A peaceful way to solve the pipelin

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Bangkok Post February 15, 1998 


                                    



                            PROTEST TENSIONS

              A peaceful way to
              solve the pipeline
              problem

              SUPARA JANCHITFAH

              The Social Development Studies Centre and the Peace Project
              of Chulalongkorn University recently organised a discussion to
              find an alternative resolution to the Yadana gas pipeline project.

              This is just one of the many efforts spurred by 200 academics
              from different universities towards the organisation of public
              hearings regarding the pipeline scheme.

              Academics want to broaden the views of the public, and to
              involve people in an issue that will affect their livelihood.

              "If you ask people to choose between the forest or gas, it will
              not make them understand the situation. It is a kind of a
              'deadlock' question," said Dr Nithi Iewsriwong of Chiang Mai
              University.

              "On the other hand, a public hearing would give people a chance
              to examine the complete context," said Dr Surichai Wankaew,
              director of Chulalongkorn University's Social Development
              Studies Centre. 

              Many other academics suggested that Thai society should review
              its development and energy policies.

              "We should have learned from our past experiences. Is the (gas
              pipeline) project suited to the immediate needs of the country?
              Did it increase our national debt? How does it affect our
              environment?" asked Dr Nithi. 

              The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) has been
              facing some financial difficulties, so due to this the hand over of
              the Ratchaburi power plant must be postponed from July to
              November, 1998. 

              "We should let the public know all information," he added. 

              A public hearing is a mechanism to bring people together to
              share information, not emotion. The committee of the public
              hearing will justify the problems by the reasons given by both
              parties. 

              In Kanchanaburi, some attempted to localise the issue by the
              divide-and-rule strategy, blaming the gas pipeline project
              protesters as "ill-intentioned people" or, in other words, the
              opposition.

              "Such attempts induce people to violence," said Dr Surichai.

              "A public hearing helps the public learn of the defects of past
              development projects and the weaknesses of the Environmental
              Impact Assessment on the gas pipeline project. Public hearings
              help us come to a consensus about solving immediate problems
              in a nonviolent way. 

              "In addition, public hearings will become the standard way for
              Thais to solve problems in a peaceful way. It will be also the
              base of democratic society in the future," added Dr Surichai. 




                                    




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