Southern residents protest SEC bills, oppose Land Bridge project

Southern residents are urging the government to revoke two Southern Economic Corridor (SEC) bills and abandon the Land Bridge megaproject, claiming these initiatives will drastically alter their way of life.

Approximately 50 members of the Phato-Ranong Conservation Network convened at the Bhumjaithai Party headquarters in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district yesterday, calling for the party to retract the two bills it had drafted.

Somchok Chungchaturan, the network’s coordinator, asserted that the bills would create an independent state for investors, granting them rights that supersede existing laws. These rights include the relaxation of labour and land use regulations and exemptions from environmental and natural resource protection measures, said Somchok.

“Bhumjaithai Party should seriously consider the impacts on our communities. We will receive no benefits from the SEC; instead, we will suffer from unbalanced development.

“The party should withdraw the two bills from parliament immediately. We will continue our fight until we win.”

The corridor plans encompass four southern provinces: Chumphon, Ranong, Surat Thani, and Nakhon Si Thammarat. The Land Bridge project within the corridor aims to connect Chumphon on the Gulf of Thailand to Ranong on the Andaman Sea, featuring deep-sea ports in both provinces, as well as a motorway and railway system to enhance logistics.

However, the Land Bridge project, supported by both the coalition-leading Pheu Thai Party and Bhumjaithai, faces opposition from residents and environmentalists. Concerns include potential damage to maritime ecosystems and the loss of land for multiple communities, according to Somchok.

Experts and academics in logistics have also raised doubts regarding the project’s ability to reduce logistics costs or expedite processes.

Sirawit Botham, head of Bhumjaithai’s coordinating unit, assured the protesters that their demands would be forwarded to a party committee for review, noting that the two bills are currently under consideration by the new Cabinet, reported Bangkok Post.

Before yesterday’s protest, the group had already submitted a petition to the government with similar demands.