Power plant investments at the crossroads

published : 14 Mar 2018 at 04:25
newspaper section: News

The Thepha coal-fired power plant conflict in Songkhla province of the South shows the public decision-making process in Thailand is in a serious coma.
Previous large-scale infrastructure initiatives, such as the Krabi power plant, the Mae Wong irrigation dam, or the more historic Kaeng Sue Ten irrigation dam were all put on hold owing largely to the failure of the public decision-making process.
Such failures are particularly evident in cases concerning large-scale investments that affect local communities and the environment.
Adis Israngkura na Ayudya
Adviser of the Thailand Development Research Institute
Adis Israngkura na Ayudya, PhD, is an adviser of the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI). Policy analyses from the TDRI appear in the Bangkok Post on alternate Wednesday.
