Coal plant protesters hold seminar in Krabi
The Network Protecting Andaman from Coal arranged a seminar to pass on knowledge about the effects from the coal power plant this week.
The seminar was headed under the topic ‘Krabi, Andaman – World Tourism Attraction or Charcoal Pollution Source’. The seminar was attended by approximately 500 people, including locals and business owners.
“We always disagreed about the Krabi thermal power plant (the new name of the coal power plant) by EGAT (Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand) even though EGAT keeps creating propaganda that the coal they use gives clean energy.
“It is against the policy of Krabi ‘Green City’. Most importantly, coal is not a clean source of energy at all,” said the Former President of Krabi Tourism Industry Council, Amarit Siripornjuthakul, during the seminar.
“The Environmental and Health Impact Assessment for both the power plant and Baan Klong Rua Pier have caused the cancellation of the project once already, by order of the Prime Minister, and a committee was set to study further about the feasibility of the project.
The committee, after the study, has asked EGAT to suspend the project but soon after that the EGAT brought out the old assessment to make public hearings again. It’s like they tried to create conflict again without caring about the people’s voice and the policy of the province.”
He added that the group of people who disagree with the project will not attend the public hearings by EGAT that will be held on January 28 at Klong Kanan Sub District Administration Organization (OrBorTor) Office.
“We do not disagree with the power plant project but we disagree with the use of coal. There are many other power sources available in Krabi that we have offered to them, but they never listened. On January 28, I would like EGAT not to be worried that we will attend the hearings as we do not value these hearings at all. Do not call us a group of NGOs or foreign labours as we are real locals who will suffer from the coal power plant if it goes ahead,” he noted.
