Major Transport Corridor Faces Delays Amidst Environmental Concerns
Plans for a significant transport corridor linking the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand have encountered a new hurdle, with environmental impact assessments for key port components being ordered for complete revision. This decision is expected to impede the progress of the ambitious Land Bridge project, which has been met with increasing opposition from environmental advocates, marine scientists, and local communities concerned about its potential ramifications for coastal ecosystems, vital fisheries, and traditional livelihoods.
Expert Committee Demands Reworked Environmental Studies
Bannaruk Sermthong, secretary-general of the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) and also the secretary of the Expert Review Committee on Environmental Impact Assessment, announced on Friday that the committee has directed the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) to conduct entirely new Environmental and Health Impact Assessment (EHIA) studies for both the Chumphon and Ranong port projects.
According to Mr. Bannaruk, the committee reviewed the assessment submitted for the Chumphon port on January 6 and subsequently conducted a site inspection between February 24 and 26. Following a committee meeting on March 21, it was determined that a comprehensive new study encompassing the entire project was necessary. A similar conclusion was reached for the Ranong port after a site visit from April 8 to 10 and a subsequent committee meeting on April 28.
Significant Revisions Required for Port Assessments
The expert committee identified 21 critical issues requiring revision in the Chumphon port assessment and 25 issues in the Ranong assessment. This effectively mandates a complete redo of the studies before they can be resubmitted for the approval process. “The study would be able to resubmit to the committee’s consideration through the ordinary procedure,” Mr. Bannaruk stated.
Discrepancies in Environmental Data Spark Concerns
The initial environmental assessments faced significant criticism regarding the accuracy of their collected data, particularly concerning benthic organisms in the proposed project areas. The submitted reports had estimated marine life density at approximately 47.6 organisms per square meter. However, independent marine researchers have reported densities exceeding 1,800 organisms per square meter in some surveyed locations, casting serious doubt on the scope and reliability of the original studies.
Land Bridge Project Aims to Redefine Regional Logistics
The Land Bridge scheme, with an estimated value of around 1 trillion baht, is designed to establish a crucial transport corridor connecting Ranong on the Andaman coast with Chumphon on the Gulf of Thailand. The objective is to facilitate cargo movement, offering an alternative route that bypasses the congested Strait of Malacca.
Environmental Campaigner Calls for Project Halt
Prominent environmental campaigner Sasin Chalermlarp has voiced strong opposition, arguing that the project should not proceed at all. He described the current EHIA process as a stark illustration of why the nation should avoid pursuing such potentially destructive development projects.
