The government has made the right decision in delaying the controversial Chana industrial park project amid escalating resistance.
In another promise that the government will pay heed to the villagers' demands, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered local state agencies to halt ongoing processes pending what is known as strategic environmental assessment (SEA) studies. He also set up a new panel under Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow, who is also the energy minister.
The Chana opponents, mostly small-scaled fisherfolk who gather under the name Chana Rak Thin, insisted a typical environmental impact assessment (EIA) study is not enough for the megaproject that would threaten their livelihood. An SEA would begin with the right question: What's best for Chana?
They accepted the prime minister's latest promise, ending a 10-day rally in Bangkok on Wednesday, and heading home to the southern province of Songkhla.
However, not many opponents are optimistic about the new promise. Some still doubt the government's sincerity: Is this just another time-buying tactic for the project, also known as the "Triangular Modeled Cities: stability, prosperity, and sustainability"?
The Prayut government has made promises which turned out to be empty many times before. Every time the result was street protests, in Songkhla or Bangkok.
Such suspicions might also have their origin in Gen Prayut's confusing remarks. On Monday, as he assured the media that the government was "listening" to the villagers' voices, he was adamant the project must continue. He made another comment while visiting Yala province: "Everything will be bound by the law. We can't just blindly comply with any demand."
The prime minister must be aware that some state agencies breached the law and regulations in attempts to change land use, from agricultural to industrial purposes, in the town planning process to push along the project, amid dubious land acquisitions as land prices soared. This is where the conflict started.
Local villagers were also frustrated with the role of state agencies, like the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre and local administration offices, in accommodating the private sector which is trying to push the project at all costs. The developer on Monday kickstarted a series of hearings on EIA studies via Zoom, a digital method that some observers criticised as not appropriate for people in a rural area.
It should be noted that the latest promise was almost the same as one made when Thamanat Prompow, then deputy agriculture minister, struck a deal with the Chana demonstrators, which the government later refused to acknowledge.
It's Capt Thamanat who pinpointed that the megaproject had bypassed the National Economic and Social Development Council -- a mistake that could cost the project its validity. With such outrageous information coming to light, the government has no choice but to backpedal.
Now the ball is in Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Supattanapong's court. He is expected to form more subpanels on the matter. In completing his new assignment, Mr Supattanapong must adhere to the people's participation principle, ensuring that the opponents are included in the panels he is to set up.
All laws and regulations that technically obstruct people's participation must be addressed and processes must be carried out in a fair and transparent way if he wants to gain trust from the villagers. If not, a solution would be just a distant hope.
