The Nation
July 25, 2000

Opponents of the Pak Mun Dam pressure the Thai government to resolve environmental, social, and financial debates.

PAK Mool Dam protesters yesterday increased pressure on the government
to push for the approval of a neutral committee’s recommendations to
solve the conflict over the dam.

“The resolutions should be respected by the government because they
came from the committee established by the government itself,” said one
of the protesters.

Protesters have said they will begin a hunger strike tomorrow if their
demands are not met. More than 100 protesters have volunteered to join
the hunger strike, mostly children and the elderly.

Government representatives say the resolutions will be considered but refused to promise approval of all of them.

“We will make a decision based on principles, not threats from protesters,” Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai said.

“Don’t use children and old people to put pressure on the government.
It will change nothing in our eyes,” Deputy Prime Minister Banyad
Banthadthan said.

The protest gained international support yesterday when a group
representing 74 environmental organisations from 21 countries announced
in Washington, DC, that their members would also stage a hunger strike
in the US capital beginning at 5pm yesterday (4am today Bangkok time).

In Japan representatives of 10 environmental groups yesterday sent an
open letter to the Thai Embassy in Tokyo calling on the Thai government
to address the protesters’ grievances.

Academics, student organisations and activists around Thailand have
joined in pressuring the government on behalf of the protesters. Four
students in Bangkok shaved their heads to show support for the
protesters’ demands.

The protesters say the construction of the Pak Mool Dam has hurt their
livelihood, fishing, by preventing fish in the Mekong River from
swimming up the Mool River to spawn. They have demanded that te dam’s
gates be opened to allow the fish to migrate.

The number of protesters in Bangkok yesterday increased to about 3,000
after 500 more villagers from the North arrived. About 300 slum
residents in Bangkok also joined the protest.

Bangkok’s middle class also joined the effort. The Club of Businessmen
for Society donated Bt100,000 and large amounts of food. Ban Krut
villagers also sent food to the protesters.

Yesterday morning hundreds of protesters left the protest in front of
Government House to march to the Ministry of Agriculture, where they
were prepared to demand a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture
Prapat Pothasuthon. However, they were blocked from entering the
ministry, and one was injured while trying to climb a tree to jump the
fence.

Members of the group said they wanted to meet Prapat to hear his views
on forestry and land-use issues. The gathering dispersed after the
villagers were promised their request would be forwarded to Prapat.

PM’s office Minister Supattra Masdit said the Cabinet’s decision would
be announced after its meeting today and broadcast live on TV channel
11.