PHATTHALUNG: A group of about 150 "photographers" on Sunday morning gathered on the bridge across Khlong Pak Pra canal in Khuan Khanun district of this southern province in a symbolic protest against the Royal Irrigation Department's plan to build a dam across the canal.
Protesters say the dam, intended to block salty water from entering the Songkhla Lake, would seriously affect both the local ecosystem and the lives of the local people.
The camera-wielding protesters, who are fond of taking photographs of scenic views across the country, called for the government to review the dam plan.
The protest, led by Dr Rangsit Thongsamak, came after a local petition was sent to the prime minister via the Phatthalung governor and messages, accompanied by scenic views of the area designated for the construction of the dam, were posted on LINE, Facebook and other social media.
They were also inspired by a poem by Jiranant Pitpreecha, a famous Seawrite Award writer, who earlier read it aloud on the Khlong Pak Pra bridge to oppose the plan.
Dr Vipas Kulnirundorn, a protester, said the plan should be reconsidered because the majority of local residents are afraid the dam would seriously affect their living conditions.
He said the Royal Irrigation Department has not shown sufficient proof that the dam would block salty water from flowing inland and maintain a supply of fresh water for agriculture in the dry season. The people also doubt whether an environmental impact assessment has been conducted, Dr Vipas added.
Kukiat Wongkrapan, the Phatthalung governor, said the Khlong Pak Pra dam project has not yet been explained to the public and the design has not been drawn up. It is the Royal Irrigation Department's responsibility to explain the plan to the people, he said, and a meeting on the issue will be held on Oct 12 at the Phatthalung irrigation office.
The gpvernor said that in 2003, people in two villages along the Khlong Pak Pra canal called on the Phatthalung irrigation office to tackle the shortage of water for consumption and agriculture during the dry season. The matter was raised for discussion at a recent meeting at a hotel in Phatthalung, leading to a plan to hire companies to conduct feasibility and environmental impact assessment studies and design a dam to prevent salt water from the Songkhla Lake from flowing into Khlong Pak Pra canal.
Local people were not properly informed of the plan, leading to the protest, Mr Kukiat said.