PM inviting officials to assess industrial project suspensions

BANGKOK, Oct 7 (TNA) – Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjaiva on Tuesday said he will invite key officials of ministries and agencies concerned with the environmental impact issue to discuss ways to comply or otherwise respond to the Central Administrative Court’s order suspending 76 investment projects in the Mab Ta Put industrial estate in Thailand’s eastern seaboard province of Rayong on Wednesday.

The Administrative Court recently issued an injunction ordering the suspension of the projects because they did not pass a health impact assessment as required under Section 67 of the Constitution.

The premier said the case is not over since the government has appealed the court’s order.

In principle, he said, the government wanted the project development process to proceed, in order to boost investor confidence. But the hardship people are facing from the implementation of projects with inadequately environmental protection must also be recognised.

“We must properly understand the rules and regulations, and what the government should do. Undeniably, we (the Thai economy, including employment) will take a toll if the investment projects are suspended.

“But we must understand the public’s hardship as well. It is not right to tell them to make a sacrifice for the sake of investment,” he said. (TNA)