March - August 2003,
Volume 14
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
Contents:
1.
KULTIDA SAMABUDDHI -
2.
DAM - A COVER-UP FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF
STRATEGIC ROAD BY
Asian Tribune,
4.
Dow Jones Newswires,
5. TROOPS
SURVEY DAM IMPACTS (summary)
6.
PM WANTS KAREN PEOPLE, STORED LOGS MOVED OUT
Yuwadee Tunyasiri,
8. BURMESE
TO BE SHIFTED FROM CAMP (summary)
9. KRAISAK URGES GOVT TO ABANDON PROJECT
Apiradee Treerutkuarkul,
10.
HELP NEEDED IN SOCIAL AREA, SAYS SURAKIART (summary)
Bhanravee Tansubhapol Achara
Ashayagachat,
11. KRAISAK WARNS DAMS MAY BLUR BORDERLINE
Wasant Techawongtham,
12.
PAST ERRORS MAKE NO IMPRESSION ON EGAT
Wasant Techawongtham,
13.
MONEY SQUANDERED BY 'POOR PREPARATION" (summary)
Preeyanat Phanayanggoor -
14.
TOO MANY PROJECTS GONE BUST (summary)
Kamol Hengkietisal -
15. INDIA
SCOUTS FOR EXPLORATION PROJECTS IN MYANMAR
(summary)
Asian Tribune, 2 May 2003
16. CABINET
GIVES GREEN LIGHT FOR RATIFICATION OF POWER ACCORD
Kultida Samabuddhi -
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
Editorial:
Since the beginning of the year there has been a high
level of activity at the sites of the two biggest potential dams on the Salween
River; Weigyi in Karen State and Ta Sang in Southern
Shan State. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand and some senior
members of the Thai government have been pushing for the decision and approval
of one the dam sites. The following information is drawn from published news
articles, eyewitness accounts from local sources and NGO researchers, and from
analysis of high-resolution maps of the
In the Ta Sang area the project site has been
particularly busy with activity since January. The Thai MDX Company recommenced
testing and working in the area one month after signing of the Memorandum of
Understanding agreement on
However, despite these
advances it is still uncertain whether the project will really go ahead or not.
A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between the Thai and Burmese governments has
yet to be signed.
Further down the
In relation to the elevation figures given on old
British maps used by the Burmese military, at the 220 m level the flood waters
will extend far back up the Salween through Karenni State and deep into Shan State,
much further than most people realize. Indeed, the Weigyi
dam would put the Ta Sang dam site, which lies at 200m.a.s.l. nearly 20m under
water.
According to a paper presented by Foundation for
Ecological Recovery in June 2003, the reservoir of the Upper Salween dam will
be about 380 km long, with about 56km in Thailand, flooding around 600 000 rai of land. 20,000 rai of the
Salween Wildlife Sanctuary will be put under. The reservoir of the lower dam
will flood over 3,540 rai and will have direct impacts
on the
A number of tributaries of the
In
It was reported in August that border troops are
conducting impact studies on communities along the 130 km section where the 2
dam sites on the lower
At the end of April, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra ordered the relocation of Karen refugees from
the Salween forest in Mae Hong Son, giving the reason that the move is to
prevent further illegal timber felling as “the Karen were log poachers in the
past”. 16,857 refugees from Mae Khong Kha refugee camp (less than 10 km from the
The primary reason given by the Thai government for
the move is to stop deforestation and illegal logging in the
Karenni refugees, most of who come from areas that
would be affected by the dam, have already been shifted up closer to the border
by the current government. It is notable that refugees in parts of the border
away from the dam impact area have not recently been under similar intense
pressure. Pressure on the ethnic refugees may be seen as pressure of the
Karenni and Karen resistance groups in the area to submit to the Thai
government’s dam plans.
In the
beginning of May, Kraisak Choonhavan,
chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, and a group of senators,
officials and environmentalists went to Mae Sariang
to check out the area of the proposed dam site on the lower
Despite widespread ignorance of the dam plans, a
group of people in Mae Sariang staged a pro-dam rally
when the senate committee came to town. The villagers of Mae Sariang said they supported the dam as they believed 3% of
the profits from sale of electricity from the Salween Dam would to go to their
town, the development project would increase local cash flow, and there would
be a reduction in the number of power cuts.
The Senate Foreign Affairs Committee is continuing to
criticise the government for pressing ahead with project plans. The panel has
stated fears that the project will lead to increased forest poaching, and has
also pointed out that if the dams are constructed, the Thai-Burma borderline
would be altered by the dam reservoirs, and would require deliberation by
parliament. It claims the constitutional rights of local residents have also
been violated because the government has not informed the majority of local
people or consulted them as to whether or not they wanted the dam in the area.
Senator Kraisak pointed out that the project would
also intensify the problem of illegal labour and refugees. He also raised the
likelihood of the international community condemning
In contrast, the EGAT governor is very eager to push
ahead with the
The government chief is also pushing for the Asean Power Grid project, which will link the regions power
sources in a transmission network with local countries.
Just before the violent crackdown on the Burmese
political opposition and the arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi at the end of May, the
Thai Foreign Minister called for international assistance for
Elsewhere in regard to the energy sector in
In
Additionally, Salween Watch has launched a new
website containing up-to-date information and resources about the
If you would like to subscribe/unsubscribe to the
Salween Watch Updates, or if you have input and news updates, please email us
at: [email protected]
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
1.
Proponents of
three dams planned for the border with
KULTIDA SAMABUDDHI -
Sittiporn Rattanopas is fully aware
of the problems facing the massive
The governor of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand has PTT Plc's
failure to complete its gas pipeline from
Obstacles are unavoidable when investing in
"I have promised myself to
see the
Three hydropower dams are planned for the
MDX executives say Ta Sang dam would be the largest hydropower dam in
Egat's 4,500MW Upper and 800MW
A preliminary study by
"Investors and financial
institutions would probably be reluctant to invest in the projects if they were
located on Burmese soil,'' Mr Sittiporn said. "They
might also be uncomfortable dealing directly with the military junta. The
projects would be more attractive if the Thai government were a co-investor.''
Mr Sittiporn is determined to have the dams go ahead
after they were put on hold almost a decade ago because of tighter funding at Egat.
He pledged soon after his appointment in October to also push ahead with the Asean Power Grid project, which calls for a transmission
network linking the region's power sources. These sources include the immense
hydropower potential of
"The dream of the Asean Power Grid cannot be realised without the Upper and
Lower Salween dams,'' Mr Sittiporn said, adding that
he had persuaded Asean leaders attending a conference
of major power producers in Japan in November to support the power grid.
He then travelled to
Mr Sittiporn also has tried to convince Pongthep Thepkanchana, the energy
minister, the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and the House Energy
Committee of the merits of the scheme. Egat is tying
its push for the
Mr Sittiporn expects construction of the dams to
begin in 2007 and electricity generation to start in 2012. He said Egat was prepared to buy the entire electricity output for
onward sale to
He said Egat was prepared to fund the entire project
if there were financial constraints on
Energy Minister Pongthep announced in January that he
would ask the Finance Ministry to consider investing in the project.
Negotiations with the Burmese government are the next step.
Mr Thaksin declared his support for the dams after visiting
These concerns have been voiced by senators, environmentalists, human rights
activists and advocates of ethnic groups based in
And the early indications are this could well be one of the more interesting
anti-development campaigns to date. The project involves so many different
issues from Thailand-Burma relations to ethnic cleansing, forced labour and
rape, to the assault on the environment.
"The
Salween Watch, a Chiang Mai-based non-governmental organisation, reported
recently that over 300,000 Shan and other ethnic people had been forced to
relocate from central Shan state to make way for MDX's
Ta Sang dam.
Sai Sai, a Tai villager who
takes refuge in Thailand and works as a volunteer for an NGO, pleaded with the
Thai government to stop taking advantage of Burma's lack of democracy and its
disregard for human rights and the environment for its own benefit.
Senator Kraisak said the project would exacerbate the
problem of illegal labour and refugees. There are already more than four
million Burmese immigrants living illegally in
He also warned that the government would come in for international condemnation
if it decided to do business with the Burmese military junta.
"The government should
scrap the project for the sake of the nation's image." he said. "Do not repeat past
governments' mistakes of developing the Thai-Burmese gas pipeline project."
Environmentalists, most of whom are based in Chiang
Mai province, say the Upper and
The
A preliminary study by the Chiang Mai-based NGO, Southeast Asia Rivers Network,
found the dams' reservoirs would divide the
Supakit Nantaworakarn, an
independent energy researcher, also argued against the dams on energy grounds,
claiming they were superfluous to the nation's needs.
"Due to the economic
situation in
Mr Supakit did not take up the matter of Egat planning to sell the electricity generated by the dams
to
Mr Sittiporn accepted the point that there was
currently enough electricity but claimed that without the dams,
About 20,000 rai of pristine forest in
The Egat governor said an agreement with
He said he had tried to allay environmentalists' fears by promising that Egat would not hesitate to cancel the project if studies by
reliable bodies showed the social and environmental damage would be too severe.
"We are not such an
obstinate agency.''
Environmentalists do not look mollified. Many are gearing up for the battle to
protect the Salween and the ethnic groups whose lives depend on it despite
their already busy agendas, made up of, among other things, the opposition to
blasting of reefs along the Mekong river to widen and deepen the navigation
channel.
They promise to form a broad coalition of groups from
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
2. DAM - A
COVER-UP FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF STRATEGIC ROAD BY
The
construction of the Dam on the
The
officer, who holds a military rank, told S.H.A.N. since signing up the Tasarng hydroelectric power plant agreement with
Their
mission was to "bulldoze" a dirt track leading from Tasarng along the steep eastern bank to Ta Sopharng, the mouth of the Harng
where it joins the Salween, and turn southeast through Loi
Khilek and Mongjawd to Nakawngmu and Thailand's Nawng Ook village in Chiangdao
district, bypassing Mongton altogether. The road,
reportedly for the use of the MDX and the construction company to be chosen by
it, after completion, will roughly be half as long as the existing thoroughfare
that goes through Mongton (100 miles).
The
MDX officials, who have been at the dam site since 21 January, had already
inspected the ongoing operation on 31 March, according to a Burmese report
obtained by a border source.
Overall
security is being provided by Military Operations Command #17, commanded by
Brig-Gen Nyunt Hlaing, stationed at Mongpan on the
west bank, said the officer.
"It
will be part of the strategy to hem in the Shan State Army (that is active in
the area) and eventually force it to submission."
An
observer remarked that explain why the anticipated military assaults against
Shan bases in the area had been long overdue. "Last year operations
against the Shans were already in full swing in April, a month before the
battle of Pang Maisoong (20 May-
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
According to the New Light of
Myanmar, under the deal signed, Yunnan Machinery and Equipment Import and
Export Corporation will build the Shweli power
station during a period of three years.
The report did not say when construction would begin on the project in Namkhan, 790km north of
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
4.
Dow Jones Newswires,
BANGKOK
(Dow Jones)--Thailand will lobby Myanmar to push ahead with the 200 billion baht
(US$1=THB42.79) Salween hydro power project at the Asean
summit in Bangkok next week, the Business Times reports, quoting the governor
of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand.
Officials
from the Energy Ministry will hold unofficial talks with delegates from
The
April 29 meeting of leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
will be held in
"The
project will help stabilize the electricity supply situation of both
countries," Sitthiporn told reporters.
However,
The
cost of building the hydro project in
The
project, consisting of five dams along the
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
5. TROOPS SURVEY DAM IMPACTS (summary)
Border
troops are assessing the likely impact of two dams on communities along a 130km
section of the
The survey is being carried out by troops from the 36th Ranger Regiment based
in Mae Sariang district.
The two dams have been proposed by the Electricity Generating Authority of
Thailand. A feasibility study is now under way.
One of the dams is to be built on the border of the
Initial estimates showed that about 1,000 people on both sides of the river,
five Burmese army bases and two Karen National Union rebel bases would be
affected.
Lt-Col Ji Gor of the KNU
has voiced strong opposition to the projects, saying they would have tremendous
effects on the livelihood of Karen people along the border.
"The KNU won't allow dam construction on the
Egat spokesman Puchong Chinpong-sanont said more studies would be needed before a
final decision on the two projects was made.
"In any dam construction project, there are always pros and cons,'' Mr Puchong said."We have to
take both into account.''
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
6. PM WANTS KAREN PEOPLE, STORED
LOGS MOVED OUT
Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has ordered the
relocation of Karen refugees from
On
Tuesday, cabinet appointed Deputy Prime Minister Suvit
Khunkitti to chair a panel to investigate the fate of
about 5,000 teak logs confiscated and left in the jungle after the 1997
On
the same day, Mr Thaksin said he wanted the remaining logs stored in one place
for display so the people could see the result of forest destruction.
A
total of 33,884 logs were seized in the
Of
them, 15,485 logs were sold by the Forestry Department to the Forest Industry
Organisation in 1997 and about 13,200 logs were kept in the provincial forestry
office's storage sites. That left more than 5,000 logs unaccounted for.
The
prime minister said Karen refugees must be moved out of
Agencies
must find a new home for these refugees. There was no need to wait for consent
from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as
He
would ask the Suvit-led team, the Natural Resources
and Environment Ministry, Agriculture Ministry, military and police to count
the remaining logs in
"There
is no need for arguments now about whether some logs are missing. When they are
moved out, we can check if they are all there. The missing logs can be tracked
down,'' Mr Thaksin said.
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
Cabinet
yesterday approved a plan to move 13,000 Burmese hilltribe
refugees out of the
Deputy Prime Minister Suvit Khunkitti
who chairs a committee dealing with the problems of forest destruction, war
refugees and hilltribes, said they will be relocated
to degraded forest areas in Ban Mae La Un village in Mae Hong Son's Sop Moei district.
More than 111,000 Burmese refugees are being housed in nine camps in Mae Hong
Son, Tak, Ratchaburi and Kanchanaburi provinces and
are seen as a serious threat to forests.
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
8. BURMESE TO BE SHIFTED FROM CAMP (summary)
Authorities concerned are gearing up to relocate
16,000 Burmese refugees from a camp close to
Governor Supoj Laowansiri
said 16,857 refugees at Ban Kongkha-Sala camp would
be moved to Ban Mae La Un village in Sop Moei
district in October-December.
A new venue covering 800 rai of land in Ban Mae La Un is about four kilometres away
from the Thai-Burmese border.
The governor said relocation costs of 22 million baht would be met by
international NGOs.
The aim was to stop deforestation and illegal logging in
A representative from UNHCR, however, urged authorities to consider other
venues, saying Ban Mae La Un might not be suitable because it used to be a
bastion of the Karen National Union and was too close to the border.
Maj Rudej Kasemrat, chief of civilian affairs from the 36th rangers regiment, gave assurances that Ban Mae La Un, under
the regiment's supervision, was safe.
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
9. KRAISAK URGES GOVT TO ABANDON PROJECT
APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL,
The
Senate foreign affairs panel has criticised the government for pressing ahead
with its plan to build a hydro-powered dam on the Thai-Burmese border.
Chairman
Kraisak Choonhavan said the
panel disagreed with the government's decision to go ahead with construction of
the
Half
the project cost of 200 billion baht would be borne by the Electricity
Generating Authority of Thailand. The Burmese government will pay for the rest.
The
panel fears the project would lead to increased forest poaching at
The
He
added that the project also violated the rights of local residents as the
government had never asked them whether or not they wanted a dam in the area.
The
panel urged the government to cancel its contract with
"It's
not too late yet for the government to reconsider the pros and cons of the project,''
said Mr Kraisak. "It would bring more damage than
benefits to the country in the long run.''
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
10. HELP NEEDED IN SOCIAL AREA, SAYS SURAKIART (summary)
BHANRAVEE TANSUBHAPOL ACHARA
ASHAYAGACHAT,
The
European Union, the
Speaking
after meeting Razali Ismail, UN special envoy on
"The
Burmese government is heading towards national reconciliation, so we must help
it develop on political front. However, we cannot neglect humanitarian issues
such as HIV-Aids,'' he said.
Mr
Surakiart said
Editors note: This push from the Thai government
for international help for
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
11. KRAISAK WARNS DAMS
MAY BLUR BORDERLINE
The
planned construction of
"The
boundaries would definitely change,'' said Kraisak Choonhavan. ``The dams would create large reservoirs. How
could we then tell where the Thai-Burmese border is?
"It
is a matter that parliament will have to consider.''
Mr
Kraisak said he would discuss the matter with the
National Security Council, which he believed would be concerned.
The
NSC had expressed similar concern over the planned blasting of rapids, reefs
and shoals in the
Blasting
was scheduled to begin on the
If
the dams issue was referred to parliament it would likely complicate the
Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand's plan to build two dams on the
130km section of the
The
first dam, called the upper dam, would be on the border of the
Witoon Permpongsacharoen, a member of
the National Advisory Council on Economic and Social Development, said the
upper dam would create a reservoir 380km long.
Mr
Witoon questioned the amount of land, which would be
flooded by the proposed dams. The Bhumibol dam
inundated over 100,000 rai of land but the
The
two men were speaking while on a three-day inspection trip of the planned dam
construction area in Mae Sariang district. They were
accompanied by Senator Imron Maluleem,
Pho Luang Joni Odorshao, a national advisory council member, and Sunee Chairot, a national human
rights commissioner, among others.
Mr
Kraisak said since the project would require consent
and participation by the Burmese government, human rights violations relating
to the project were likely and would affect Thai-Burmese relations.
He
said his trip was also aimed at ensuring that local people were aware of their
constitutional right to participate in the decision-making process of any project
that affected their lives.
"It
is every senator's duty to monitor all matters that affect the country. What's
important is not simply public relations but public participation,'' he said.
"There
has yet to be a single project that respects the public's right to
participation as stated in section 56 of the constitution. I hope this project
will be the first to allow the public full participation.''
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
12. PAST ERRORS
MAKE NO IMPRESSION ON EGAT
Mawee, a Karen woman in her 50s, was squatting with a group of
neighbours outside an open-aired hall that was hosting a group of visitors from
The
visitors were led by Kraisak Choonhavan,
chairman of the Senate committee on foreign affairs. They would like to know
what Mawee and her neighbours had to say about a plan
to build two dams on
But
Mawee and her group of friends knew too little to
give an opinion. It was only through word of mouth that they had heard that a
dam would be built. A team of surveyors had been seen working near her village.
But she had no idea how it would affect her.
When
told that her farmland and home could be flooded and she might have to move
elsewhere, she looked apprehensive yet a smile never left her face. Then she
asked: ``But where could we go? What could we do for a living?''
Mawee was not the only one to have professed ignorance of the
plan. Local authorities including park officials and the Mae Sariang district chief said they knew little more than that
surveyors from the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand had been
working in the area.
Most
residents of Mae Sariang, the district in Mae Hong
Son situated between the two potential dam sites, also have been told little.
But that did not prevent some local entrepreneurs organising a rally at the
hotel where the
They
said they wanted the more stable supply of electricity and jobs and income that
the construction was expected to create. Some conceded, though, that they knew
too little to form an opinion on whether they wanted the dams.
It
is a matter of speculation whether Egat has given out
selective information to selected groups of people in the area and if its
employees were involved in the organisation of the rally.
What
is clear is that Egat has yet to indicate how it
would go about ensuring that local people and the general public are fully
informed of its plan and involved in its implementation.
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
13. MONEY
SQUANDERED BY 'POOR PREPARATION"(summary)
PREEYANAT PHANAYANGGOOR -
The
majority of large-scale state infrastructural projects are poorly managed from
the start, causing huge economic and social losses to the country, according to
National Economic and Social Development Board Secretary-General Chakramon Phasukvanich.
A board study had found many unimplemented mega-projects such as the
100-billion-baht Hopewell elevated road, the 19-billion-baht Mor Chit development project, the 52-billion-baht Bo Nok-Hin Krut coal-fired power
plants and the 40-billion-baht Thai-Malaysian gas pipeline were the result of
mismanagement at the preparation stage.
Several mega-projects already completed
were also facing problems at the operational stage, including the Mae Moh lignite-fired power plant and Pak Moon dam, which were
being utilised at less than half of full capacity.
Also, some projects had been left inactive after completion, including hundreds
of community wastewater treatment plants and rubbish incinerator projects
across the country.
"In the future, Thailand
will definitely face electricity and water scarcity if most large-scale
infrastructural projects are still badly managed and poorly designed," Mr Chakramon
said.
"Water will be in short
supply in 20 years while electricity will be insufficient in less than 10
years,'' he said.
"We cannot afford to have
all mega-projects involving dams and power plants delayed or scrapped.''
Mr Chakramon suggested a master plan on
infrastructure development strategy be laid down to avoid a scarcity of
resources in the future.
In order to make these large projects acceptable to the public, all schemes
must be carefully designed based on good governance, transparency, integrity
and accountability.
Feasibility studies, environmental and social impact studies should be
independently conducted and widely reported. Local residents should be
consulted at the preparation stage to make them part of the decision-making
process, he said.
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
14. TOO MANY PROJECTS GONE BUST (summary)
It is not only the money outlays that have been sunk into the projects.
The opportunities lost to develop the country, to raise competitiveness and to
better the living standard of the Thai people are hard to quantify.
The mistakes made on these mega-projects include inadequate preparation
of the project feasibility studies, corruption and in transparency in
implementing the projects and adverse impacts to the environment and local
people.
Upon initiation of EGAT's Independent Power
Producer program, in order to cope with anticipated continual growth of
electricity consumption from over a decade ago, the IPP program allowed private
investors to construct and run power plants.
The Boh Nok and Hin Krut projects in Prachuab Khiri Khan faced
opposition from the start, as coal was the planned energy source, the most
polluting form of energy to the environment. EGAT and project investors did not
gauge the reactions of the local opposition until it was too late and the
locals no longer trusted the investors.
Both projects are still facing uncertainty as to where they should be
used. Locals' fears are based on a failed project in Mae Moh
where residents faced toxic pollution from the coal plant.
22-Billion
Baht Wastewater Treatment Plant
The 2.2 billion baht wastewater treatment plant planned for Samut Prakan province is another
project that turned bad.
The project proceeded for six years, from 1997-2002, and was near
completion when the government, which decided to scrap the contract and
withhold the last payment of 2 billion baht, terminated it.
The project generated controversy from the very beginning. There was
fierce local opposition due to adverse environmental impacts to the area. There
was irregularity in the land acquisition, resulting in inflated land price.
There was also a change from the original proposal of building two treatment plants,
to one big plant, making it expensive to run.
Other projects gone bust include: the rail-road Hopewell project, Morchit provincial bus terminal project, the Bang-na-Chon Buri expressway, JDA
pipeline project and the Pak Moon Dam.
If future mega-projects face problems like those in the past, it will
certainly hamper the country's economic development and the basic
infrastructures will be inadequate. Projects must have not only a traditional
environmental impact study (EIA), but a social impact study (SIA) as well, and
of course, the studies must have local participation.
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
15.
New
Delhi (IANS) May 01: India is scouting for more oil and gas exploration
prospects
in neighbouring Myanmar.
A delegation of officials from India's petroleum
ministry and top oil firms visited the hydrocarbon-rich country from April
21-24 to identify new areas of co-operation.
The
delegation had representatives of the petroleum ministry, ONGC Videsh Ltd. (OVL), the overseas arm of exploration major
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), gas infrastructure major GAIL (India)
Ltd. as well as oil refining and marketing majors Indian Oil Corporation (IOC)
and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL).
Being
geographically contiguous, India and Myanmar see tremendous possibility of
enhancing co-operation in the oil and gas sector.
GAIL,
which holds 10 percent stake in the A-1 block on the western side of Myanmar
extending 3,885 square metres off the Rakhine coast, is currently studying the
possibility of bringing gas from the block through an undersea pipeline to meet
domestic demand.
Daewoo
International holds management control of the block with 60 percent equity
while OVL holds 20 percent stake and Kogas of South
Korea 10 percent.
"Survey
of the exploration block has revealed the hydrocarbon reserves to be as
expected. The drilling of exploration wells is expected to begin by November
after further surveys have been carried out," the petroleum ministry
official said.
GAIL,
in a report on the proposed pipeline project, informed the petroleum ministry
that the A-1 block has gas reserves of 32 trillion cubic feet (tcf, or 907 billion cubic metres, or bcm)
and recoverable gas reserves of 22 tcf (625 bcm).
Editors note: Note that
the Yetagun gas field has proven reserves of 1.4 trillion cubic feet of natural
gas, while the Yadana gas field has 5 trillion cubic feet of reserves. This new proposed project is much larger with
the A-1 block of gas reserves of 32 trillion cubic feet.
With the
proposed pipeline project, there has been increased Indian engagement with
Burma. This project will be able to supply Burma's thermal power stations, and
Burma's energy crisis could be relieved.
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX
16. CABINET GIVES GREEN LIGHT FOR RATIFICATION OF POWER ACCORD
KULTIDA SAMABUDDHI -
Cabinet
has given the go-ahead for the ratification of a power supply pact between the
six Greater Mekong Subregion countries.
The cabinet on Oct 8 last year endorsed the draft Inter-Governmental Agreement
on Regional Power Trade in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS) on the six
countries' collaboration on a power supply and production network.
The cooperation is aimed at enhancing the countries' economic relations and
environmental protection. The bloc is made up of Burma, Cambodia, China, Laos,
Vietnam, and Thailand.
Among the projects that could become part of the scheme are the proposed
construction of dams on the Salween river that are mostly in Burma but has a
section running along the Thai-Burmese border.
Last year's revelation by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand that
it planned to build two massive dams on the river with cooperation from the
Burmese government has generated great concern from environmentalists and human
rights advocates.
A group of academics and senators urged the government and Egat
to abandon the plan to co-invest with Burma's military junta in the
construction of the 277-billion-baht Salween dams, saying it was too risky to
collaborate with such an unstable and dictatorial government.
"The Thai government and Egat should beware that they are going to do business with
the most unpredictable military junta. There is no guarantee that the Rangoon
government would respect the benefit-sharing agreement when the dams are
completed,'' said Pornpimon Trichot,
of Chulalongkorn University's Institute of Asia
Studies.
If built, the dams would bring endless problems to Thailand, particularly Egat, Mrs Pornpimon said. She was
speaking at the launch of a new book: The Salween Dams: Tragedy of Two Lands.
The book, which focuses on possible social and environmental impacts from the Salween
dams, was co-produced by environmental, human rights and non-governmental
organisations, including the Southeast Asia River Networks, Earth Rights
International, Friends Without Borders, and Shan Herald Agency for News. Mrs Pornpimon also feared for the future of 13 ethnic groups
living in the Salween river basin who she said would lose everything if the
construction was allowed to go ahead.
In recent years, she said, the military has executed massive forced relocation
programmes in the vicinity of the proposed dam sites. "The dams would seriously
damage the livelihood of ethnic groups in Thailand and Burma. Claims by both
the Egat and the military junta that only a few
people existed in the flooded areas are untrue,'' she said.
Under the project the 4,540-megawatt and 792-megawatt dams would be built
opposite the Thai district of Mae Sariang in Mae Hong
Son.
Senator Nirand Pitakwatchara,
member of the Senate panel on public participation, said the project was only
good for creating conflicts, citing a report that Egat
has already started giving funds to Mae Hong Son residents and launched a "propaganda campaign'' to
obtain a green light from the locals.
XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX