25 May 2002

THA CHIN DAM

The Irrigation Department must suspend studies and public hearings on the Tha Chin dam until it is proved the project would improve the river's condition, said Kaewsan Athiphoti, deputy chairman of the Senate environment committee.

Mr Kaewsan claimed the dam's objective of regulating the amount of seawater flowing into the river failed to address local residents' environmental concerns.

Less drastic and more effective measures must be explored, he told local people at a seminar.

He urged the Royal Irrigation Department to allow residents a role in feasibility studies and the decision-making process through ``fair'' public hearings.

``What the agency's consulting firm claims to be public hearings are more like public-relations exercises,'' Mr Kaewsan said.

The seminar was attended by more than 2,000 residents who expressed concern the dam would turn the river into a stagnant pool.

``The dam would cause irreparable damage to the river's eco-system,'' said Anuchat Puangsomlee, adviser to Tha Chin Conservationists. Wicharn Simachaya, of the Pollution Control Department, said the Irrigation Department had failed to come up with measures to prevent the river from stagnating.