The Nation
June 9, 2000

An advocate of non-violence yesterday defended the occupation of the Pak Mool dam power plant by villagers as a peaceful protest.

Chaiwat Satha-anandh of Thammasat University’s faculty of political science said that even though the protest is a violation of the law, it is not violence.  “If you raise the issue of law, you have to question the process drawing up the law. Many laws are unfair to people,” he said.  Chaiwat, who has devoted himself to promoting peaceful movements for years, said a peaceful protest was merely a means to communicate to the public. “If Thoncharoen [Sihatham, a leader of the protesters] could have talked directly to Prime Minister Chuan [Leekpai], the protest would not have occurred. But because he never listened to the villagers, they had to speak louder [by taking any action that would make the government listen],” he said.

But while Chaiwat tried to get the public and the government to understand the protesting villagers’ point of view, other parties appeared to be trying to foment trouble.
A letter was faxed to media stating that the Assembly of the Poor had fired Wanida  Tantivittayapitak from the position of adviser to the assembly due to her decision to lead the villagers’ to occupy the plant. The letter was purportedly signed by many academics including Chaiwat and three others in the neutral committee set up to resolve the Pak Mool Dam conflict.
However the letter did not anger Wanida, Chaiwat or the other academics who were named in the letter.
“We will not dignify this with a response, we simply laugh at it,” said Chaiwat.
Dr Nirand Pitakwatchara, a senator from Ubon Ratchathani and a member of the neutral committee set up to collect and examine facts related to the issue, said the letter had vitiated the atmosphere for resolving the conflict. He added that the committee is trying to prevent violence and to find a solution, but someone is trying to stir up trouble.
“If both sides don’t stop misleading the public, we the committee cannot work at our best,” he said.
Meanwhile, Witoon Pirmpongsacharoen, director of the Towards Ecological Recovery and Regional Alliance forum, said the Pak Mool Dam could stop operating for five years without causing any power problems.
Witoon, who has monitored the electricity reserves of the country for years, said he had just discovered that the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) had last year bought electricity from Laos’ Huay Hoh Dam, which could be used instead of the electricity generated from the Pak Mool Dam.
Moreover, he said, Egat figures show that the country has about 40 per cent of electricity reserves for the period 2000 to 20006, while the national energy policy requires only 25 per cent.
“There is no reason to refuse the villagers’ request. No side will lose, except for Egat which may lose face,” he said.