Thread: Protest over power plant

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011...-30148080.html

PROTEST OVER POWER PLANT

By THE NATION
Published on February 7, 2011


More than 300 Chachoengsao residents protested against the planned construction of a power plant in their neighbourhood yesterday.

The residents also gathered signatures of the likeminded in a bid to thwart Sahacogen's hope of building a 144-megawatt power plant there.

The protest took place in Tambon Khlong Nakhon Neuangkhet in the province's Mueang district days after heavy machinery moved in to prepare the construction site.

"How can the construction take place? Locals have never been informed of anything. Who will take responsibility if the power plant hurts the environment?" Pairoj Chumchujan, 65, said.

Pairoj has worked in his paddy field near the planned construction site since he retired from military service.

After the locals' protest ran on for more than an hour, assistant district officer Suwat Wattanasak showed up to negotiate with them.

Suwat said he would tell the company to talk to the locals about the project within seven days.

The locals then dispersed peacefully.

Meanwhile, Eastern People's Network co-ordinator Sutti Atchasai is preparing to lead affected people in the polluted Rayong's Map Ta Phut area to Bangkok.

"We will seek a meeting with Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti," Sutti said yesterday.

He said even though Map Ta Phut was already declared a pollution-control zone, pollution still raged on.

He believes a polluting factory should be forced to suspend its operations until it solves the problem.

"The laws should be tough. A jail term should be imposed against those who fail to honour legal clauses on protection," he said.

According to Sutti, his network will bring its supporters to Bangkok before the end of this month.