Contradiction prevails on Map Ta Phut case

BANGKOK, 27 December 2009 (NNT) – The viewpoints towards the solutions to the Map Ta Phut impasse have still been contradictory, according to the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva stated during his weekly talk show “Confidence in Thailand with Prime Minister Abhisit”, that the Map Ta Phut deadlock could be completely resolved by legal means amid different opinions in terms of the interpretation on independent agencies to take charge of the issue. The Prime Minister said he has urged all entrepreneurs to provide the facts and solutions for their projects and also instructed the suspended project operators to come up with clear evidence on environment impact assessment in an effort to resume their industrial projects.

There were currently 37 industrial projects to continue functioning and only eight were needed to be tackled, said the Prime Minister, adding that the already-completed projects without operating licences experienced high risk.

The Administrative Court earlier issued an injunction for 76 projects in the Map Ta Phut industrial estate to be suspended after relevant environmental agencies and local residents lodged a complaint over environmental and health concerns. Later on 2 December, the Supreme Administrative Court agreed to permit 11 out of the 76 projects to resume operation. And on 23 December, one more project — Siam Yamato Steel Co. Ltd., was also cleared from the terms of the court’s injunction.