Deep-sea port in Andaman Sea threatens fragile marine environment

Government party or opposition party: for activists who are concerned about the environment, it is a wet pot, because both are not afraid to kill the environment for the sake of economic gain.

One such controversial project is the construction of the Pak Bara Deep Sea Port in Satun Province, which will open a logistical route between the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea. Thailand's largest port in the Indian Ocean will become a transshipment point for oil with a pipeline to the mainland, where industrial estates will be built. Cost: 4,3 billion baht.

The plan was launched in 2010 and the residents of Satun have recently been informed about the Environmental Impact Assessment. Some activists have joined the protests in Bangkok to draw attention to the project.

Tourism accounts for 80 pc of revenue

The opponents point out that the residents of Satun depend on three sources of income: fishing, agriculture and tourism. Eighty percent of the income comes from tourism to Tarutao National Park and Li Peh Island, which have already gained international fame. There is no doubt that the port will pose a threat to the pristine ecology of the Andaman Sea, local fisheries and tourism.

'Imagine', says activist Somyot Towhlang. 'Oil tankers and cargo ships cruising back and forth across the Andaman Sea and trying to envision the Laem Chabang Sea Port [another project] and industries along the beautiful coast of the Andaman Sea. Then you understand why villagers are against this project.'

Somyot says that villagers have protested several times against the deep-sea port in recent years. Why they are taking action now is because the project is part of the infrastructure works, for which the government wants to borrow 2,2 trillion baht [Another controversial plan].

'We know we will have to fight successive governments'

Not all residents of Satun are against the construction. Some think they take advantage of it. Many villagers do not know the details of the plan, nor do they know how reliable the information they receive is. In any case, the harbor is not there for the time being: parliament has been dissolved, the government is outgoing and the opposition party has brought the legality of the trillion-dollar loan before the Constitutional Court.

But the danger has not passed, Somyot knows all too well. We know that we will have to fight successive governments. We are not fighting against certain politicians or even the “Thaksin regime”. When the Democrats were in power, the project would continue, just on a smaller scale. In fact, the different political parties share the same idea about Pak Bara.'

(Source: Bangkok Post, February 19, 2014)

Submitted communication

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