The real issue in Krabi comes down to cash
The issue surrounding the proposed Krabi coal-fired power plant is indeed one of economics – though not in the way it is being framed for public consumption.
Yes, more electricity is needed to meet rising demand, yet raising the issue of environmental pollution is a false narrative. The reality is that we can build a power plant with almost zero polluting emissions. The technology is readily available. If the world can build a Level 4 bio-containment laboratory that uses the most virulent pathogens and poisons without allowing anything to escape into the surrounding environment, we can certainly design a “coal oven” that does not pollute.
The real problem is about compromising integrity of profits, not about the damage a coal-fired plant will inflict on the population. This compromise of not doing our “best” because of money is true corruption, and it needs to be discussed and addressed if rooting out graft is really a social concern.
To make money the determining factor in how much poison will be allowed to escape, instead of acting on the premise that no pollution should be created, is a sign of corruption of the spirit of being human. This belief and behaviour are what lead to political and social corruption. If, because motivated by issues of money, we do not “do our best” in regards to true social concerns, how can we expect there to be no corruption within government and politics?
The Krabi coal plant issue, then, is really about how much we will compromise our integrity, and not about the environmental impact – since we possess the capability to cut missions to zero. If the prime minister is serious about tackling corruption, this would be a great opportunity to deal with it by demanding that the impact study start from a zero-emissions position. Anything less is already a compromise.
Darius Hober
