Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Monday pledged to listen to the demands of local residents in Songkhla's Chana district, but said that the controversial industrial estate planned for the area will continue despite protests.
Gen Prayut said in order to address their concerns, a fact-finding panel had been formed to meet local residents and work out a solution to disputes surrounding the project.
Urging opponents of the megaproject to halt their protests, the PM said the panel's findings will be discussed by the cabinet today.
Gen Prayut said state agencies concerned have been ordered to ensure the project is carried out transparently and in accordance with people's demands.
After insisting the government will heed local residents' concerns, however, Gen Prayut said the government has no choice but to press on with the project, as not doing so would constitute a breach of the law.
"This is a lesson for the government. We intended to increase economic activities in the southern region, but in implementing the policy problems occurred, so a review and more public input is needed," he said.
In a related development, opponents of the project who had camped out in front of the United Nation's headquarters were blocked by police from advancing on Government House to resume their rally on Monday.
The group was calling for the project to be suspended until a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) was complete and for the police to drop any charges against the 37 protesters detained during a Dec 6 protest outside Government House.
When police refused to let them march to Government House, they threatened to camp out in front of Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon and block traffic.
Seksakol Atthawong, a vice minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office, said he would talk with the protesters' representatives and submit the findings to the cabinet today if the meeting was fruitful, while Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said he would travel to Chana district to gather facts.