May 3, 2001

Today the Thai senate will hold a special meeting to discuss the Klong Dan wastewater treatment project and give some recommendations to the government concerning the project s impacts on the environment and livelihoods of local people.

Today the Thai senate will hold a special meeting to discuss the Klong Dan wastewater treatment project and give some recommendations to the government concerning the project s impacts on the environment and livelihoods of local people.

The Senate Subcommittee on Environment believes that the government should review this project, and while such a review is underway, halt construction in order to prevent negative impacts on the environment, natural resources, livelihoods and community economic well-being, as well as to lessen conflict between the project opponents and government agencies. Therefore, the government should:

Stop the whole process of this project. The Factory Act 1992 must be enforced to deal with the wastewater treatment problems, as it states that each factory must have its own wastewater treatment facility. A central wastewater treatment plant is not necessary, but the Factory Act must be strictly enforced by state officials. Alternative, smaller-scale wastewater treatment systems should be proposed, using the existing pipelines already installed for the Klong Dan system. There is no need for one single, large plant, but rather build smaller plants locally in each community area as needed. If the government wants to propose any project, they should include local public participation and cooperation in the decision-making process.

The Subcommittee also raised the following issues about the project:

Why did the Pollution Control Department and implementing company choose the Klong Dan area to build the project even though there were 10 other alternatives? Choosing the site at Klong Dan, 20 kilometres from the pollution source, has been a waste of the national budget, because of the extra piping and tunnels required to transport the wastewater to the treatment site. Building a number of small, local treatment plants, rather than a large single plant, would be more economically viable. This project will impact on the local communities with respect to fisheries, environmental quality and the marine ecosystems that support their livelihoods. The sludge and odour from the plant will threaten the health of local communities. According to the 1992 Factory Act Article 7, the project s executing agency was required to apply to the Department of Industry for permission to build the plant, because it is a central wastewater treatment plant (local plants do not require permission).

According to the 1992 National Environmental Law Article 48, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was required to be carried out for the project prior to construction (any project requiring permission from the Department of Industry must be subject to an EIA).