagers and there is also an environmental impact assessment. If anything happens, the company will take responsibility,” the governor said.
Villagers had sought to block access to the site because they believe the EIA for the project was not done properly.
Nattaporn said the firm had tried to say that it would not conduct any drilling during the next 120 days. “But we don’t believe it. It had not even informed us when it was about send drilling equipment in,” she said.
