Govt seeks fix for Krabi plant

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will invite all stakeholders to discuss a solution to unravel “unclear procedures” for the Krabi coal-fired power plant project’s environment and health impact assessment studies.

Natural Resources and Environment minister Surasak Kanjanarat said he will invite the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy Planning (Onep), the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) and NGOs who oppose the project to discuss how to start with the project’s Environment and Health Impact Assessment (EHIA).

“We want to make it clear how to start the process. It is a stage where all stakeholders will discuss finding a solution to this situation,” he said, adding that the meeting is likely to be organised by early next month. He said the ministry will push for a strategic environmental assessment (Sea), which is a guideline for considering whether the project is worthy of investment after looking at the environmental impacts. But he said he was not certain it would be achievable to implement a Sea in the case of the Krabi coal power plant.

He added that it would be a good step to begin with to avoid any conflicts over the project.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha previously said Egat should “get back to square one” by starting with the initial process of the EHIA/EIA for the Krabi coal power plant. Gen Prayut said this would be in line with the opponents’ requests to see a “set-zero” for the project. Meanwhile, the cabinet resolution on Tuesday said the project needed to renew the process of public participation.

Prasitthichai Nunaul, a key coordinator of Save Andaman from Coal, said Egat should withdraw the project’s EHIA/EIA studies immediately, otherwise the group will prepare to move against the project.