Sasin says original rationale for Mae Wong was to solve drought

Sasin says original rationale for Mae Wong was to solve drought

A leading environmental advocate has insisted the Mae Wong dam was originally intended to solve a water shortage, not tackle floods.

Sueb Nakhasathien Foundation secretarygeneral Sasin Chalermlarp discusses the controversialMae Wongdamproject before a House committeeonpolitical development, media and public participation yesterday. CHANAT KATANYU

Its initial purpose was to "cope with drought, not floods", Sueb Nakhasathien Foundation secretary-general Sasin Chalermlarp told a House committee on public participation affairs yesterday.

The panel, chaired by Democrat MP for Ubon Ratchathani Suphachai Sila, convened to hear from the Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC), which is administering the project, and opponents of the dam led by Mr Sasin's group. Critics say the project lacks a complete environment and health impact assessment, or EHIA, and that backers have failed to get the views of villagers near the dam site in Nakhon Sawan's Mae Wong National Park.

Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, also WFMC chairman, earlier said the government is preparing to conduct a new study of the dam with its purpose shifted from irrigation to flood prevention.

The dam, if built, would destroy the habitat of tigers in the park. The dam would hold 200 million cubic metres of water, or 30-40% of the water flowing downstream to the Sakae Krang River basin. "I don't oppose the government's water management in the area. But why not choose a better alternative to the dam?" he said.

Supot Tovichakchaikul, secretary-general to the Office of the National Water and Flood Management Policy who spoke on Mr Plodprasop's behalf, admitted the dam would not completely solve flood problems but could ease the impact of water run-off from the North.

The government needs the dam to complement the national flood prevention scheme, Mr Supot said.

The cabinet last year gave the nod for the dam. However, the project cannot start without approval of the EHIA.

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