Xayaburi dam fight stepped up

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Protesters ask for public hearing on the impacts

Published: 8/12/2011 at 03:29 AM
Newspaper section: News

Xayaburi dam protesters in eight provinces plan to petition the Administrative Court to revoke a Thai-Laos contract on joint usage of electricity produced by the dam on the Mekong River.

Calling themselves the "people network" in the Mekong basin, the group took to the streets after the Mekong River Commission (MRC) began a three-day meeting in Cambodia yesterday to discuss the controversial project.

The network said it disagreed with what it claimed was a "non-publicised" cabinet resolution in June that allowed the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand to sign a contract with Vientiane on electricity usage because the project has yet to go through a complete public hearing process in Thailand.

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About the author

: Writer: Mongkol Bangprapa; Position: Reporter

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anoldman
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Discussion 5 : 08/12/2011 at 11:38 AM5
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D2; geoffo, I useually agree with your comments but you won't get many people in many countries to agree with the view that you express on national boundaries. Wars are fought over them.
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joe123x1
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Discussion 4 : 08/12/2011 at 10:45 AM4
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D1 is correct as long as it is not effecting Thai soil or people physically somehow. This Thai people who oppose it are totally wrong and should stop quarrel. There is already enough chaos in the country. I wonder who is behind this 'protests' because there are always some people who try to use the other for personal gain.
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democrazy
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Discussion 3 : 08/12/2011 at 10:18 AM3
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"Vietnam and Cambodia are worried about the dam's impact on their crops..."
Are they also "worried" about the 8 (eight) dams China is building ?
And who says that China has the right to built 8 dams but Laos has not ?
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geoffo
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Discussion 2 : 08/12/2011 at 08:54 AM2
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D1 seeing the reports about the negative impact Chinese dams have already had on the Mehkong don't you think this should be open to a public forum. Country borders are ink on paper and meaningless to the river and the people who depend on it.
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anoldman
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Discussion 1 : 08/12/2011 at 07:59 AM1
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The "network" cannot have any success. The construction and power purchase contracts are signed commercial contracts between commercial entities and are not within the purview of the Administrative Court.

Their instatance that a Lao project must follow Thai Law is the height of arrogance. Laos is an independent country, not a vassal state of Thailand.
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Xayaburi dam fight stepped up | Bangkok Post: news