Phangnga airport plan faces forest probe

The Ministry of National Resource and Environment has put the brakes on a private-sector plan to build a new airport on 2,000-rai of land in Phangnga, pending an investigation into whether the project encroaches on a protected swamp forest.

According to a ministry source, permanent secretary Wijarn Simachaya has signed an order setting up a committee to look into the project that allegedly would be located on Klong Maprao forest reserve in tambon Lam Kaen of Thai Muang district.

The probe is needed as there are discrepancies in the land survey information produced by the forestry officials, the company in charge of the project and the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG), the source said.

Based on information from forestry officials and the private firm, the airport is slated to be built in degraded forest land. Forestry officials have already approved the project.

The Royal Forest Department (RFD) has written to the Phangnga provincial authorities, asking them to order the company to conduct an environmental impact assessment (EIA), the source said.

But the OAG is concerned the proposed site may undermine efforts to protect the mangrove forest.

The source said it is still unclear whether the forestry officials conducted a proper survey of the land so the firm’s request must be carefully reviewed first.

The probe team, chaired by deputy natural resource permanent-secretary Rutchada Suriyakul Na Ayutya, will conclude its finding in seven days.

Meanwhile, Mr Wijarn said National Resource and Environment Minister Surasak Kanjanarat has instructed officials to investigate how the project came about and who was involved.

Approving such a large-scale project without proper vetting could be a violation of the Private Investments in State Undertakings Act, he said, adding the land surveying must also be verified as having been conducted legitimately and thoroughly.

Since the project came under investigation, Boonsueb Samakraj, director of Forest Management Bureau 12 in Krabi, which supervises Krabi and the neighbouring provinces of Phuket and Phangnga, has been transferred to serve as chief of the Forest Protection and Fire Control Bureau.