Experts demand revision of environmental assessments on land bridge project

The government’s ambitious one trillion baht land bridge project appears to have hit another snag, as the panel of experts of the Office of Natural Resources and Environment Policy and Planning (ONEP) has ordered a complete revision of the environmental and health impacts assessments (EHIA) on the two deep-sea ports in Ranong and Chumphon provinces.

The two EHIAs were undertaken by a consultancy firm hired by the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning. They were vetted by the panel of experts before being forwarded to the National Environment Board for approval.

ONEP Secretary-General Bannarak Sermthong said that the ONEP had received the two EHIAs on January 6 and started the vetting process, which includes on-site inspections of the locations for the construction of the two deep-sea ports, to be followed by meeting of the panel of experts.

The experts and ONEP officials visited the deep-sea port site at Laem Riew, in Lang Suan district of Chumphon, between February 24 and 26. On March 31, the panel of experts met to consider the EHIA of the Laem Riew deep-sea port and ordered a revision of 21 issues raised by the panel.

The EHIA of the Ao Ang deep-sea port, in Muang district of Ranong, was also ordered to be revised on 25 issues raised by the panel of experts, according to Bannarak.

Many locals in Ranong and Chumphon provinces have voiced objections to the land bridge and Southern Economic Corridor projects, claiming that they would seriously affect their livelihoods as they rely on farming, fishing and tourism to make their livings.

The deep-sea port in Ranong, which would involve massive land reclamation, could destroy the environment and ecological systems of the coastal areas in the Andaman Sea, they claim.

The opposition’s proposal for a House panel to study the land bridge project was voted down by government MPs, as the government appears determined to push this major project forward.